Mid-Career Faculty Fellowship Program 2025

Mid-Career Faculty Fellowship Program

The Office of the Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development (OVPRIED) invites eligible candidates to apply for the Mid-Career Faculty Fellowship (MCFF) Program. The year-long program started in the fall of 2024, and the second cohort will begin in the fall of 2025.

Rational

OVPRIED has established the Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE UL: Vision 2030) as its strategic plan to guide the University’s transition into a stronger Carnegie R1 University, SREB Four-Year-1 University, and nationally prominent university over the next decade. As part of this strategy, OVPRIED has launched this program in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) to boost the national impact of research, scholarship, and external grant activities. The MCFF Program aims to re-engage mid-career researchers and scholars in research, creative activities, and funding proposals. In alignment with the University’s Strategic Planning and OVPRIED’s RISE UL: Vision 2030, the MCFF program will “enhance funded research and scholarly productivity across all disciplines.”

Eligibility

To be considered for the program, faculty must be tenured associate professor rank, nominated by their unit head/director to the College Dean, who selects one faculty name and forwards it to the Associate VP for Research and Innovation (AVPRI).

Resources provided to the Fellows

OVPRIED will provide $5,000 in research support to each Fellow, which can be used for any research-related expenditures (for example, research-related supplies, student/scientist support, travel, and article processing charges). The $5,000 allocation for research support shall not be used as stipends or salary compensation. An external mentor will be selected by the MCF Fellow and approved by the deans. This mentor will coach them in research productivity, grant activities, national/international recognition, community-engaged scholarship, career success, and networking throughout the year. OVPRIED will offer an honorarium of $500 to each external mentor.  The academic Department and College may provide each Fellow a one-semester course or service release.

Alignment with Other Campus-wide Programs

The MCFF program will provide the following opportunities for the Fellows:

• The OVPAA and OVPRIED have recently initiated a Research Travel Grant program for faculty. MCF Fellows are encouraged to apply for this opportunity and will be given priority towards their Research Travel Grant Application. They will be eligible for an additional $500 toward the Research Travel Grant award.
• The University is an institutional member of the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) (https://www.facultydiversity.org/). The MCF Fellows will be encouraged to participate in the 14-Day Writing Challenge program offered by NCFDD.

Application Process

Interested tenured associate professors should send a cover letter and a 7-year CV to their department/unit heads by March 21, 2025. The cover letter should explain why they are interested in participating in the MCFF program. The cover letter must also include two potential external mentors' names. Each department/unit will forward one application to their respective deans before March 31. The deans will select one faculty member from their college and forward the application to OVPRIED by April 14, 2025. The awardees’ names will be announced during the third week of April.

Deliverables

Fellows will submit at least one grant proposal to any external funding agency as a PI within two years of the completion of the program. Fellows must schedule a quarterly meeting with the AVPRI to discuss progress.  They will also submit a final report to OVPRIED by October of the following year. The final report shall include, but is not limited to, the following information: 

• Project summary, implementation details, and findings.
• Budget Accountability

Recognition

The program will provide certificates to all Fellows. Their stories, testimonials, or portfolios will be published on websites or newsletters.

Program Evaluation

The MCFF program will use surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gather feedback or use metrics, such as attendance, completion, satisfaction, or learning outcomes, to measure the results and use the findings to inform the program's future planning and decision-making.