Cottrell IMPACT Award

The Cottrell IMPACT Award recognizes a Cottrell Scholar or Holland Award recipient who has had a national impact in science through leadership and service activities. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize, an invitation to give a plenary talk at the Cottrell Scholar Conference, and promotion by RCSA. Nominations are submitted by institutional leaders, Cottrell Scholars, or Holland Awardees and shortlisted nominees are invited to submit full applications.

US$5,000 cash prize; invitation to give a plenary talk at the Cottrell Scholar Conference; promotion in professional journals by RCSA.

Nominees must be a Cottrell Scholar (at least 12 years beyond the year of their Cottrell Scholar Award and holding an academic position at a research university or primarily undergraduate institution) or a Holland Awardee. For the 2027 award, eligibility is limited to Cottrell Scholars who received their award in 2015 or earlier. Previous IMPACT award recipients are not eligible.

Nominations (including name, affiliation, and a short paragraph) are submitted via RCSA's PRISM system by an institutional colleague, Cottrell Scholar, or Holland Awardee. After nomination deadline, eligible nominees are invited to submit full applications in PRISM including a two-page bio-sketch, a three-page impact essay, and contact details for two support letter writers; support letters are submitted separately.