Faculty Awards

Faculty Awards

The Provost’s Office accepts applications each year for competitive Senior Faculty Research and Scholarly Leaves funded by Kenan, Pogue, William R. Kenan, Jr., William N. Reynolds, and Reynolds Industries, Inc. Award recipients receive one semester of scholarly leave and a $4,000 research fund.

The Junior Faculty Development Awards are funded by IBM and R. J. Reynolds Industries, Inc. and are typically announced in the late fall. This award grants $10,000 to support scholarly pursuits over one calendar year.

Junior Faculty Development Awards - Application Process for 2025-2026 Awards

JUNIOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AWARDS FOR 2025-2026 Academic Year

At this time, the application to apply for the Junior Faculty Development Awards for the 2025-2026 Academic Year is now closed. Faculty members interested in applying for the awards should check back in during the Fall 2025 semester.

Please contact the Office of Faculty Affairs atfacultyaffairs@unc.eduif you have any questions about the nomination process. 

2023-2024 Junior Faculty Development Award Recipients

First NameHome Department Name
Adesola AkinkutoSchool of Medicine (Surgery-Pediatric)
Katie BaldwinSchool of Medicine (Cell Biology and Physiology)
Jiayi BaoPublic Policy
Gedas BertasiusComputer Science
Malia BlueExercise and Sports Science
Elizabeth BrunkSchool of Medicine (Pharmacology)
Taylor CowderyEnglish and Comparative Literature
Christina CruzSchool of Medicine (Psychiatry)
H.M. CushmanEnglish and Comparative Literature
Scott DavisEshelman School of Pharmacy (DPOP)
Rob DowenSchool of Medicine (Cell Biology and Physiology)
Olivia DumitrescuMathematics
Saba EskandarianComputer Science
Ben FreyAmerican Studies
Steven GroverSchool of Medicine (Hematology)
Lauren HillGillings School of Global Public Health (Health Behavior)
Suzanne LyeClassics
Andrew MannPhysics and Astronomy
Ichiro MisumiSchool of Medicine (Genetics)
Benyam MulunehEshelman School of Pharmacy (DPET)
Alexandra OpreaPolitical Science
Aaron ShapiroCommunication
Caroline Sibley (Robinson)Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
Erin Siegal McIntyreHussman School of Journalism and Media
Ana Maria Silva CampoHistory
Jacqueline TileyEshelman School of Pharmacy (DPET)
Francesca TripodiSchool of Information and Library Science
Michael VazquezPhilosophy
Nadja VielotSchool of Medicine (Family Medicine)
Ana VineaAsian and Middle Eastern Studies
Mollie WoodGillings School of Global Public Health (Epidemiology)
Ya-Ke (Grace) WuSchool of Nursing
Rose Mary XavierSchool of Nursing
Zhengwu ZhangStatistics and Operations Research
Xinyan (Eva) ZhaoHussman School of Journalism and Media

Senior Faculty Research and Scholarly Leaves - Application Process for 2025-2026

SENIOR FACULTY RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY LEAVES FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2025-2026

Each year, theOffice of the Executive Vice Chancellor andProvost acceptsapplicationsforcompetitiveSenior Faculty Research and Scholarly Leaves paid from Kenan, Pogue, William R. Kenan, Jr., William N. Reynolds, and R.J. Reynolds Industries funds. The leaves are to be taken duringtheFall Semester 2025, Spring Semester 2026, or Academic Year 2025/2026.These leaves will pay a full base salary for one semester up to amaximumamount of $60,000, or one-half of the base salary for the full academic year, up to amaximumamount of $60,000.A $4,000 research fund is also provided during the period of the leave. 

Proposals dealing with creative activity and study by artists, musicians, and writers will be considered together with proposals for scholarly research. 

  • Applicants must be permanent, full-time (1.0 FTE), salaried faculty members.  They must hold the rank of associate professor or professor (tenure-track, tenure or fixed-term). 
  • Assistant Professors are not eligible for these leaves. 
  • Faculty are not eligible if fewer than five years have elapsed since the applicant has returned from one of the leaves listed in the first paragraph of this announcement. Preference is given to senior faculty members who have not had any funded leave during the past three years. 
  • Length and distinction of the service of the applicant may be recognized by the selection Committee in making its recommendations, but the quality of the project proposal itself will be the paramount consideration. The Committee will be influenced by the research experience of the applicant and by the prospect that work done during the leave will make a significant research or creative contribution in furthering the career of the faculty member and the research interests of the University. 
  • Since the purpose of the leave is to provide the successful applicant with time for research and scholarship, the recipient may not perform any teaching or administrative functions at UNC-CH during the period of the leave. This is true regardless of whether the leave period is one semester or the entire academic year. In cases where the recipient’s normal base salary for the leave period exceeds the $60,000 maximum provided by the leave, you might contact the Dean’s Office for your school to determine if there is a policy to provide additional funds to make up the difference. 
  • Amounts earned during the summer by nine-month employees (Summer School and Summer Salary) are not affected by this leave. 
  • The deadline to apply for Senior Faculty Research and Scholarly Leaves to be taken during Academic Year 2024-2025 has passed. Information about applying for leaves to be taken during Academic Year 2025-2026 will be posted here in Fall 2024.
  • Please contact facultyaffairs@unc.edu with questions or problems regarding the application process.

Please submit the following four items in your application packet:  

  1. A signed introductory letter from you to the Chair of the Committee on Faculty Research and Scholarly Leaves, indicating how the leave would benefit you and the University, and describing the significance of the project to the field and to your overall research and career development. Please specify the time period proposed for the leave (Fall Semester 2025, Spring Semester 2026, or Academic Year 2025-2026), and identify any non-University sources of support which may be available during the period of the proposed leave.
  2. A brief narrative description of the project to be undertaken during the leave (including a project title), no longer than two pages (if references are included, a third page may be added if necessary).
  3. A curriculum vitae, including indications of past leaves, released time, or reassignment of duties.
  4. A signed letter of endorsement from your immediate superior. If preferred, this letter may be emailed directly to the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor andProvost atfacultyaffairs@unc.edu.   

In the case of more than one application from a department or division, the chair will be asked, once the deadline has passed, to rank the applications (if there is no department or division, the dean or director of the unit will be asked to rank the applications). 

All applications should be submitted online at thislink.The complete application packet, including the letter of endorsement, must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, November 22, 2024. 

All applications will be reviewed by the Committee on Faculty Leaves and Development Awards, to be convened by the Provost. Due to the number of applications received each year, no oral or written feedback on applications can be provided to individual applicants. 

2023-2024 Senior Faculty Research and Scholarly Leave Award Recipients

First NameHome Department/School
Brandi BrimmerAfrican, African American and Diaspora Studies
Jinsong HuangApplied Physical Sciences
Todd VisionBiology
Kevin WeeksChemistry
Mohit BansalComputer Science
Xiaoming LiuEarth, Marine and Environmental Sciences
Elizabeth (Betsy) OlsonGeography
John PreisserGillings School of Global Public Health (Biostatistics)
Lisa LindsayHistory
Sarah ShieldsHistory
Richard McLaughlinMathematics
Adrienne ErickcekPhysics and Astronomy
Jeff Spinner-HalevPolitical Science
Donald LyslePsychology and Neuroscience
Barbara AmbrosReligious Studies
Jessica BoonReligious Studies
Carissa HessickSchool of Law
Jill FisherSchool of Medicine (Social Medicine)
Nicole Else-QuestWomen and Gender Studies

ELEVATE Fixed-Term Faculty Development Awards for 2025-2026

ELEVATE FIXED-TERM FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AWARDS FOR 2025-2026

At this time, the application to apply for the Elevate Fixed-Term Faculty Development Award for the 2025-2026 Academic Year is now closed. Faculty members interested in applying for the awards should check back in during the Fall 2025 semester.

Please contact the Office of Faculty Affairs atfacultyaffairs@unc.eduif you have any questions about the nomination process. 

University Distinguished Professorships

UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED PROFESSORSHIPS

At this time, the application to apply for the University Distinguished Professorships for the 2025-2026 Academic Year is now closed. Faculty members interested in applying for the awards should check back in during the Fall 2025 semester. I

Please contact the Office of Faculty Affairs atfacultyaffairs@unc.eduif you have any questions about the nomination process.