New Junior Faculty Research Awards Program

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) offers the New Junior Faculty Research Award which provides $3,000 to all eligible faculty members in the first year of their appointment to support research expenses.  

Use of Funds

Funds awarded by the OVPRI may be expended only on research-related expenses such as equipment, graduate or undergraduate student support, professional travel, services, supplies, and books.  Reimbursement is limited to research-related expenses in accordance with university and state policies, guidelines, and procedures. Funds may NOT be used for faculty salary support.   

Eligibility

All faculty members eligible for the New Junior Faculty Research Award program must meet the following conditions:

  1. Be a new, tenure-track assistant professor with an appointment percentage of at least 50%
  2. Have a contract issued no later than September 30 (verified by Academic Affairs)
  3. Begin work at the University of Oregon in the fall or winter terms

Other eligibility items

  • New faculty members who have received start-up funding from the OVPRI or the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact are NOT eligible.
  • Faculty members whose contracts begin in the spring term will be eligible for New Junior Faculty Research Awards the following fall term.
  • Faculty who are on leave without pay for their first term or terms of the academic year are not eligible for New Junior Faculty Research Awards until their leave period has ended.  

Award Process

No application action on the part of individual faculty members is necessary; this program is administered by Research Development Services (RDS), a unit of the OVPRI. RDS will contact Deans to obtain the names of new faculty members joining the UO who meet the eligibility conditions outlined above. The department budget manager will confirm eligibility and provide an ICC index and activity code (if applicable). The OVPRI will contact eligible faculty about their award, and transfer funds to the faculty member’s primary department. This transfer will take place no later than November 30 for faculty starting in the fall, or January 31, for faculty starting in winter. 

All faculty members who receive a New Junior Faculty Research Award should consult with their departmental budget managers to ensure that funds are available before making any travel plans or purchases.