Frequently Asked Questions about ECP Awards

If I’m a post-doc doing research, can I apply for this award if I’m not currently teaching?

  • Some post-doctoral positions are focused only on research. However, teaching experiences gained during graduate school may count for this award, as do guest lectures (which post-docs may participate in), and any outreach experiences where undergraduates or high schoolers are the focus. Any teaching experience counts and should be included in the nomination.

If I have feedback from student evaluations: can these be used as a measuring tool of teaching for this award?

  • Yes, if applicants have feedback from students, this can be included in a brief summary form embedded in the application, but raw evaluations should not be included.

Could new course development, course proposals, or material development (e.g. assignments, exams, etc.)  be used for evaluations of this award?

  • If individuals create new courses/proposals to fill a void at a university or something they’re passionate about, this shows ambition and innovation and these experiences should be included in the application for this award.  Any curriculum or material development can be included.

Does the type of pedagogy that I’ve used influence my chances of receiving the award?

  • If you can demonstrate an innovative use of pedagogy, this will be viewed favorably. However, the lack of innovation in pedagogy should not discourage anyone from applying for this award.

What are measures of quantity in teaching?

  • These include, but are not limited to, the number and types of courses taught, the number of students taught, and the number of years involved in teaching.

What is the distinction between outreach and extension?

  • For the purposes of this award, outreach is defined as directed to the general public, who may not have a direct stake in the research, while extension is outreach to direct stakeholders such as growers, and others who may stand to directly benefit from the research being conducted. For instance, an organic grower learning about the benefits of organic techniques on pollinators or pest community stands to directly benefit, while someone in the public who works in an office may be interested in this research, but does not stand to directly benefit from knowing about the research. Outreach audiences include youth, undergraduates, and adults without a vested interest in the research, while extension includes audiences who have a vested interest in the research.

What are the types of outputs considered for outreach and public engagement?

  • Outreach and public engagement outputs may include, but are not limited to, media contacts and/or being interviewed for entomologically-based news, developing programs dealing with entomological themes where the public participates, and developing digital resources for the public including videos, blog posts, etc. Additionally, these may take the form of working with established organizations to reach the public, including (but not limited to) groups such as 4H, Science Olympiad, local schools, Teach For America, Science Fairs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists, etc.

What is the distinction between outreach and extension?

  • For the purposes of this award, outreach is defined as being directed to the general public who may not have a direct stake in the research, while extension is outreach to direct stakeholders such as growers, and others who may stand to benefit directly from the research being conducted. For instance, an organic grower learning about the benefits of organic techniques on pollinators or pest community stands to directly benefit, while someone in the public who works for example in an office may be interested in this research, but does not stand to directly benefit from knowing about the research. Outreach audiences may include youth, undergraduates, and adults without a vested interest in the research, while extension includes audiences who have a vested interest in the research.

What types of outputs are typically considered to be extension?

  • Written outputs include (but are not limited to) factsheets, proceedings, news alerts, websites & digital resources, trade magazine articles, handouts, extension publications, newsletters, or any type of communication that helps you communicate with growers.  Verbal outputs include (but are not limited to) presentations to grower/stakeholder audiences, organizing symposia for growers, twilight meetings, field days, demonstrations, workshops, courses intended for growers, IPM schools, radio and news interviews, etc.

What are measures of quality for extension-related activities?

  • The ‘gold standard’ is if you can document that behavior or adoption of XYZ has changed as a result of your activities. This can be demonstrated through summary statistics from surveys administered before and after extension events, and other measures, such as the amount of money saved in production costs or the damage reduced from using XYZ tactic, etc.  Were your activities covered in local, national or international media? Can you demonstrate that your approach was innovative? If so, then these are other indicators of quality that could be included in your submission.

What are measures of quantity for extension-related activities?

  • These include (but are not limited to) the number of stakeholders reached at presentations, the reach of your message digitally from clicks/views/visitors, the reach of your message through news media, etc. Note that this award was designed to emphasize quality (innovation, impacts, etc.) over quantity.

What constitutes a ‘research contribution?’

  • A research contribution is any body or bodies of work that you have undertaken and that have been published in peer-reviewed journals. For example, if you worked on a project concerning species or subject XYZ, then all of your work on that species or subject could be considered the “research contribution” or body of work. Other types of research contributions may include things like books, book chapters, patents, and invited presentations at conferences, companies or universities.

Don’t I have to be farther along in my career to have made an outstanding research contribution?

  • Judges for this award will keep in mind the fact that you are an early career professional―this award is specifically for early career professionals. Remember that you are only competing against other early career professionals with a similar amount of experience as you.  So if you feel that you have been productive relative to your peers, then consider submitting for this award. Also remember that these awards were designed to give weight to the quality, originality, creativity, and scope and relevance of your research, not just to the number of contributions.

Does it have to be published research to be included in submission for this award?

  • Yes. Publishing research in peer-reviewed outlets shows productivity in the research arena, and it is hard to acknowledge work that hasn’t first been vetted by peers.

Must the work have been undertaken during a post-doctoral position?

  • No, the work to be recognized for this award may be undertaken during any time in your career, including while you were a graduate student. The key is to choose the most impressive body of work you have and to focus on that in your submission.
General Notes Pertinent to All ECP Awards

I’m not sure that I am competitive relative to my peers.

  • You won’t know unless you put an application in, and you might be surprised. You will never win an award if you don’t try.  Even if you don’t win an ECP award, you will have gotten experience in generating an award submission package, and you will be able to create an improved and more competitive package the next time that you apply. Also, remember that you may be renominated no more than two times within the two-year period after initial submission.

I feel that I’m too early in my career and I don’t have enough contributions to apply for these awards.

  • The intent of these awards is to recognize early career entomologists that have excelled in different aspects of entomology in their career. During the evaluation process, judges keep in mind that you are at an early career stage. Additionally, the awards were designed to provide more weight to the quality, originality, creativity, scope and relevance to science and the society, and not to the number of contributions.

Are the contributions obtained as student considered for these awards?

  • Yes, all contributions acquired during your entomological career will be considered during the application process.

I have roughly equal expertise in all the areas covered by the ECP awards (research, extension, outreach, teaching).

  • Then, you might want to try for the Early Career Innovation Award, especially if you’ve demonstrated a lot of creativity in the various areas. Otherwise, you may want to pick the area you have more significant contributions and try submitting an award for that area: your “equal” experience, may be more than what other people usually have for that category.