Faculty Resources for Research
Faculty-Student Projects
This program funds a range of faculty-student projects including but not limited to laboratory research, archival research, research in preparation for honors theses or other significant student projects, and projects in the studio arts, music and theatre. Projects may involve collaborative faculty-student research, faculty supervised undergraduate research, or intensive projects in the arts, music and theatre. The goal is to accommodate different types of faculty-student projects aimed at improving student learning and strengthening faculty teaching and/or scholarship. Tenured and tenure-track faculty and academic affairs staff with faculty rank may apply. Part-time and visiting faculty may apply with departmental approval. The Call for Proposal for the Faculty-Student Projects Funds is sent in December. An Internal Grants Cover Sheet is needed when submitting your proposal. Be sure to review the Internal Grants Guidelines before submitting. It is a detailed list of what is needed when submitting your proposal.
Brown Junior Fellows Program
The Brown Junior Fellows Program is designed to provide tenure-track faculty with the opportunity to devote additional attention to the completion of scholarly and/or creative projects. Faculty may apply to have a release of three courses for the academic year (normally a 2-1 or 1-2 teaching load for one academic year). With appropriate justification, junior faculty may request the three-course reduction in one semester. Such proposals must provide a rationale for this request. In all cases, selected faculty members remain responsible for advising, committee work, and other departmental obligations during the semester in which the course releases are granted. It is anticipated that at least two fellowships will be awarded for the academic year. The Call for Proposal for the Brown Junior Fellows Program is sent in September.
Brown Senior Fellows Program
The Brown Senior Fellows Program is designed to give senior faculty with substantial research and/or creative projects additional time to conduct their professional work. Faculty may apply to have release from one semester of teaching responsibility or a release of three courses for the academic year (a 2-1 or 1-2 teaching load for one academic year). While the majority of awards will be for a one-year period, it will be possible for a faculty member to submit a proposal requesting course releases for a two-year period, not to exceed 3 courses per year over the two-year period (with corresponding increases in the budget and stipend). The Call for Proposal for the Brown Senior Fellows Program is sent in September.
Competitive Professional Development Funds
Tenured and tenure-track faculty members, full-time coaches, librarians and academic affairs staff with faulty rank may apply for competitive professional development funds to reimburse professional development expenses. These funds may be used for any legitimate professional development expense including faculty stipends, domestic and international travel, conference and workshop fees, research expenses, professional association memberships, sabbatical expenses, etc. The Call for Proposal for the Competitive Professional Development Funds is sent in December. An Internal Grants Cover Sheet is needed when submitting your proposal. Be sure to review the Internal Grants Guidelines before submitting. It is a detailed list of what is needed when submitting your proposal.
Sam Taylor Awards
The will of the late Sam Taylor set aside income from a portion of his estate to fund continuing education and development of faculty members at United Methodist-related colleges and universities in Texas. Grants may be used for graduate study or post-graduate research. The Call for Proposals for the Sam Taylor Funds is sent in May. The deadline for proposal submission is August 7th or the next business day if the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday. Please submit proposals via e-mail to Christine Vasquez (vasquezc@southwestern.edu). Please direct questions to John McCann (x1233, mccannj@southwestern.edu).
Sabbatical Leaves
The Sabbatical Leave Program supports the long-term professional growth of the faculty by funding semester-long leave for innovative, substantial research projects consistent with the faculty member's plans for long-term professional growth and development. Faculty are encouraged to discuss potential projects with the Provost and their Department Chair well in advance of application. Policies, eligibility, kinds of supported activities, financial considerations, procedures for application, deadlines and timelines are all available in the Faculty Handbook. Note: Some deadlines fall as far as two years prior to your anticipated sabbatical leave.
Institutional Review Board
Southwestern's Institutional Review Board for Human Research (IRB) was established to approve research projects involving the use of human participants. The Board exists both because Southwestern wants to ensure that research participants are treated with the utmost respect and safety and because federal law requires that all federally-funded research involving human participants receive Board approval.
Brown Working Papers in Arts and Sciences
This is a series of professional papers (to date conference papers and drafts of articles or book chapters which are on their way to completion or under revision; many have now been or are about to be published) from SU faculty and students and staff. Professor Eric Selbin is the editor of the compilations. Initial funding was made available by the Brown Foundation through the Brown Distinguished Research Professor Program.
Granting Agencies
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
Independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities.
National Institutes of Health Grants (NIH)
This NIH site allows you to electronically find and apply for competitive grant opportunities from all Federal grant-making agencies.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
The National Science Foundation funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants, and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the United States. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of federal support to academic institutions for basic research.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
HHMI's grants program is enhancing science education for students at all levels, from the earliest grades through advanced training.Grants awarded by HHMI fit within two general categories: research grants for individuals and science education grants for institutions. Most HHMI grants are awarded through competitions that have specific objectives and eligibility criteria; thus, HHMI does not encourage and rarely funds unsolicited grant proposals.
Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)
Operated through the US Department of Education. Their Comprehensive Program is their primary grant competition and supports innovative educational improvement projects that respond to problems of national significance. The website is an excellent place to find out more and also to learn about past grants.
American Philosophical Society
This organization assists scholars in their research. The Society sponsors five major grants including the Franklin, Phillips, and Library Fellowship Programs for smaller grants ($1000 - $6000) and the Daland and the Sabbatical Fellowship programs for much larger grants ($30,000 - $50,000). The Franklin Grants are for all areas of knowledge/disciplines. The Daland Fellowships are for clinical medicine. The Phillips Fund is for work in Native American linguistics, ethnohistory, and the history of studies of Native Americans, in the continental United States and Canada. The Sabbatical Fellowship program is awarded in the social sciences and humanities. The Library Fellowship is awarded for scholars to conduct research in the society's library.* Specific information about each grant, as well as deadline dates are available at this website.
