Presented for Overall Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Outreach

Criteria:

• The awardee must demonstrate “across the board” excellence. Outstanding scholarship must entail a seamless program of society sensitive, stakeholder relevant, and problem oriented research; innovative teaching based on current learning technologies; and innovative methods of outreach that use the most current extension methods to improve the lot of society.



• Preference will be given to early- and mid-career professionals who show promise of continuing to demonstrate “across the board” excellence in the future.

Award Information:

• The winner will be awarded a stipend plus an honorarium, each for a minimum of $1,000.


• A permanent plaque, showing all recipients, will be on display in the lobby of Martin Hall.

Background:

The Abraham Weisblat Faculty Development Fund is an endowed fund that has been established by Mrs. Jan Weisblat, Ms. Tinky Weisblat, Mr. David B. Weisblat, with additional gifts from friends and colleagues. It will provide financial assistance and recognition to the recipient of the Abe Weisblat Award, which will be awarded annually, in the form of a stipend, to a Cook College faculty member.

Professor Abraham Weisblat, who died in 1998, came to Cook College after a lifetime of service at the Rockefeller Foundation and many other philanthropic and research institutions. He came to serve and assist, on a pro bono basis, the young faculty in the Department of Agriculture, Food, and Resource Economics. Here, he helped young faculty to develop broader perspectives in planning their research, teaching, and outreach. He encouraged a new generation of faculty to be sensitive to the needs of society, to recognize the importance of the teaching aspect of the professor’s responsibilities, and to remember that faculty are here not for the faculty, but for the public and the students.

Cook College/NJAES is taking a lead role in meeting the needs of society, particularly related to agriculture, food, natural resources, and the environment. This award will provide an incentive and a structure for supporting faculty as they work to fulfill the mission of the college and station. The earnings from the Abraham Weisblat Faculty Development Fund will determine the actual amount of each award. The targeted amount of the endowment is $250,000. Future annual interest earnings from the fund are expected to range from $10,000 to about $15,000.