Awards

Overview

Each year, AIR recognizes and celebrates individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the success of the association and the profession through their leadership, service, and scholarship.

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Awards

AIR Rising Star Award

Recognizes AIR members who are early in their careers and are emerging leaders.

Program Overview

John Stecklein Distinguished Member Award

Recognizes a member whose professional career has significantly advanced the field of institutional research through extraordinary scholarship, leadership, and service.

This award is only offered to current AIR members.

Program Overview

Outstanding Service Award

Recognizes a member for professional leadership and exemplary service to AIR, and may be bestowed posthumously.

This award is only offered to current AIR members.

Program Overview

Sidney Suslow Scholar Award

Recognizes an individual who, through scholarly work, has made significant contributions to the field of institutional research and advanced understanding of the profession in a meaningful way.

Program Overview

Charles F. Elton Best Paper Award

Celebrates the scholarly papers that best exemplify the standards of excellence established by the award's namesake and that make significant contributions to the fields of IR, IE, or Assessment.

Program Overview

2025 Awardees

C. Ellen Peters

C. Ellen Peters

Outstanding Service Award

Maria Lidia Ortiz Zamora

Maria Lidia Ortiz Zamora

AIR Rising Star Award

Oceania in the Desert: A QuantCrit Analysis of the (Under) Counting of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Students at an AANAPISI-HSI (Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2024)

Kristine Jan Cruz Espinoza, California Lutheran University; Blanca E. Rincón, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Brent M. Drake, Gardner Institute; J. Judd Harbin, NorthWest Arkansas Community College; Kyle K. Ethelbah, University of Nevada, Las Vegas


Selection Process

Each year, the Awards Review Committees assess nominations with award-specific rubrics and criteria that were developed by the AIR Board of Directors in order to recommend whether to bestow awards and to whom. The committees align on the rubric and rating scale, review nominations individually, and then meet to finalize recommendations. The committees complete their work in March, at which time all nominees will be notified of the award selections. The awardees are announced publicly in May.

How Awardees Are Recognized

Each Awardee will:

  • Receive a congratulatory letter from the AIR Executive Director and President.
  • Be copied on a letter to the institution/employer president from the AIR Executive Director and President.
  • Be recognized on the AIR website, in an issue of eAIR, and at the AIR Forum.
  • Receive an award plaque.

Have an idea for a new award?

Review the procedures PDF.

Download PDF

Award FAQs

  • Q: Can you nominate yourself for an award?
    A: Yes!
  • Q: Do you have to be a current AIR member to receive an award?
    A: Some of AIR’s awards are member only. Visit awards for more information.  
  • Q: Does AIR accept new award ideas?
    A: Yes! If you have a new AIR award idea, review the procedures PDF. Proposals must be received by July 1 of a given year to be considered for implementation at the following AIR Forum. 
  • Q: How are awardees recognized?

    A: (1) Recipients will receive a congratulatory letter from the AIR Executive Director and President. 

    (2) Each awardee's institution president will receive a letter from the AIR Executive Director and President. 

    (3) Recipients' acceptance letters and letters of support will be published on the AIR website. 

    (4) An announcement will be included in an issue of eAIR.  

    (5) Awardees will be recognized during the annual AIR Forum conference. 

    (6) Awardees will receive official award plaques. 

  • Q: How do you nominate a candidate for an award?
    A: Each award has its own nomination instructions. Visit the program overview of awards for more information. 
  • Q: What criteria must be met to receive an award?
    A: Each award has its own specific criteria for candidates. Visit the program overview of awards for more information.  
  • Q: What is the award selection process?
    A: Each year, the Awards Review Committee assesses nominations against award-specific rubrics and criteria that were developed by the AIR Board of Directors in order to recommend whether to bestow awards and to whom. The committee aligns on the rubric and rating scale, reviews nominations individually, and then meets to finalize recommendations. Depending on the committee's schedule, this can sometimes take through the end of February or into early March. 
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