The Faculty Development Committee is currently accepting nominations for the 2011 Faculty Excellence Awards.

The Faculty Development Committee gives out the Excellence Awards every year to full-time faculty members and offers $1,500 in cash to each award winner. This year, applications are due March 25.

Nancy Jacobson, assistant professor of biology and chair of the FDC, said the awards are presented to five professors who achieve excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. The five are selected by the FDC after reviewing all applicants. Originally, only three awards were given — one for each category — but for the past three years, Jacobson said, the committee has given out five awards that incorporate all three values.

Jacobson said applications must include information about the candidate and three letters of support from a colleagues, students or alumni. The nominee also must include their curriculum vitae and a letter from the nominee expressing why they believe they deserve the award, she said.

Arhlene Flowers, assistant professor of strategic communication and FDC member, said the excellence awards are a good way to recognize the exceptional work of the college’s faculty.

“It’s an excellent opportunity to honor the accomplishments of the talent here at IC,” Flowers said. “And there are a lot of talented people here.”

Susan Allen-Gil, associate professor and chair of the environmental studies and sciences department, received the award last year. Allen-Gil was recognized at the ceremony for her college-wide stainability initiative and for convincing the president’s council to switch to using recycled and double-sided papers, she said.

“I certainly think a large part is that I’ve taken the college from a place that it wasn’t to the place that it is now with the help of a lot of other people,” Allen-Gil said.

Jacobson said the awards will be presented to the winners at the annual Faculty Recognition Luncheon in May. Winners also take part in the convocation ceremony the following year, she said.

Flowers said five awards are not enough to reward the “repository of talent” at the college.

Luke Keller, associate professor of physics, also received the award last year after he helped build an infrared camera for NASA while continuing to teach classes at the college. Keller said he was impressed by the quality of fellow award winners and was honored to be a part of ceremonies last year.

“One of the things that absolutely was amazing to me was how excellent the other folks that were chosen were,” Keller said. “I felt even more honored to have my name with them.”