Awards

Celebrating Excellence in Research Administration

SRAI’s Awards recognize outstanding contributions to the field of research administration and the advancement of our professional community. Presented each year at the Annual Meeting, these honors celebrate leadership, service, innovation, and excellence across the research management spectrum. They serve not only to acknowledge individual achievement but to inspire continued growth and impact within the profession.

Meet the 2025 Recipients

The Herbert B. Chermside Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Contribution to Research Administration

The Herbert B. Chermside Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes distinguished and substantial contributions to the development of research administration as a profession.

This award was created and named after an SRAI member who first joined only two years after the Society was formed and then spent the rest of his career working towards the advancement of the profession of research administration. He was known as a mentor to many, and a dedicated research administrator to all.

Distinguishable and recognized contributions to this award may be in the form of any of the following:

  • Publications in research management and administration journals.
  • Speeches concerning research administration and the advancement of the profession before major organizations.
  • Service on committees or agencies that have had a direct and positive impact on research administration.
  • Other activities that have contributed to the development of research administration as a profession.

Nominations for the award are solicited from leaders in colleges and universities, industry, government, and the SRAI membership. The nominee does not need to be an SRAI member, but the nominator must be a current SRAI member. One winner is selected each year.

2025: Susan Wyatt Sedwick

2024: Debra Schaller-Demers

2023: J. Michael Slocum

2022: Rebecca Claycamp

2021: Jennifer Shambrook

2020: David Phipps

2019: Mark Hochman

2018: Marjorie Piechowski

2017: Collin Cooper

2016: Pat Buennemeyer

2015: Bill F. Schweri

2013: Edward F. Gabriele

2012: Jean I. Feldman

2011: Dorothy Yates

2010: Lynne Chronister and Elliott Kulakowski

2008: Mike Varney

2007: Albert R.C. Westwood

2006: Paul Nacon

2004: Vice Admiral Michael L. Cowan

2003: Kenneth Beasley

2002: Karen Holbrook

2001: Henry G. Friesen

2000:  Arthur Beinenstock

1999: Rear Admiral Paul G. Gaffney, II

1998: Wendy Baldwin

1997: Judith Bostoch

1996: Geoffrey E. Grant

1995: V. Wayne Kennedy

1994: John A. Rodman

1993: Mary Woolley

1992: Cedric Chernik

1991: William Raub

1990: Ronald W. Lamont-Havers

1989: Robert M. Johnson

1988: Richard C. Atkinson

1987: Ronald E. Cape

1986: Gordon MacNabb

1985: Ian M. Rose

1984: Linda S. Wilson

1983: Donald N. Langenberg

1982: Donald S. Fredrickson

1981: Malcolm E. Pruitt

1980: Edward E. David

1979: Arthur M. Bueche

1978: Alvin M. Weinberg

1977: Raymond J. Woodrow

1976: William O. Baker

1975: James A. Shanon

1974: George Darling

Hartford-Nicholsen Award

This award was established to recognize SRAI members whose services demonstrate leadership in the Society, and who have made a major, distinguishable contribution that has been of benefit to the entire Society. Individuals who are nominated for this award have contributed their professional expertise to the Society to help develop, define, and promote best practices in research administration.

The contributions an individual has made to show suitability for this award may be in the form of any of the following:

  • Served in a leadership role within SRAI as an officer of a chapter or section, chair of a committee or working group, or member of the Board of Directors.
  • A dedicated SRAI speaker, sharing knowledge and expertise while promoting best practices and development in the field of research administration.

The nominee must be a current SRAI member, nominated by a current SRAI member. Up to three winners can be selected each year.

2025: Angela Behrend

2024: Andrea Deaton & Pamela Montgomery

2023: Kim C. Carter, Dara Little, & Renee Vaughan

2022: Karen Bone, Kevin Titus, & Bill Hoffman

2021: Heather Kraus & Annedorte Vad

2020: Dominic Esposito, Lynda Olin, & Nathan Vanderford

2019: Amy Cuhel-Schuckers, Cindy Morin, & Anne Schauer

2018: Tonya K. Edvalson, Gina Hedberg,  Tim Linker

2017: Gloria W. Greene & Ellen E. Zavala

2016: Fran Stephens

2015: Sandra M. Nordahl, Mark Hochman, & Kris Rhodes

2014: Judy Bristow & Kathryn Watkins

2013: Midge Breslof, Kate McCormick, & Amy Sikalis

2012: Merritt R. Helfferich & Shirley Hill

2011: Debra Schaller-Demers & Cliff Schofield

2010: Cindy Kiel, Philip Myers, & Domenica Pappas

2009: Frank Davis, Rene C. Hearns, & Marcia Trudgen

2008:Michael Owen

2007: David Mineo & Karen Wilson

2006: Jennifer Shambrook

2005: Jim Hanlon, Peggy Harrell, & Donna Marano

2004: Myriam Bouroche, Colin Cooper, Edward F. Gabriele, Charlie Tardivo, & Dorothy Yates

2003: William Caskey, Patricia D. Buennemeyer, Sharon L. Kiser, & Paula Means

2002: Michael McCallister, Mary Ellen Colvin, Mary Daley, & J. Terry Manns

2001: Mary T. Spina, Thane Peterson, Cary E. Thomas, & John Chinn

2000: Paul Nacon, Pearl Bigfeather, Carolyn Witt, & Michael Baiad

1999: Matthew A. Kinnard, Joe Bass, & Ken Beasley

1998: Pamela F. Miller, Pamela A. Krauser, Pamela Brown, Bruce Steinert, & Michael Lanner

1997: Jerry J. Fife, Mildred Huff Ofuso, Victoria J. Molfese, & Laurie L. Robertson

1996: Rebecca D. Claycamp, Jackie B. Solberg, Phillip V. Spina, & Marcia Landen

1995: Diane C. Gilbert, Robert A. Killoren Jr.,, Linda Schwarz, & Ada Sue Selwitz

1994: Frederick B. Mesler, Dianne Horrocks, Robert Fleming, & Janice Eckert

1993: Gustavo Godoy, Shanti Gulati, John S. Phillips, & Ruth S. Poole

1992: Lynne U. Chronister, Janet E. Scholz, J. Michael Slocum, Michael M. Smith, & Regina A. Smith

1991: Mary C. Frankel, Lucy H. Henry, James L. Pyle, & William F. Schweri

1990: Dennis B. Neighbors, Jr., Marjorie Piechowski, Paul Saenger, & Mary Woolley

1989: Geoffrey Grant, Ellen D. Rogers, Richard E. Stephens, & Paul Waugaman

1988: Melvin W. Buck, William J. Clement, Wil B. Emmet, & Roberta A. Nixon

1987: Dwight L. Allen, Alfred B. Chaet, Herbert B. Floyd, & Arthur H. Headlam

1986: Claudette D. Beyer, Frank Bloomfield, Lynzee Browning, Norma Denney, & Charles Selbert

1985: Robert Bolton, John L. Christian, Cecil K. Drinker, & Kathrine M. Reed

1984: Brent R. Kopp, Dr. Robert E. Krebs, Peggy S. Lowry, & Milton S. Stombler

1983: Robert F. Boord, Brian L. Harvey, John M. Rogers, & Louren J. Van Monsjou

1982: Roger D. Hartman, David R. Mounce, & Daniel M. Oshiro

1981: Linda G. Halstead, James A. McPherson, & William R. Richard

1980: Joel M. Cohen, Carla Dingillo, & Robert J. McKee

1979: Truman Cook, Jo Ann Treat, & Larry G. Hess

1978: Ruth M. Morgan, William J. Sabo, & Juanita C. Sowell

1977: Justin C. Crawford, Rodney Rose, & Donald M. Wood

1976: Harold B. Lawler, Eva J. Meyer, & Robert J. Proctor

1975: Jack Balderston, Richard L. Snyder, & Betty L. Stevenson

1974: Kenneth L. Beasly, Charlotte Raymond, Donald J. Rosania, & Kenneth E. Wright

1973: David Canham, Jr., Lorraine Lasker, & Henry Schulte

1972: Richard Duro, Richard Hill, Gary Matteson, & Jack Yarin

1971: James Burack, Michael Costello, Sherwin Hansen, & Donald Howard

1970: Mary Buck, Edward Davanaugh, Michael Hubona, & Bobette Jones

1969: Robert Anthonisen, Benjamin Burgess, James Koch, & Alan Morrison

1968: Richard D'Agostino, Richard Nicholsen, & Tracy Patrick

Excellence Award

This award recognizes SRAI members who have excelled in meeting the Society's purpose of expanding the knowledge and tools of research administration. It was established in 1977 in honor of the Society's 10th anniversary.

Recipients of this award have made contributions to the field of research administration within SRAI and their own institution and/or outside organization through the development and expansion of methodology, working applications, and tools in an important and fundamental way, as demonstrated through:

  • Presentations
  • Teaching and/or mentoring
  • Service to an institution and/or outside organization
  • Publications

The nominee must be a current SRAI member, nominated by a current SRAI member. Up to three winners can be selected each year.

2025

  • Linda Dement
  • Kimberly Pratt
  • Meaghan Ventura

2024

  • Jason Claes
  • Cynthia Morin
  • Olumide Odeyemi

2023

  • Jose Alcaine
  • Terri Bigham
  • Susan Wyatt Sedwick

2022 

  • Nathan L. Vanderford - Advanced Level
  • Jennifer E. Woodward, PhD - Advanced Level

2021

  • Debbie Pettitt - Advanced Level
  • Courtney Hunt - Mid-Career Level
  • Katie Wu - Newcomer Level

2020

  • Quinton Johnson - Mid-Career Level

2019

  • Gloria Greene - Advanced Level
  • Tabatha Lemke - Mid-Career Level
  • Blair Reed - Newcomer Level

2018

  • William F. Hoffman, Jr. - Advanced Level
  • Nathan L. Vanderford - Mid-Career Level

2017

  • Frank Davis - Advanced Level
  • Alex Delavan - Mid-Career Level

2016: Jennie Amison - Advanced Level

2015: Renee J. Vaughan - Advanced Level

2014

  • Erik Schneebeck - Newcomer Level
  • Paula Bistak - Advanced Level

2013

  • Esther Gondwe - Newcomer Level
  • Sarah Lampson - Advanced Level

2012

  • Jayamini Illesinghe – Newcomer Level
  • Andrea Deaton - Mid-Career Level

2011

  • Lara Cartmale – Newcomer Level
  • Debra Schaller-Demers - Mid-Career Level
  • Denise Makovac-Badali – Advanced Level

2010

  • Jennifer Shambrook
  • David Mineo

2009

  • Patricia D. Buennemeyer
  • Philip A. Cola
  • J. Terence Manns

2008: Marcia Landen

2007: Sandra M. Nordahl

2006

  • Lynne Chronister
  • Bill Schweri

2005: Donna Marano

2004

  • Paul G. Waugaman
  • Elliott Kulakowski

2003: Michael J. Slocum

2002: Rebecca Claycamp

2001: Edward Gabriele

1999: Carol L. Tippery

1997: Jean Morrow

1996: Robert A. Killoren, Jr

1995: Donald E. Clark

1994: Marjorie Piechowski

1993: Ada Sue Selwitz

1992: Eugene L. Stein

1991: Frea E. Sladek

1990: Clifford L. Shisler

1989: John M. Mishler

1988: Michael R. Dingerson 

1987: Claudette D. Beyer 

1986: Brian L. Harvey 

1985: Peggy S. Lowry

1984: John A. Rodman

1983: Larry G. Hess 

1982: Donald R. Baldwin

1980: Oliver D. Hensley 

1979: Jack L. Balderston

1978: Kenneth Beasley

1977: George B. Bush

The Technology Innovation and Application Award

This award was established in 2010 and celebrates individuals or teams who have introduced technological solutions that enhance research administration.

Regardless of the media, innovations significantly move an office forward using technologies that best reflect the goals proposed. Innovation can take many forms – whether it’s the development of a new software tool, streamlining data management systems, or implementing digital platforms that improve grants management, communication, and collaboration across departments.

The nominee may be an individual or a team. The technology may have been developed within one’s own institution or organization or in collaboration with another outside entity.

Nominee(s) do not need to be an SRAI member. The nominator must be a current SRAI member.

2025: Arya Singh, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

2024: Lisa A. Wilson, Interim Assistant Vice President, Office of Research Administration, Emory University

2022

  • Carla DeMarco, University of Toronto Mississauga
  • Jamil Ur Rahman, Khalifa University of Science and Technology

2021: Benaroya Research Institute

2019: Baron Wolf, Assistant Vice President for Research Strategy & Data Analytics, University of Kentucky

2018: Linda Gamman, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Communication, University of Washington

2017: Drew Brown, Associate Director, Arizona State University

2016: John Rogers, The University of Alabama at Huntsville

2015: Neil Maxwell, Phoebe Search, University of California, Berkeley

2014: Chris Winders, University of Missouri, Kansas City

2013: Steven Dominguez, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

2012: UCLA Rapid PI Portal 2011 Indiana University, Office of Research Administration

2011: Indiana University, Office of Research Administration

2010: Clark Atlanta University

Outstanding Achievement Award in Policy and Science Diplomacy

This award recognizes individuals or teams that recognize the crucial role that policy and science diplomacy play in supporting organizations at all levels—local, federal/national, and international. Established in 2024, it honors those excelling in research administration, helping to maximize the impact of research and development for collaborations, mutual understanding, and joint efforts to find shared solutions to global challenges.

The Outstanding Achievement Award in Policy acknowledges the contribution of research administrators who have contributed to shaping policies that address local, national, or regional challenges. It honors those whose work has impacted the administration of research and development, helping improve how research is managed and delivered through influencing policies and setting new bridges for prioritization nationally and regionally.

The Outstanding Achievement Award in Science Diplomacy recognizes those who contributed to the use of science to strengthen international relationships and foster cooperation. It recognizes efforts to help regions and countries work better together through scientific collaborations.

Science diplomacy includes:

  • Diplomacy for Science: Working with diplomats to facilitate international scientific collaborations.
  • Science for Diplomacy: Using science to enhance diplomatic relations.
  • Science in Diplomacy: Providing scientific insights to inform political decisions.

Nominee(s) must be a current SRAI member. The nominator must be a current SRAI member. Up to two winners will be selected each year, one for each track.

2025: Cira Mathis

Questions?

We’re here to clarify and support.


Contact Us