Updated 10/7/2019 with additional information on the review process.

Summary:  Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) sponsors the annual Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards competition, providing seed funding for research by junior faculty and, catalyzing competitiveness for other funding. Awards are $5K for one year (June 1 to May 31) and require a match of $5K (provided by ORSP).

UM may nominate up to 2 full-time assistant professors within two years of their initial tenure track appointment (Jan 1, 2018 through Jan 8, 2020) at the time of application.

Eligible faculty members may compete for nomination by preparing and submitting an internal application. Projects must be in one of the following five disciplines:

• Engineering and Applied Science
• Life Sciences
• Mathematics/Computer Sciences
• Physical Sciences
• Policy, Management, or Education

Application documents are to be prepared in accordance with ORAU’s Application Instructions for Faculty Members[1], and must include:  

1. A one-page abbreviated resume
2. A one-page listing of publications and/or presentations
3. A 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

4. Additional single page of references relating to the proposal (optional)

Combine all documents into a single PDF (the application). Use the UM InfoReady Review portal at https://research.olemiss.edu/InfoReady to submit the application no later than the due date listed in the schedule below.

Internal Review Process

ORSP Research Development will oversee a down-selection review process consistent with our standard procedures for limited submission competitions[2], according to internal review criteria[3] mirroring the criteria listed in the program FAQ[4]. The reviewers for the iNTERNAL competition may be GENERALISTS rather than subject matter experts. Based on the reviews, the two most compelling applications will be selected for nomination. Only the two selected nominees should then ask their department chair or dean to prepare the required letter of recommendation.

The nominees will then have the opportunity to further develop their application narratives before submission to ORAU, where the proposals will be reviewed according to the selection process described in the aforementioned program FAQ. Nominees may want to take a look at the Reviewer Form to see what level of expertise ORAU looks for in their reviewers: https://www.orau.org/university-partnerships/member-grant-programs/powe/reviewer.html. 

Direct questions to Jason Hale, UM Director of Research Development (jghale@olemiss.edu).

Key Dates (2019-20):

Oct 1:       Original date of this announcement

October:    ORAU Councilor Gladden will receive the 2020 PeerNet competition link from ORAU.
Nov 04:      Internal applications due to ORSP, via online InfoReady Review Portal Portal[5]: 

Nov 22:      ORSP will announce results/nomination status.

                  UM’s ORAU Council (Gladden) will send nominees:

• A standard letter of support (confirming your nomination)
• A link to the PeerNet intake system (portal for submitting your app to ORAU)

thru Dec 13:      Nominees make improvements in their applications.
                           Chairs of nominees write letters of recommendation and provide to nominees.
                           Nominees work with ORSP pre-award team on proposal transmittal process.

Dec 13:                Final transmittal due to ORSP.
Dec 20:               Target date for nominees to submit their applications to ORAU via PeerNet
Jan 8:                  Deadline for submitting applications to ORAU via Peernet
                            These proposals have historically been due at 11 a.m. Central time.

Recent UM Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Achievement Awardees:

• 2017. Thái Hoàng Lê, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
   https://news.olemiss.edu/mathematics-professor-awarded-prestigious-ralph-e-powe-grant/
• 2015. Davita Watkins, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
   https://chemistry.olemiss.edu/watkins_powe/