This award consists of a plaque and a monetary award.  Each year, only one faculty member is chosen from the School of Veterinary Medicine for this award, which acknowledges research excellence.

Riyi Shi is a medical scientist specializing in uncovering the mechanisms of central nervous system trauma and instituting new treatments through innovative experimentation and pioneering new strategies in the field. His research contributions includes originating the use of double sucrose gap technique for recording action potential conduction, establishing the methods of neuronal membrane resealing by polyethelyne glycol (PEG), and identifying acrolein as a key pathological factor in spinal cord injury. His research interests also include using nanotechnology to improve drug delivery to nervous tissue and incorporating biomedical engineering principles to enhance neuronal repair. This includes designing innovative scaffolds to enhance neuronal regeneration and using bioadhesives for neuronal tissue repair.