Eligibility, Criteria, and How to Submit a Nomination

Outstanding Achievements in IPM Award

The Outstanding Achievements in Integrated Pest Management Award honors those whose work on IPM in the Northeast deserves special recognition.

For the purposes of the award, the Northeast is defined as the region served by the Northeastern IPM Center, which includes 12 states (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia) and the District of Columbia.

Nominee Eligibility

Professionals (or organizations) and college/university students are eligible.

Professionals may include growers, consultants, researchers, educators, and managers who are working in:

  • Agricultural IPM (fruit, vegetables, ornamentals, and livestock and field crops)
  • Affordable housing
  • Homes
  • Schools and institutions
  • Natural-areas/water-resources IPM
  • Invasive species

Undergraduate, master’s, or PhD students showing outstanding interest and accomplishments in IPM are eligible.

Nominee Criteria

The award recognizes effort in:

  • Developing new IPM tools
  • Implementing or evaluating IPM methods in operations, businesses, or organizations
  • Encouraging demonstrations and adoption of IPM
  • Promoting IPM and bolstering the adoption of IPM practices
  • Educating others about IPM
  • Collaborative efforts

For student nominees, accomplishments may include:

  • Impressive research results
  • Technical presentations
  • Posters
  • Reviewed publications
  • Extension publications
  • Exemplary work with stakeholders such as growers or building managers

Qualifications to Nominate

To submit a nomination, you must be a grower, consultant, researcher, educator, or manager working in IPM. Alternatively, you may co-nominate with someone who meets those criteria.

To nominate a student, you must be a member of the research or extension faculty at the student’s university.

Self-nominations and nominations submitted by students cannot be accepted.

What to Submit

  • A signed letter on letterhead, not exceeding two pages, with the following information:
    • Your name, title, organization, address, telephone number, email address, and affiliation with the nominee.
    • Nominee’s name, title, organization, address, telephone number, and email address.
    • Reasons for the nomination, including a description of the nominee’s operation if applicable (e.g., farm, consulting firm, business), IPM philosophy, IPM innovations, and other activities relevant to IPM. If you are nominating an organization, describe its goals, business products or services, and IPM philosophy and practices.
  • Photos of the nominee engaged in IPM-related work are appreciated (but not required), either at the time of submission or later if you are notified that your nominee has won. If photos are in electronic format, the Center can accept them via e-mail even if you are submitting a nomination by postal mail.
  • At least two supporting letters of recommendation from people who have been positively affected by the nominee, also signed, on letterhead.
  • Any additional supporting information (newspaper articles, letters, photographs, etc.) as appropriate.

Nominating letters and letters of support may be seen by the award winners or quoted in press releases or other venues. If you do not want the nominee to see your letter, or to have a quote attributed to you, clearly state this in your letter.

Where to Submit

Address letters to Deborah G. Grantham, director, Northeastern IPM Center.

Submit nominations and supporting materials to:

Deborah G. Grantham
IPM Award Nominations
340 Tower Road, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
dgg3@cornell.edu

All letters must be signed and on letterhead. We will accept nominations and supporting letters that are printed and mailed, or scanned as PDFs and attached to an email. A Word version of your letter is also appreciated (but not required) for easier quoting in press releases and articles.

Deadline

Nominations for the 2025 award must be received by the Northeastern IPM Center no later than Friday, October 25, 2024.

Determination of Winners

The Northeastern IPM Center will work with external reviewers with expertise in IPM who will evaluate the nominees based on the criteria listed above.

Award and Article/Webinar Requirement

Each winner will receive $500.

Before receiving the financial award, winners must provide a story/article (for the Northeastern IPM Center website and/or newsletter, and social media outlets) and/or present a webinar hosted by the Center.

These deliverables should be crafted with the general public in mind, although it can be assumed that readers/viewers typically have some practical interest in—and/or familiarity with—the topic at hand, and the audience may include some scientists and other professionals in the field.

The Center will facilitate introductions with relevant staff who can work with winners to determine the best course of action.

For More Information

If you are considering submitting a nomination and have any questions about the criteria or process, contact the Center via e-mail at northeastipm@cornell.edu, or visit our Contact Us page for additional ways to follow us or get in touch.