University of Memphis Shows Research Strength Through CAREER Success
Competitive with leading national institutions
Beginning in Fall 2019, the University of Memphis Division of Research & Innovation began strategically supporting the pursuit of National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) grant applications for faculty. The CAREER program is designed to help junior faculty succeed in launching their research careers by providing an initial grant that awards an average of $500,000. These awards form a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF CAREER awards establish researchers as leaders in their fields by strengthening the focus on the NSF vision to capitalize on new concepts in science and engineering and provide global leadership in advanced research and education. The CAREER awards are among the most prestigious awarded by the NSF, and the success of these awards is a good measure of the overall quality of research at a university.
The cohort-based program for the UofM CAREER program has provided resources and support to faculty for several years now, and the benefits are beginning to be seen in the success rate of our faculty. Between 2019 and 2022, the University of Memphis was awarded seven CAREER awards in six departments. Those faculty are (in order of award date): Nate DeYonker (Chemistry), Amber Jennings (Biomechanical Engineering), Thomas Watson (Computer Science), Maryam Salehi (Civil Engineering), Ana Doblas (Electrical and Computer Engineering), Thomas Goebel (Center for Earthquake Research and Information), Kensha Clark (Chemistry).
The CAREER Program at the University of Memphis features an intensive multi-stage review, accompanied by workshops which are designed to acclimate faculty to the NSF CAREER call specifically. It is designed to help develop grant writing skills for faculty and to establish a funding trajectory that will lead to future success, regardless of whether the CAREER is awarded. By providing enhanced support for obtaining research funding through these programs, the University of Memphis is establishing a culture of funding pursuit that will continue to strengthen overall research infrastructure at the University.
The strength of the program has seen the UofM become competitive at a national level in recipients for this award. Between 2020 and 2022, the University of Memphis received four NSF CAREERS - the same number received by University of Arkansas, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of New Mexico, and Howard University, among others. In Tennessee, during the same period, Vanderbilt received six while University of Tennessee Knoxville received eleven. R1 institutions with fewer than four CAREER awards during the period include University of Nevada - Las Vegas, Utah State University, Kent State, Washington State, University of Mississippi, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Montana, and the University of South Florida. These data demonstrate the outstanding growth of the University of Memphis as a research institution in the State of Tennessee and nationally.
To learn more about the NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER), see the current program solicitation on the NSF website at https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22586/nsf22586.htm. Contact Research Development for further information at researchdev@memphis.edu.