Staff Excellence: High BAR

Purdue is home to some of higher education’s brightest minds — faculty members whose academic and research excellence augment the university’s reputation as one of the most consequential public institutions in the world.

Their legacy as extraordinary educators and incredible innovators is often cemented through authorship and accolades, and few people know more about books and awards than the members of Purdue’s High BAR team. Housed in the Office of the Provost, High BAR — an acronym for books, awards and recognition — is advancing Purdue’s culture of scholarship and appreciation through the Purdue Books Initiative and the Faculty Recognition Program. 

As writers, graphic designers and project managers, High BAR staff members and student employees have developed many tools to guide faculty, whether it’s supporting authors along the journey from idea to ISBN or assisting potential award winners in compiling a captivating nomination package. From start to finish, it’s an effort that focuses squarely on each faculty member’s vision.

“We treat these as highly personalized services,” says Cristina Farmus, vice president for special projects. “We meet one-on-one with faculty to understand what they need and what they want to see as the final product, and then we craft a strategy unique to that book project or nomination. It’s our passion, and personalized attention to each faculty member is the key to success.”

Farmus spearheads the books half of High BAR, supporting a small team of senior project managers as they help connect authors with publishers, secure publishing contracts, finalize and submit manuscripts, and advertise the finished publications — and there are plenty to publicize. So far this year, Purdue authors have published over 110 books, many appearing in Purdue Today’s semiweekly “In Print” series.

That list is continually growing, thanks in part to outreach efforts like the Purdue Books Initiative’s monthly webinar series, which offers authors an outlet to directly engage with representatives from global publishing houses. Prospective Purdue authors can view recordings of the 12 past seminars online.

The university will honor this year’s faculty authors during Purdue Libraries’ upcoming A Celebration of Books, set for 3-5 p.m. Dec. 2 on the third floor of Stewart Center’s Humanities, Social Sciences and Education Library. The event serves as a showcase of Purdue faculty’s scholarship, but it’s also one of the most fulfilling aspects of High BAR — amplifying and applauding faculty excellence.

“This is a dream job; it cannot get better than this,” Farmus says. “Working with faculty to help recognize their past work through awards and shape their legacy with books is extremely rewarding and motivating.”

The feeling is mutual for John Grundy, who directs the Faculty Recognition Program, which is focused on expanding the number of Purdue faculty members who receive highly prestigious awards and fellowships for their achievements in research, teaching and engagement.

The senior award specialists’ extensive knowledge allows them to assist in all aspects of nomination preparation, from crafting compelling statements to confirming all materials adhere to eligibility and selection criteria and coordinating letters of support.

“We’re proud of the quality of the services that we provide,” Grundy says. “We’re very detailed and hands-on, and once we start a nomination, we work very hard with the faculty member to make sure it’s as strong as it can be. Nominees are often surprised at the level of detail and attention that we put into their nominations.”

Their precision and thoroughness have led to the development of a searchable database containing information about approximately 1,300 prestigious awards and fellowships spanning a wide range of disciplines. Purdue faculty interested in exploring available awards in their field are encouraged to share the titles of their primary journals through this online form. Once completed, a member of the team will be in touch with a tailored list of relevant opportunities.

The Faculty Recognition team also regularly organizes faculty webinar sessions, each designed to help demystify the application process for many major awards like the Guggenheim Fellowship and the American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship.

With two areas of focus, High BAR is united around a single mission to honor the impressive impact of faculty members’ outstanding strides in their fields, and for High BAR staff members, simply being a part of that process is an honor in itself.

“Each faculty member’s career is its own universe, and it’s a huge privilege just to have a glimpse into the impactful work they’re doing,” Grundy says. “And it’s always wonderful when we see their work is being rightfully recognized.”

Faculty members interested in collaborating with the High BAR team on their next book or award opportunity can visit the Purdue Books Initiative’s resources webpage for a list of support services and contacts or complete the Faculty Recognition Program’s online request form for individualized nomination guidance.