Oak Ridge Associated Universities' (ORAU) commitment to enriching the research skills and professional growth of young faculty members at ORAU member institutions is embodied in the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards Program. These competitive research awards provide seed money for junior faculty members that often result in additional funding from other sources.
Funding:
Funding is provided exclusively from non-federal monies by ORAU. The award amount provided by ORAU is $5,000. Penn State is required to match the award with at least an additional $5,000. This is a one-year grant (June 1 to May 31).
This award can include funds 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 award from ORAU or the university match.
Eligibility
Full-time assistant professors at ORAU member institutions within two years of their initial tenure track appointment at the time of application are eligible. If there is a question on eligibility, the ORAU Councilor makes the final decision. Only two nominations are allowed per institution.
Research projects must fall within one of the following six disciplines:
- Engineering and Applied Science
- Life Sciences
- Mathematics/Computer Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Policy, Management, or Education
Applicants are encouraged to develop research collaborations with government, private-sector, and other academic researchers. Such alliances enrich and extend not only the reach of your efforts, but the nation’s research enterprise, overall.
Because of the close working relationship between ORAU and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the Award Committee particularly encourages collaborative interaction with ORNL. Thus, substantive interdisciplinary research and inter-institutional research partnerships will be considered as very positive factors in the review process, and will increase chances for success.
This award can include funds 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 award or the university match.
Questions regarding the award: visit the ORAU frequently asked questions web page.
nterested applicants should upload the following documents in sequence in one PDF file (File name: Last name_ORAU Powe_2023 no later than 4:00 p.m. on the internal submission deadline:
- One-page abbreviated resume
- One-page listing publications and/or presentations
- Two-page research proposal that should address the following:
- Research goals and objectives and relevant background
- Expected research outcomes and relevance
- Research design and methodology
- Competence of the applicant to perform the proposed research
- Available research facilities and resources
- Budget justification
- Additional single page of references relating to the proposal (optional)
- Nomination Letter from Chair/Department Head that includes approval/agreement to match fund
Questions concerning the limited submissions process may be submitted to limitedsubs@psu.edu.