Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards
Limited submission
Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards support junior faculty with seed funding for early-stage research that builds research skills, fosters professional growth, and lays groundwork for further funding.
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Funder: Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU)
Due Dates: January 6, 2027, at noon EST (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $5,000 from ORAU plus at least $5,000 in institutional matching funds for one year
Summary: Seed funding helps junior faculty develop research skills, advance early-stage projects, and lay groundwork for additional research funding.
Key Information: Only two nominations are allowed per institution.
Description
The Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards are competitive research awards administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) for junior faculty at its member institutions. The program provides seed support to enrich faculty members’ research skills and professional growth, supporting early-stage work that often attracts additional funding from other sources.
Research must fit one of seven designated disciplines or priorities, spanning scientific, engineering, policy, management, and education research. These include critical mineral constraints on small modular reactor deployment capacity in the United States and responsible artificial intelligence in STEM education policy. Education research under the broader Policy, Management, or Education discipline does not have to focus on STEM. Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with government, private-sector, and other academic researchers.
