Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards FAQs
Eligibility
Full-time assistant professors at ORAU member institutions within two years of their tenure track appointment at the time of application are eligible.
You may only use your time at your current institution. Eligibility is based on the faculty member’s status at his/her current institution and time at other institutions is not applicable.
No, only tenure track faculty are eligible to apply for the Powe Awards. However, our Innovation Partnerships and ODRD programs are open to all faculty and we invite you to check out those programs.
For individuals that have had a medical issue or other circumstance that resulted in a “tenure clock delay” we consider this as the clock being stopped for a few months. We honor the institution’s tenure tracking and they are eligible as long as they have not been on tenure track for more than two years when the delay is factored in.
Yes, however, it is important to review any comments about the previously-submitted proposal.
No, only full-time assistant professors at ORAU member institutions within two years of their tenure track appointment at the time of application are eligible.
Funding
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.
This should include all funds awarded as PI, Co-PI or Senior Personnel.
Funding is provided exclusively from non-federal monies by ORAU. The award amount provided by ORAU is $5,000. The applicant’s institution is required to match the award with at least an additional $5,000. This is a one-year grant (June 1 to May 31).
No, the research project does not have to be focused on STEM fields.
Research collaboration
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.
Selection process
Application reviews will be coordinated by ORAU Councilors and conducted by scholars with expertise in the discipline of the application. Each application will receive two independent reviews.
Reviewers evaluate the proposals using the following criteria:
- Scientific/technical merit
- Proposed method/approach
- Applicant's research performance competence/adequacy of facilities/resources to conduct the proposed research
- Likelihood research will lead to fundable research and/or publishable work
- Overall quality of application
Final selection of awardees will be made by the ORAU Policy Committee.
Reporting requirements
A final one- to two-page report must be submitted within one year of receipt of the award. Please include pictures of the research.