Texas Tech University is proud to introduce a new suite of faculty awards designed to elevate excellence and support careers across the breadth of our academic community. These new designations recognize outstanding contributions in teaching, research, creative activity and engagement, and they reflect our commitment to faculty success and our broader strategic priorities—including our pursuit of Association of American Universities (AAU) membership.
Complementing existing honors such as the Horn Professorship, these awards expand our recognition framework to celebrate excellence at every stage of a faculty member’s career.
All awards are centrally funded, with plans for philanthropic expansion.
New Faculty Awards
- University Distinguished Professorship – Our most prestigious new honor, recognizing tenured full professors with at least five consecutive years of service to Texas Tech.
- Texas University Fund (TUF) Distinguished Research Professorship – Supporting senior faculty–current or incoming-engaged in strategic research initiatives aligned with institutional and statewide goals.
- Distinguished Educator or Engaged Scholar – Honoring senior lecturers and professors of practice with at least five years of continuous service.
- President’s Distinguished Scholar or Artist – A Presidential designation recognizing and retaining mid-career faculty in support of continued scholarly, research or creative activity.
Timeline & Process
- September 15 – Detailed information about nomination packages and review processes available on the Faculty Success website
- November 1 – Deadline for nomination packages to be submitted to colleges and schools (no self-nominations)
- December 20 – Deadline for colleges and schools to submit nomination packages to the Provost’s Office
- March 15 – Honorees notified
- April – Honorees recognized at Faculty Convocation
These awards provide a more inclusive and responsive recognition model for a university of our size, scope and ambition. They are also essential tools for retaining world-class talent and positioning Texas Tech University as a leader in academic excellence