Limited Submission Opportunity: 2022 ORAU Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards

Applications due Oct. 19

This is a joint competition for VU and VUMC investigators. All investigators should follow these instructions. 

Vanderbilt (VU and VUMC combined) can nominate up to two assistant professors for the 2022 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards, sponsored by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). The awards provide seed money for research intended to enrich the research and professional growth of young faculty. The award amount is $5,000 for one year (June 1-May 31), which can be used for faculty summer salary, graduate student salary, travel, equipment or other assistance relevant to the faculty member’s research, but indirect costs are not allowed. Because of the close working relationship between ORAU and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the award committee particularly encourages collaborative interaction with ORNL.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The applicant’s institution is required to match the award with at least an additional $5,000. Applicants must work with the appropriate dean, department chair or center director to obtain a commitment to these matching funds.

Eligibility criteria

Awards are restricted to full-time assistant professors within two years of their initial tenure-track appointment by the application date (Jan. 7, 2022). ORAU will recognize circumstances that resulted in a “tenure clock delay.” Research projects must be in one of the following disciplines:

• Engineering and applied science
• *Health disparities/equity
• Life sciences
• Mathematics/computer sciences
• Physical sciences
• Policy, management or education

*New research category: As a result of ORAU’s partnership with The MITRE Corporation, a new research discipline has been added to the list: Health disparities/equity.  MITRE is interested in promoting multidisciplinary research that focuses on understanding and addressing health disparities and promoting health equity. The following examples are representative of potential research topics:

• How can emerging medical technology innovations in areas like digital health, artificial intelligence and big data analytics drive to create more equitable health outcomes? What potential pitfalls exist in these technologies to exacerbate inequities?
• How does climate change affect health outcomes of different populations, and what measures can be taken to address inequitable outcomes found in underserved populations?

All applicants should verify their eligibility in advance through the foundation FAQs. A list of award recipients can be found here.

Internal application process

Anyone interested in being considered as Vanderbilt’s potential nominee must submit the below items (in PDF format) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 5 p.m. on Oct. 19, 2021. Submissions should reference the program name in the subject line of the email. Please adhere to the ORAU application instructions as much as possible.

1. Brief research plan (two-page max., including summary budget)
2. Statement of support from dean, department chair or center director
   1. Letter must include a school, department or center commitment to the REQUIRED $5,000 in matching funds;
   2. Letter must acknowledge that this grant does not allow indirect costs.** This statement can be used/modified: “The department recognizes that this grant does not allow indirect costs and will commit to covering any associated indirect costs per applicable institutional/school policy.”
3. Resume (one-page max.)
4. Publications and/or presentations (one-page max.)

**Process for cost-sharing typically coordinated at the departmental/school level and approved by department chair and/or dean. Please consult LSO@vanderbilt.edu for further guidance.

Any questions about this opportunity or the LSO process may be directed to LSO@vanderbilt.edu.