Skip to main content

OR Innovation Awards

The Office for Research Innovation Awards (ORIA) program exemplifies the organization's commitment to fostering a culture of creativity and continuous improvement. This initiative honors staff whose innovative efforts have significantly impacted operations, partnerships, and community building. There is also an open category to recognize impactful innovations not covered by these first three areas, ensuring that any remarkable contribution can be recognized.

Thanks to those who attended the Aug. 19 awards ceremony!

Meet Inaugural Winners

Eligibility and Selection Process

  • Benefits-eligible staff, including postdocs, below the director level with at least one year of continuous employment at the university and no active disciplinary actions, are eligible for nomination. Individuals and teams may be nominated; teams must consist of two or more eligible staff and may be from different OR units.

  • Previous award winners may be nominated again, however individuals or teams may not win awards in consecutive years.

  • The OR Innovation Awards Committee will review all nominations and recommend winners to VPR.

Nominations

Complete a nomination form to recognize an individual staff member or team. There are no limitations on the number of nominations a staff member may submit or receive. Nominations should include:
  1. A clear description of the nominee's innovation and its significance.
  2. The impact and benefits of the innovation.
  3. How the innovation demonstrates excellence in one of the following categories:

Operations

Developed processes, tools or resources that substantially improved day-to-day operations, enhanced effectiveness and productivity, or resolved challenges

Partnerships

Created opportunities to make meaningful contributions and navigate institutional challenges through effective partnership-building

Community Building

Showed what can be achieved when we prioritize and promote our shared values

Open

Developed an innovative idea, process, or solution that has significantly improved our collective work or community, in a manner not addressed by the previous three categories

OR Innovation Awards Committee

The committee's purpose is to refine the administrative and logistical components of the OR Innovation Awards (ORIA) during its pilot year. The committee advises on enhancing ORIA’s reach, value, and impact, and evaluates and recommends award winners to Vice President for Research Eric Perreault.

Committee membership will typically include the previous year’s ORIA winners and four core OR stakeholders serving two-year terms, ensuring diverse representation across OR units, perspectives, and networks. For the 2025 inaugural cohort, the committee consists of seven members representing a range of OR units. Claire Landis and Darrick Northington serve as committee facilitators, with Darrick managing invitations to new members as needed.

This diverse group of OR staff, along with two dedicated facilitators, brings together a wealth of expertise and perspectives.

Committee Members

  • Reggie Blythe, Executive Director, Office for Research Safety
  • Julie Cowan, Digital Designer, Research Analytics
  • Renee Gonzalez, Chief Research Operations Officer, Office for Research
  • George Harris, Supervisor of Animal Care & Health, Center for Comparative Medicine
  • Andrea Minogue, Executive Director, Finance & Operations, Innovation and New Ventures Office
  • Melissa Mizwa, Assistant Director, Administration and Strategic Communications, Sponsored Research Office
  • Hillary Sparks, Senior Director, URIC Administration

Awards

Winners will receive a cash prize. Team winners will share the award equally. All nominees and winners will be recognized by the VPR at an annual innovation awards event.