
Welcome To Research Administration
Find Funding For Your Research
- Internal Funding
- External Funding
R&I manages several internal funding opportunities and faculty awards that support faculty research, scholarship, creativity and innovation across disciplines.
Please refer to OP 32.24 for more information, nomination guidelines and forms for all faculty awards. Download FY26 Research Deadlines
Barnie E. Rushing, Jr., Faculty Distinguished Research Awards (2)
Criteria: Excellence in research, scholarship, and creative activity.
Nominations: Nominated by faculty, with approval and final selection by the deans of the colleges in which nominees hold faculty appointments.
Procedure: Screening by the deans to select one nominee per college, except two for Arts & Sciences.
Screening by Research Advisory Council and recommendations to Texas Tech Parents Association.
Deans submit at https://ttu.infoready4.com/
Contact Person: Karen Michael
Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Research Award (4 anticipated)
Criteria: See OP 32.21
Nominations: Nominations originate with and are approved by the deans of the colleges in which nominees hold faculty appointments. https://ttu.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1949130
Procedure: Selection by an appropriate university committee. Recommendation from the OR&I to President for review and approval. Formal memo recommendation from President to Chancellor.
Contact Person: Karen Michael
President's Excellence in Commercialization Award
Criteria: To recognize outstanding contributions to the commercialization of innovative work conducted by Texas Tech University faculty. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/research/award-ops/presidents-commercialization-award.php
Nominations: Tenured or tenure-track faculty members are nominated by deans, with up to 2 nominations from each college.
Procedure: Screening by Associate Deans for Research who recommend a recipient to Provost and OR&I. The Provost and OR&I shall forward this recommendation to the President.
Contact Person: Karen Michael
OR&I Internal Research Funding Opportunities
Faculty Travel Grants
Purpose: Assists faculty who do not have departmental, college, or start-up funding available for travel with associated expenses up to $1,000.
Eligibility: Faculty Travel Grants are open to all full-time tenured (Associate Professor or Full Professor), tenure-track (Assistant Professor), or research faculty (Research Assistant Professor or Research Associate Professor) at Texas Tech. Faculty may only receive travel funding assistance once each academic year, though previous year awardees will be less competitive for this funding.
Procedure: Applications are accepted each semester for travel during the following term. Apply at https://ttu.infoready4.com/
Contact Person: Proposals
No Cost Extensions and Other Requests for Internal Awards
Purpose: Extension of the period of performance without additional funding or a change in the proposed use of funds.
Eligibility: Requests may be submitted for the following internal awards: Faculty Travel Grants, Research Assistance Program, and Scholarship Catalyst Program.
Procedure: Apply at https://ttu.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1807910
Contact Person: Proposals
STEM Research Assistance Program
Purpose: Focus on initiating new lines of research (Research Seed Funding) or resubmissions of previously declined proposals (Proposal Resubmission) for individual Texas Tech faculty in STEM fields. Awards may be granted for varying amounts up to $8,000.
Eligibility: Preference will be given to proposals from Associate Professors without current funding, though it is open to all full-time tenured, tenure-track, or research faculty at Texas Tech within STEM fields.
Procedure: Applications are accepted each semester for travel during the following term. Apply at https://ttu.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1940616
Contact Person: Proposals
Scholarship Catalyst Program (SCP)
Criteria: All tenured and tenure-track faculty whose primary appointment is at Texas Tech University who propose research, scholarship, or creative endeavors in the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences are eligible for SCP funding.
Eligibility: Nominated by faculty, with approval and final selection by the deans of the colleges in which nominees hold faculty appointments.
Procedure: Apply at https://ttu.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1991172
Contact Person: Proposals
Open Access Publication Initiative
Purpose: Help increase the research and publication profile of Texas Tech faculty. The funding is intended to help authors defray the costs of open access publication fees and expedite the dissemination of research findings.
Eligibility: The person requesting open access funds must be (a) the lead, senior, and/or corresponding author (the person most responsible for the work), and (b) a current Texas Tech faculty member, full-time instructor, or research professor. Students are not eligible to apply. The bulk of the research presented in the article must have been conducted while the lead author was a faculty member at Texas Tech University.
Procedure: Apply at https://ttu.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1991472
Contact Person: Proposals
TUF Match Request
Purpose: Provided to request matching funds for external sponsored projects.
Eligibility: Must be submitted four weeks before proposal due date with approval from college dean; must be a required match unable to be met through other funding sources; other guidelines found on application.
Procedure: Apply at https://ttu.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1940616
Contact Person: Proposals
TUF Investment Opportunity, FY26
Purpose: These funds are intended to support investments that significantly enhance TTU's research impact and catalyze new areas of research. Proposals supporting ongoing research or single faculty will receive significantly lower consideration than large research teams creating the opportunity for new areas of federal funding.
Eligibility: Proposal funds must be allocated to TTU faculty and resources, and may not include budgets for other institutions, including system institutions such as TTUHSC. Competitive proposals will align with one or more of our Strategic Research Themes as well as the strategic plans of their college.
Procedure: This opportunity accepts applications on alternating months (open Sept. 1 – 30; closed Oct. 1 – 31). Apply at https://ttu.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1987630
Contact Person: Proposals
Other Faculty Awards and Procedures
Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award (4 anticipated)
Criteria: See OP 32.13
Nominations: Nominated by the deans of the colleges in which the nominees hold a faculty appointment. https://ttumain.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1949376
Procedure: Selection by the Executive Council of the Teaching Academy and the president of Faculty Senate with recommendations to the Provost and the Provost recommends finalist to the President for review and approval. Formal memo recommendation from President to Chancellor.
Contact Person: Molly Jacobs
Faculty Development Leaves
Criteria: See OP 32.29. Note: External letters are to be received by the applicant directly and included as part of the application packet.
Nominations: See OP 32.29
Procedure: See OP 32.29. The Faculty Development Leave Committee reviews all applications on basis of need and merit as justified in the proposals and recommends them to the Provost. The Provost recommends to the President for consideration by the Board of Regents who have final approval of Faculty Development Leaves.
Contact Person: Michele Hinds or Anne King
Faculty Distinguished Leadership Award (unlimited nominations)
Criteria: For record of outstanding service to the department, college, or university. Granted as merited, not necessarily annually.
Nominations: Nominated by faculty.
Procedure: Screening by Honors and Awards Council. Recommendations to Texas Tech Parents Association.
Contact Person:Chris Mosher or Anne King
Hemphill-Wells New Professor Excellence in Teaching Award (unlimited nominations)
Criteria: A professor who has been at Texas Tech no more than four years and whose excellence in teaching has been attested by students, faculty, and administrators.
Nominations: Nominated by faculty.
Procedure: Screening by Honors and Awards Council. Recommendations to Texas Tech Parents Association.
Contact Person:Chris Mosher or Anne King
Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professorships
Criteria: See OP 32.09
Nominations: See OP 32.09
Procedure: See OP 32.09
Contact Person:Chris Mosher or Anne King
Piper Professor Nominations (1)
Criteria: Primarily for teaching and work with undergraduate students. https://ttumain.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1949527
Nominations: Nominations to the Faculty Senate
Procedure: Screening by Honors and Awards Council. Provost recommends to Piper Foundation.
Contact Person: Chris Mosher or Molly Jacobs
President’s Academic Achievement Awards (1 per college)
Criteria: Excellence in achievement across the teaching-research service missions of the university. Three years of faculty service, recognition by peers in one or more areas, evidence of productive scholarship, and demonstrated competence in the three areas.
Nominations: Nominated by the dean by letter, including vita and up to three support letters.
Procedure: Reviewed by Honors and Awards Council. Recommendations to Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President.
Contact Person: Chris Mosher or Anne King
President’s Emerging Engaged Scholarship Award
Criteria: To recognize faculty for a relatively new engaged scholarship project or activity that addresses an important community needs and/or seeks to discover solutions to larger societal issues based on mutually beneficial partnership with communities. The project/activity shows outstanding promise for significant impact on communities/society, as well as teaching/learning, research/creative activity, and scholarship. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/outreach-engagement/faculty/exemplary-engaged-scholarship-awards/index.php
Nominations: Nominated by faculty, dean, or chair.
Procedure: A committee comprised of the Assistant Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement and engaged faculty and administrators from various TTU colleges and schools reviews and rates the nominations according to pre-determined criteria, and recommends the highest ranking nominees as awards recipients to the Provost.
Contact Person: Lindsay Wren
President’s Excellence in Faculty Peer Mentorship Award
Criteria: To recognize faculty for exemplary and sustained activity in faculty mentorship at Texas Tech University as evidenced through both official and unofficial mentorship roles along with demonstrated success of mentees. Candidates show an ongoing commitment to continued education in mentorship. Tenured or continuing appointment faculty members with three years of documented mentorship service recognized by peers may be considered.
Nominations: Nominated by faculty, chair, or Dean.
Procedure: A committee comprised of the Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Success and engaged faculty and administrators from various TTU colleges and schools reviews, rates the nominations according to pre-determined criteria, and recommends the highest-ranking nominee as the award recipient to the Provost.
Contact Person: Suzanne Tapp
President’s Excellence in Engaged Scholarship Award
Criteria: To recognize faculty for an exemplary and sustained engaged scholarship project or activity that addresses an important community needs and/or discovers solutions to larger societal issues based on mutually beneficial partnership with communities. The project/activity shows evidence of significant impact on communities/society, as well as teaching/learning, research/creative activity, and scholarship. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/provost/outreach-engagement/faculty/excellence-in-engaged-scholarship-awards/index.php
Nominations: Nominated by faculty, dean, or chair.
Procedure: A committee comprised of the Assistant Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement and engaged faculty and administrators from various TTU colleges and schools reviews and rates the nominations according to pre-determined criteria, and recommends the highest-ranking nominees as awards recipients to the Provost.
Contact Person: Lindsay Wren
President’s Excellence in Faculty Peer Mentoring
Criteria: To recognize faculty for exemplary and sustained activity in faculty mentorship at Texas Tech University as evidenced through both official and unofficial mentorship roles along with demonstrated success of mentees. Candidates show an ongoing commitment to continued education in mentorship. Tenured or continuing appointment faculty members with three years of documented mentorship service recognized by peers may be considered.
Nominations: Nominated by faculty, chair, or Dean.
Procedure: A committee comprised of the Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Success and engaged faculty and administrators from various TTU colleges and schools reviews, rates the nominations according to pre-determined criteria, and recommends the highest-ranking nominee as the award recipient to the Provost. The award carries a monetary prize of $1,500.
Application Process: The application can be found online here.
Due Date: January 31, 2025
Contact: Please address any concerns regarding eligibility or support materials to the Associate Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, Suzanne Tapp, or Molly Jacobs.
President’s Excellence in Teaching Awards (1 per college; up to 4 in A&S)
Criteria: Excellence in teaching role.
Nominations: Nominated by the dean by letter summarizing teaching activities.
Procedure: Deans recommend to the Office of the Provost.
Contact Person: Chris Mosher or Anne King
President’s Faculty Book Awards (3)
Criteria: See OP 32.24; © 2023
Nominations: Nominated by submission of two copies of book published and copyrighted in 2023. Information Sheet (OP 32.24, Attachment B, page 2).
Procedure: Submissions are reviewed by the select committee, the President’s Book Award Committee. Committee recommends award recipients to the Provost, and the Provost recommends finalists to President.
Contact Person:Chris Mosher or Anne King
Provost’s Institutional Effectiveness in Excellence Award
Criteria: To recognize an academic department for institutional effectiveness, as evidenced by the department's commitment to continuous improvement and to improving student learning at the degree program level. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/opa/networkingandawards/ie_award/IEaward.php
Nominations: Nominated by the dean in form of a submitted packet.
Procedure: A committee comprised of the Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness, Managing Director of the Office of Planning and Assessment, Associate Director of the Office of Planning and Assessment, and three representatives from the University Level Institutional Effectiveness Committee will review the nominations and recommend award(s) to Provost.
Contact Person:Jennifer Hughes
Spencer A. Wells Award for Creativity in Teaching (unlimited nominations)
Criteria: Creativity of the professor’s approach to excellent teaching, as attested by students, faculty members, and administrators.
Nominations: Nominated by faculty.
Procedure: Screening by Honors and Awards Council. Recommendations to Texas Tech Parents Association.
Contact Person: Chris Mosher or Anne King
Teaching Academy Departmental Excellence in Teaching Award
Criteria: Department or comparable academic unit demonstrates the existence of a “teaching culture,” which reflects a commitment to students, makes teaching a high departmental priority and facilitates teaching excellence throughout the department. https://www.depts.ttu.edu/tlpdc/Teaching_Academy/Teaching_Awards/Deta.php
Nominations: Department submits application for consideration.
Procedure: Selection Committee is composed of one Teaching Academy member from each college (two from Arts & Sciences) and two alternates. Provost who is in consultation with the Executive Council of the Teaching Academy will appoint the Selection Committee and alternates.
Contact Person: Molly Jacobs
Texas Tech Alumni Association New Faculty Award (1 per college)
Criteria: Maximum of four years total as a faculty member, based on student evaluations, innovative teaching activities, initiation of research/creative activities, and interaction with students.
Nominations: Nominated by the deans of the colleges in which the nominees hold a faculty appointment.
Procedure: Deans recommend to Provost who notifies Alumni Association.
Contact Person:Kahlie Callison
Limited Submission Opportunities
Some major funders (like NIH, NSF, and private foundations) allow only a small number of proposals from each institution.
Texas Tech manages these opportunities through an internal nomination and review process to ensure fairness and compliance.
Apply Now: Submit your Notice of Intent through InfoReady
Learn More: Visit the ORDC Limited Submissions Process Page
View Past Opportunities- Limited Submission: Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program
- Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists
- TAMEST Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards
- Beckman Young Investigator Program
- Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers
- Faculty Early Career Development Program (NSF CAREER Awards)
- Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring
Office of Research & Innovation
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Email
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