Cosulich Faculty Fellow Award in Chemistry and Biochemistry

Image
Donna

Funds from the Estate of Dr. Donna B. Cosulich have been used to establish the Cosulich Faculty Fellow Award in Chemistry and Biochemistry. This honor will be bestowed on a tenured or tenure-track Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Arizona in a rotating manner, with each faculty honored for a period of three years.

This is a substantial award based on the annual payout of the endowment. It is the hope that this endowment will grow and genenerate a minimum award of $10,000 per year. These funds may be used broadly for the support of chemical and biochemical research, including but not limited to funding students, visits by experts, travel to conferences and the laboratories of collaborators, and operational costs associated with the faculty member's research.

Dr. Donna B. Cosulich was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on December 2, 1918 and raised in Tucson. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a B.S. degree and a Master's Degree in chemistry. She earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at Stanford University. In 1952, as one of a team of 16 pharmaceutical chemists, Donna synthesized and patented the compound Methotrexate which has been used extensively in the treatment of leukemia and rheumatoid arthritis. She also synthesized Folic Acid. In 1954, she was the recipient of the Iota Sigma Pi award, top honor of the chemists' sorority which is awarded only once every three years. Holding 16 patents for her work in pharmaceutical research, Donna was recognized with numerous other honors gaining national and international acclaim. She died on December 26, 2011 in Tucson.

ELIGIBILITY

  • A tenured or tenure-track faculty member holding a minimum 0.66FTE appointment in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry on the start date of appointment to the Cosulich Faculty Fellow Award.
  • High national and international stature commensurate with appointment to the Cosulich Faculty Fellow Award. Contributions in all areas will be considered, including research, teaching, leadership, service, and outreach.
  • The current members of the Nomination and Selection Committee are ineligible for appointment to the Cosulich Faculty Fellow Award.

SELECTION PROCESS

Nomination packages will consist of:

  • One nominating letter submitted by a tenured/tenure-track or emeritus faculty member of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
  • One seconding letter submitted by a tenured/tenure-track or emeritus faculty member of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
  • The nominee's curriculum vitae and reprints of up to five published articles.

Restrictions on nominating and seconding letters:

  • Each tenured/tenure-track or emeritus faculty member of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemitry may submit no more than one nominating letter and no more than one seconding letter. Thus a faculty member may participate in the preparation of no more than two nomination packages, excepting his/her own.
  • Nominating and seconding letters are limited to a maximum of two pages.
  • The members of the Nomination and Selection Committee are ineligible to submit nominating or seconding letters.

Timeline and selection:

  • The deadline for submission of nomination packages will be announced. One copy of the package will be submitted to the Executive Assistant to the Chair of Chemistry and Biochemitry
  • The Nomination and Selection Committee will review the nomination packages and make a recommendation to the Chair and Executive Committee, which will be responsible for final selection of the recipient of the Cosulich Faculty Fellow Award.

Announcement:

  • Selection of the Cosulich Faculty Fellow Award will be announced to the Chemistry and Biochemistry at the annual College of Science Faculty Award ceremony.

CHAIR HOLDERS