
The Herbert Newby McCoy Award was established in 1964 by Mrs. Ethel Terry McCoy in honor
of her husband, a distinguished Purdue alumnus. A native of Indiana, Herbert Newby McCoy
studied chemistry at Purdue University where he received a B.S. degree in 1892 and a M.S.
degree in 1893. His Ph.D. was earned at the University of Chicago in 1898. McCoy spent
the early part of his career as a professor of chemistry, teaching at North Dakota State
University, the University of Utah, and the University of Chicago. During the latter part
of his career, he was president of Carnotite Reduction Company in Chicago and vice president
of Lindsay Light and Chemical Company, also in Chicago. He died in 1945 in Los Angeles,
California.
To support her husband's life-long interest in science, Mrs. McCoy designated that this
annual award be made to a student or faculty member in the science departments of Purdue
University making the greatest contribution of the year to science. Since the first award
was conferred in the spring of 1965, it has remained the most prestigious research award
given by the University in the science area. Nominations are invited from all faculty members,
and the recipient is selected by representatives of the science faculties and the president of
the University.
The Award The Herbert Newby McCoy Award consists of a monetary
prize of $3,000 and a specially designed certificate.
Who's Eligible Any student or faculty member who has made a recent
significant contribution in the natural sciences is eligible for nomination for the award,
regardless of school or departmental affiliation.
Nominations Nominations are solicited in January via academic
deans and may be made by any member of the University.
Due Dates Seven copies of each nomination should be forwarded to the
McCoy Award Committee, Vice President for Research Office, HOVD, Room 300 no later than the
third Friday in January. Nominations may be made by any member of the University.
Nomination Instructions A general announcement regarding the
competition will be distributed to faculty via their academic dean. In addition to any
supplementary internal criteria, all nominations must include:
- A concise summarizing statement, not more than two pages in length, which describes the
significance of the nominee's work during the past five years leading to nomination for
the McCoy Award.
- A biographical sketch of the nominee.
- A complete list of all publications from the last five-years.
- Reprints or manuscripts which substantiate the significance of the contribution.
- Any additional supporting information which the nominator considers to be significant.
Please include not more than five (5) letters of recommendation.
Award Process A selection committee, appointed by the president
of the University and consisting of previous McCoy Award winners, determines the recipient of
the annual McCoy Award. To assist the selection committee in understanding the significance of
the nominee's work, nominators may be invited to make brief presentations on the day the
selection committee meets.
Award Presentation The recipient of the Herbert Newby McCoy
Award is notified via the Vice President for Research and the award is bestowed at the annual
Spring University Honors Convocation. In addition, the recipient addresses the Purdue community
at the McCoy Distinguished Lecture. To complete the recognition, the recipient joins past McCoy
award winners for the annual McCoy Distinguished Recognition Dinner.
McCoy Distinguished Lecture The McCoy Distinguished Lecture provides
the Purdue community the opportunity to hear the McCoy Award winner describe his/her honored
research. The Lecture was instituted in 1989 is now an annual fall event at the University. It is
held in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center and is followed by a reception in honor of the McCoy Award
recipient. All past McCoy award winners receive a formal invitation to attend the distiguished
lecture. Those who are able to be present receive special recognition by the Vice President for
Research prior to the start of the lecture.
McCoy Distinguished Recognition Dinner Beginning in 1996, the McCoy
Distinguished Recognition Dinner was established to complement and complete the McCoy Award competition.
The dinner, held the evening of the McCoy Distinguished Lecture, is always well attended and has
attracted past recipients from as far California and Arizona. The Dinner honors all past McCoy award
winners and allows University administrators the opportunity to recognize those researchers who have
distinguished themselves as Purdue's most prestigious research award recipients.
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