In the life of a newly hired assistant professor just beginning an academic career, research and scholarship can take a back seat to more immediate concerns: creating engaging classes, mastering new administrative systems and settling into a new community.   

A new program from UVM’s Office for the Vice President for Research provides an incentive to new tenure-track assistant professors to keep their research interests front and center even during that hectic first year at the university. 

The program, OVPR Express, will make 10 awards of $3,000 available annually to new members of the faculty. Because the program has just been announced, tenure track assistant professors who were hired for the 2014 academic year, in addition to those hired in the current year, will also be eligible. 

"Given all that’s on the plate of new faculty members, it would not be surprising if their research and scholarly interests received short shrift,” said Richard Galbraith, UVM’s vice president for research. “OVPR Express is designed to bring that aspect of their academic lives to the fore as early as possible, and help ensure they’ll have a long and productive career at the University of Vermont.”

Applicants should provide a one-page description and one-page budget of how the funds would be used if awarded and how they would help jumpstart the research or scholarship of the applicant. There are no specific review criteria. Applicants should use the text to provide the most compelling case in favor of their proposal. Applicants must also provide a letter of support from their department chair or school dean, certifying that the applicant meets the criteria and that the department or school will allow the junior faculty member the time necessary to participate.

Proposals are due to the Office of the Vice President for Research by Nov. 1, 2015 at 5 p.m. and will be reviewed and awarded by the senior administration of the OVPR by Nov. 15, 2015.

Funds will be made available to awardees on Dec. 1, 2015 and must be spent by June 30, 2016. (No-cost extension requests will not be considered.)

For more information, see uvm.edu/~ovpr/?Page=vprexpress.php