Applications due October 10, 2024
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 2025 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards, sponsored by Oak Ridge Associated Universities.
Overview
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. ORAU does not allow overhead charges or indirect costs on the ORAU grant or the university match. Applicants are encouraged to develop research collaborations with government, private-sector, and other academic researchers.
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
Awards are restricted to full-time assistant professors within 2 years of their initial tenure track appointment (Jan. 1, 2023 to Jan. 7, 2025) at the time of application. ORAU will recognize circumstances that resulted in a “tenure clock delay.”
Research projects must be in one of the five following discipline areas for the 2025 cycle:
- Engineering and Applied Science
- Life Sciences
- Mathematics/Computer Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Policy, Management or Education
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 a potential nominee must submit the below items (in PDF format) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 5 p.m. on Oct. 10, 2024. Submissions should reference the program name in the subject line of the email. Please adhere to the ORAU application instructions as much as possible.
- Brief research proposal (2 page max, including summary budget)
- Letter of support from Dean, department chair, or center director
- Letter must include a school, department or center commitment to the REQUIRED $5,000 in matching funds;
- Letter must acknowledge that this grant does not allow or 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.”
- Abbreviated Resume (1 page max)
- Publications and/or Presentations (1 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.
