Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards
Powe Awards help ORAU member institutions retain their best young faculty members
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.
Research projects must fall within one of these five disciplines:
- Engineering and Applied Science
- *Health Disparities/Equity
- Life Sciences
- Mathematics/Computer Sciences
- Physical Sciences
- Policy, Management, or Education
*New Research Category: As a result of ORAU’s partnership with The MITRE Corporation, a new research discipline has been added to the list for you to select from: Health Disparities/Equity. MITRE is interested in promoting multi-disciplinary research that focuses on understanding and addressing health disparities and promoting health equity. The following examples are representative of potential research topics:
- How can emerging medical technology innovations in areas like digital health, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics drive to create more equitable health outcomes? What potential pitfalls exist in these technologies to exacerbate inequities?
- How does climate change affect health outcomes of different populations and what measures can be taken to address inequitable outcomes found in underserved populations?
Junior faculty members interested in applying should consult their ORAU Councilor, and visit the frequently asked questions.
Application submissions closed on January 7, 2022.
2021-22 Powe Award winners
| Award Recipient | Member Institution |
|---|---|
|
Cheryl Andam |
University at Albany |
|
Ali Bramson |
Purdue University |
|
Spencer Bryngelson |
Georgia Institute of Technology |
|
Brandon Bukowski |
Johns Hopkins University |
|
Joshua Cashaback |
University of Delaware |
|
Dongchang Chen |
University of New Mexico |
|
Haonan Chen |
Colorado State University |
|
Eric Coughlin |
Syracuse University |
|
Damilola Daramola |
Ohio University |
|
Meenal Datta |
University of Notre Dame |
|
Brittany Givens Rassoolkhani |
University of Kentucky |
|
Julian Heeck |
University of Virginia |
|
Jingjie Hu |
North Carolina State University |
|
Yoon Hwa |
Arizona State University |
|
Laura Jacox |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
|
Natasha Johnson |
University of Toledo |
|
Priya Kumar |
Pennsylvania State University |
|
John Martin |
University of Cincinnati |
|
Kristen Mink |
Idaho State University |
|
Talia Moore |
University of Michigan |
|
Bogdan Nica |
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis |
|
Walter Pettus |
Indiana University |
|
Ralm Ricarte |
Florida A&M University |
|
Nicholas Rolston |
Arizona State University |
|
Kasra Sardashti |
Clemson University |
|
Manish Shetty |
Texas A&M University |
|
Hosop Shin |
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis |
|
Cesar Uribe |
Rice University |
|
Shreya Vemuganti |
University of Oklahoma |
|
Guanyang Wang |
Rutgers University |
|
Wei Wang |
University of Tennessee |
|
Andrew Wilson |
University of Louisville |
|
Haifan Wu |
Wichita State University |
|
Xiaoyong Yuan |
Michigan Technological University |
|
Zhengwu Zhang |
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
|
Lingling Zhao |
University of Alabama in Huntsville |
| MITRE Award Recipient | Member Institution |
|---|---|
|
Xiaolei Huang |
University of Memphis |
|
Deborah Jehu |
Augusta University |
|
Jillian Scheer |
Syracuse University |
|
Mary Stitt |
University at Albany |
|
Asha Winfield |
Louisiana State University |
Powe Award recipient explores the use of digital tools to address autism in rural areas
Ying Hao, assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders at the University of Mississippi, is exploring ways virtual technology, like telepractice, can bring communication tools to the families of children with autism spectrum disorders living in rural areas.
Contact us
For more information about the Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards, contact the University Partnerships office at 865.576.6513 or PoweAwards@orau.org.