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Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program

General Information

Program Description

The Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program supports the research and teaching careers of talented early career faculty in the chemical sciences. The Award, which requires an institutional nomination, is based on an independent body of scholarship attained in the early years of their appointment (see below), and a demonstrated commitment to education, signaling the promise of continuing outstanding contributions to both research and teaching. The Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award provides an unrestricted research grant of $100,000.

Limitation

Schools may submit one (1) Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award nomination annually to the internal Penn competition. Renominations are accepted.

Eligibility

The Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program is open to faculty who meet all of the following criteria:

  • From academic institutions that grant a bachelor’s or higher degree in the chemical sciences, including chemistry, biochemistry, materials chemistry, and chemical engineering.
  • Hold a full-time tenure-track academic appointment focused on the chemical sciences.
  • Normally expected to have been appointed no earlier than mid-year 2018.
  • From Ph.D. granting departments in which scholarly research is a principal activity and undergraduate education is an important component.
  • For any sponsored research projects, the applicant must be eligible to serve as Principal Investigator for the project, unless otherwise noted in the LSO. Please see Penn’s PI Eligibility requirements to ensure you are eligible.

Award Information

  • An unrestricted research award of $100,000 to the Awardee.
  • Of the total amount, $7,500 may be allocated for departmental expenses associated with research and education.
  • Charges associated with indirect costs or institutional overhead are not allowed.
  • Defrayal of academic-year salary is not permitted. Summer salary is allowed.
  • Funds are normally expended over a period of five years.

Review Process

Selection Criteria

The Foundation seeks Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholars who, as independent faculty members, demonstrate leadership in original scholarly research of outstanding quality, as well as innovation in and dedication to education.

Recommendations for awards are based upon compelling evidence that the nominee’s independent scholarly research has led to important advances in the chemical sciences and will continue to do so. The three outside letters of support (see below for details) are of particular value to the reviewers in this regard. Other considered factors are awards and honors, publication of research achievements in leading journals, success in attracting research funding, and dedication and contributions to education in the chemical sciences, particularly with respect to undergraduates and the larger community.

OVPR Internal Review Process

Each school may nominate one (1) candidate. Applications must include the following:

  1. Cover Page which must include:
    • PI name, title, department, address, phone, email
    • Date of faculty appointment to the University including Month and Year
    • Names of three people from outside Penn who will write letters of support. Include academic rank, and institution.
  2. Nomination letter: A letter of nomination from an institutional representative highlighting the nominee’s research and teaching accomplishments. In addition, this letter may contain institutional and departmental descriptive information. (limited to five pages)
  3. A summary description of the nominee’s research accomplishments as an independent faculty member, and a description of future research plans (limited to five pages, including references, with use of at least one graphic being encouraged).
  4. A statement that illustrates the nominee’s efforts in education in the chemical sciences (limited to two pages)
  5. A CV (limited to four pages), which includes a list of publications in which the corresponding author and undergraduate coauthors are clearly identified. Research support should be indicated. 
  6. All materials must be submitted in a single pdf document in the above order to vprgrant@upenn.edu by January 16th, 2024.
  7. Subject line of the email should be, Dreyfus_applicant LAST name_applicant FIRST name.