Distinguished Research or Creative Activity Award

Chancellor Joanne Li (left), Derrick Fox, Award for Distinguished Research or Creative Activity recipient, Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Deborah Smith-Howell, and Dean Michael Hilt.

Distinguished Research or Creative Activity Award

The Award for Distinguished Research or Creative Activity (ADROCA) recognizes and honors preeminent achievement in research or creative activity by full-time members of the Graduate Faculty at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, whose work is of sufficient originality and distinction to merit attention at the national level, or beyond. ADROCA recipients foster and enhance the quality of research and creative activity at the University, while reaffirming the values of discovery, innovation, and fulfillment in scholarship and the arts.

It is understood that “creative activity” includes not only those areas involving purely “original activities,” but the performing arts as well.

Derrick Fox, DMA School of Music College of Communication, Fine Arts, and Media

Derrick Fox, DMA, is the Director of Choral Activities and Distinguished Associate Professor of Music at UNO. He has conducted all-state choirs, led international, national, and regional choral concerts/residencies, and presented professional development workshops across the United States and internationally. His research focuses on assessment in the choral classroom, building classroom community, rehearsal strategies, choral conducting techniques, DEAIB implementation in music learning spaces and shape note singing in the African American community. He created the Professional Choral Collective (PCC) to collect and create learning activities and teaching strategies for choral music educators around the world to use during the COVID pandemic and beyond. He also partnered with the Country Music Association Foundation to create the Unified Voices for Music Education Initiative, which provides learning activities for instrumental and elementary music educators. He will make his conducting debut at Carnegie Hall in March of 2023.

Dr. Fox is nationally and internationally recognized for his work as a conductor, educator, author, composer, and arranger. He developed innovative strategies to deliver education to students during a global pandemic. Dr. Fox has notably been able to draw the support of outside organizations. His creative projects span from providing gospel music workshops to creating performance videos for residents in Assisted Living and Retirement homes. Dr. Fox is on the advisory board for a Choral Singing in America Documentary Series and is engaged in local, regional, and national professional organizations in his field. Dr. Fox enhances research and creative activity at UNO while supporting the important values of discovery innovation, and fulfillment in the arts through his work.

Nomination Information

Download the Distinguished Research or Creative Activity Award nomination criteria and forms

Important Dates

• March 1: Nomination Deadline
• April 1: Nominee documentation due

Past Award Recipients

View the full list of award recipients