The AcademyHealth Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion will recognize organized groups within health services and policy research (HSR) that have created a more diverse, inclusive, just, and welcoming experience and sense of community for their employees and/or members. This recognition will be awarded to an organization or group. Nominated groups can include organizations, as well as defined departments, centers, clinical or research units; working groups of employees, faculty, staff, students in a project, program, or in a cross-system coalition; and others collective efforts that have taken demonstrable steps through initiatives, programs, or policies. Individuals are not eligible for this award.
AcademyHealth will widely promote the awarded group as part of our dedicated efforts to promote diversity and belonging in the research workforce and to drive transformation to a high-impact, equitable HSR field. The winner will be announced at the 2024 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting; one team representative will receive complimentary registration and lodging for one night to attend the conference and accept the award, and the opportunity to write a blog post.
Nomination Timeline
The nomination period is now closed.
Eligibility Criteria
- Any member (individual or organizational) of AcademyHealth may nominate a group for this award. Nominator must be an AcademyHealth individual and/or organizational member.
- The nominated organization must either be an AcademyHealth organizational member or have at least one individual within the nominated group be an AcademyHealth individual member.
- The organization or group’s initiatives, programs, or policies must have a minimum of two years of operation and have a plan for sustainability.
Nominations
Nominations must be submitted by an individual who has been directly involved, impacted by, or a user of the group’s efforts, programs, and policies to increase diversity and/or inclusion. Nominations representing minority-serving institutions and individuals and teams from minoritized and historically excluded groups are encouraged.
A one-page nomination letter should include:
- A description of the nominated group’s efforts to engage in activities to recruit, retain, and train individuals who support and increase the group’s diversity;
- The nominated group’s commitment to diversity and inclusion by recognizing and addressing issues of racial and social justice for group members;
- The steps taken by the nominated group to develop and lead a supportive experience that fosters belonging through collective action to promote culture change within and beyond the group;
- Examples of mentorship, training, active service, community engagement, etc. conducted by the nominated group;
- The impact of the nominated group’s initiatives, programs, or policies and how that impact is being measured
Please note self-nominations will NOT be accepted.
Review Criteria
The one-page nomination letter will be reviewed on the following four criteria:
- Organizations, teams or projects that promote and illustrate the impact of diversity and inclusion on their policies, practices, resources, tools, and results.
- Commitment to recognize and address issues of racial and social justice for group members.
- Commitment to create and support a diverse and inclusive culture through mentorship, training, active service, community engagement.
- Contributions and/or implementation of creative and/or innovative initiatives, programs, and/or policies that have positivity affected other groups.