The first summer writing challenge sponsored by the Translational Research Institute (TRI) revealed that UAMS researchers enjoy a friendly competition.
TRI celebrated the end of its inaugural 91-Day Writing Challenge on Sept. 1.
“We had 173 submissions, almost two per day, which is pretty phenomenal,” said TRI Director Laura James, M.D., who led the outdoor event for the seven winning writers.
Eligible Writing Challenge participants included all researchers who have used TRI’s services or resources to aid their projects.
James, assisted by College of Medicine Dean Susan Smyth, M.D., Ph.D., announced the winning writers as the temperature was climbing toward 100 degrees for the first time in three years. Fortunately, a Loblolly Ice Cream truck was just steps away and helped the 25 UAMS Little Rock attendees survive the heat.
Don Willis, Ph.D., an assistant professor, had the highest number of manuscript submissions – 10 – with three primary authorships and seven co-authorships. He won the Astounding Apprentice Award: Most Publications for the Rank of Assistant Professor/Instructor.
Based at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, Willis said the competition was a good complement to a strong culture of manuscript writing at the Office of Community Health and Research at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus.
In fact, four of the seven Writing Challenge winners are part of the Office of Community Health and Research, led by Pearl McElfish, Ph.D., MBA, the outgoing vice chancellor for UAMS Northwest, and director of the TRI Special Populations Core, and associate director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.
“I didn’t do this alone,” said Willis, who attended the ceremony remotely via Facebook with McElfish and others. “We have an incredible team that provides a lot of support for one another, which makes it possible to submit and publish at the rate we have.”
Summer is a great time to write, he said, and this year was busier than ever with a flood of research data pouring in at the right time.
“I enjoy writing in the summertime on my back porch and front porch,” he said.
As institutional awards, the Writing Challenge awards can be used in UAMS promotion and tenure applications, James announced at the celebration.
Other Writing Challenge winners are:
- Jennifer Vincenzo, Ph.D., PT, MPH, associate professor, UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, Office of Community Health and Research
Wise Wordsmith Award: Most publications for the rank of associate professor for eight publications (two primary authorships and six co-authorships)
- Nahed El-Hassan, M.D., professor, College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Sage Scribe Award (tie): Most publications for the rank of professor for five publications (three primary authorships and two co-authorships)
- Holly Felix, Ph.D., MPA, professor, UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, Office of Community Health and Research
Sage Scribe Award (tie): Most publications for the rank of professor for five publications (five co-authorships)
- Nishank Jain, M.D., assistant professor, College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine,
Best Representation of Applied Data Sciences - Sara Landes, Ph.D., associate professor, College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry; Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System
Best Representation of Implementation Science - Jennifer Andersen, Ph.D., assistant professor, UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, Office of Community Health and Research
Most Reflective of Community Engagement & Partnerships
The celebration also included prize drawings for all those who competed. Winners are:
Emily Hallgren, Ph.D., $25 gift certificate to UAMS Nutritional Services
Kristie Hadden, Ph.D., $25 gift certificate to UAMS Nutritional Services
Kate Stewart, M.D., MPH, $25 gift certificate to UAMS Nutritional Services
Pearl McElfish, Ph.D., MBA, TRI staff will facilitate submission of one manuscript of her choosing
Jennifer Vincenzo, Ph.D., Free statistical consultation for study planning purposes
Rosemary Nabaweesi, Dr.P.H., M.B.Ch.B., One manuscript submission fee to be funded by TRI