Our 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. 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).
Eligibility for the Powe Awards is open to full-time assistant professors at ORAU member institutions within two years of their tenure track appointment at the time of application. If there is a question about eligibility, your ORAU Councilor makes the final determination. Only two nominations are allowed per institution.
Because of the institutional limitation on number of nominations, there is an internal review process to select Duke's candidates, as detailed below.
Deadlines:
- Duke Internal Deadline: Oct. 30, 2024
- Sponsor Application Deadline: January 8, 2025
Research must fall within one of these five disciplines:
- Engineering and Applied Science
- Life Sciences
- Mathematics/Computer Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Policy, Management, or Education
Junior faculty members interested in applying should consult their ORAU Councilor, and visit the frequently asked questions.
Full-time assistant professors within two years of their initial tenure track appointment (Jan. 1, 2023 to Jan. 7, 2025) at the time of application at an ORAU member institution are eligible. 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).
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).
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.
2024
Di Fang - Mathematics
2023
Yuansi Chen - Statistical Science
Pardis Emami-Naeini - Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering
2021
Po-Chun Hsu - Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
2017
Sara Haravifard - Physics
2016
Amanda Randles - Biomedical Engineering
2015
Emily Derbyshire - Chemistry
2013-14
Maiken Mikkelsen - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Amanda Hargrove - Chemistry
2011-12
Charles Gersbach - Biomedical Engineering
Benjamin Wiley - Chemistry
2010-11
Makeba Wilbourn - Psychology and Neuroscience
2009
Patrick Charbonneau - Chemistry
Chuan-Hua Chen - Mechanical Engineering and Material Science
2008
Micah Luftig - Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
2006
Paul Magwene - Biology
Note: To be eligible, you must be a full-time assistant professor within two years of your initial tenure-track appointment (January 1, 2023 to January 7, 2025) at the time of application at an ORAU member institution.
Owing to the sponsor's restriction on the number of applications that may be submitted from Duke, anyone wishing to pursue nomination should submit the following materials as one PDF:
- Please submit the following as one PDF:
- Modified Research Proposal (1 page) addressing:
- Research goal(s) and objectives and relevant background.
- Research design and methodology to address broad research goal(s) and project-specific objectives.
- Expected research outcomes and relevance.
- Competence of the applicant to perform the proposed research.
- 1-page resume
- Acknowledgement from chair or school/college official that institutional matching amount of at least $5,000 can be committed.
Please submit internal materials through My Research Proposal. (Code: ILN) https://www.grantinterface.com/sl/i29x2u
Instructions for creating an account (if needed) and submitting your materials: https://ctsi.duke.edu/about-myresearchproposal