To be considered for an award, applications are due by midnight Friday, April 4, 2025 to Chrissy Wills-Maples via email to (rwills@utk.edu). Please submit a single PDF file named as follows: LASTNAME_AWARD_2025

A lunch reception will be held at Calhoun’s on the River, May 8, 2025

Charles P. Postelle Distinguished Professorship – First year $20,000 – $25,000 – Not Available

Charles P. Postelle Distinguished Professorship will be awarded to a Tenured Full Professor in the BCMB Department who has demonstrated an exceptional level of scholarly achievement, this professorship is “to encourage research and teaching in biotechnology”. This professorship is awarded for a three-year period and can be renewed. This professorship carries the title “Charles P. Postelle Distinguished Professor.”

To apply: You must be a Full Professor and have been a member of the BCMB faculty for at least five years to eligible. Eligible professors can apply or be nominated by others.  A committee of faculty from outside the department will review the applications and decide the award recipient.

Nomination materials include:

1. A letter of nomination explaining how the candidate has fulfilled the eligibility requirements.
2. An updated CV and a plan from the candidate regarding the research that will be pursued during the term.

Dr. Donald L. Akers, Jr. Faculty Enrichment Fellowship ($20,000)

These funds will be good for two years but at least $9,000-$10,000 needs to be spent in the first year.

Dr. Donald L. Akers Jr. Faculty Award this award is to be given to outstanding faculty for research efforts. The fund will be used this year to support faculty research. This award is available to any of the tenure-line faculty in the BCMB Department. High priority will be given to requests to fund pilot projects for generating preliminary data used to compete for extramural research funding.  A committee of faculty from outside the department will review the applications and decide the award recipient.

The application should include:

1. A short (3 page) description of the research project, including a time line for accomplishing the research goals
2. A proposed budget and description of personnel for the project (0.5 page)
3. A statement of plans for submitting applications for external funds related to the proposal (0.5 page)
4. An abbreviated CV that is limited to:
   1. External Funding (Active and Pending)
   2. Internal UTK Funding (Active and Pending)
   3. publications (last 5 years)
   4. presentations at conferences, universities, research institutes, etc. (last 5 years)
   5. honors and awards (last 5 years)

Recipients

BCMB Research Incentive Award (formerly Hunsicker) – Not Available

The department is funding the BCMB Research Incentive Award (formerly Pat Hunsicker Award), this award is given in honor of Pat Hunsicker a long-time researcher in the mammalian genetics group at ORNL. This is available to any of the tenure-line faculty in the department or to a Research Associate or Post-Doctoral Fellow in the BCMB Department. High priority will be given to requests to fund pilot projects for generating preliminary data used to compete for extramural research funding. A committee of faculty from outside the department will review the applications and decide the award recipient.

The application should include:

1. A short (3 page) description of the research project, including a time line for accomplishing the research goals
2. A proposed budget and description of personnel for the project (0.5 page)
3. A statement of plans for submitting applications for external funds related to the proposal (0.5 page)
4. An abbreviated CV that is limited to: a. External Funding (Active and Pending); b. Internal UT Funding (Active and Pending); c. publications (last 5 years); d. presentations at conferences, universities, research institutes, etc. (last 5 years); e. honors and awards (last 5 years)

Recipients:

C.W. Fite Research Incentive Award for Research Associates and Postdocs ($10,000)

Started in 2022, the purpose of the award is to support postdoctoral fellows/research associates in their professional development goals, specifically, in building a professional portfolio to serve them on the next stage of their career (research, teaching, communication, entrepreneurship, technological innovation etc.). The award is aimed to: 1. enhance the research training of postdoctoral fellows/research associates, 2. to fund activities that directly benefit their professional goals through training, partnerships or unique research experience and 3. to provide basic research funding to explore/realize initial ideas toward realizing these professional goals. A committee of faculty from outside the department will review the applications and decide the award recipient.

Applicants should submit:

1. A current CV,
2. a succinct project proposal (2 pages max) that includes a statement of professional goals (1/2 page- attendance to professional workshops and technical training, funding for short-term visits to colleagues’ labs to gain technical or analytical skills and/or establish novel collaborations with a long-term goal of joint projects development are all encouraged) and a proposed research and training/collaboration activities that support the professional goals (1 1/2 pages).
3. The application should also include a proposed budget and justification (1-page max), with the training budget expenditures representing at least 30% of the total request.
4. The application should also include a letter of support from the research mentor/supervisor/sponsor stating support for the proposal and detailing how the proposed research activities fit into the existing funded research activities and how the proposed funded activities promote the candidate bridging/meeting professional goals. Activities that promote increased diversity and inclusion, especially if these promote long-terms partnerships with minority serving sister institutions are welcome.

Recipients

Junior and Senior Faculty Distinguished Research Award ($1,500 each)

The Distinguished Scholarship Award recognizes a BCMB faculty member who has made notable achievements in scholarship and research within the past academic year. Faculty members in the BCMB department are invited to nominate their colleagues for this award. Materials required include:

1. A letter of nomination that gives details regarding the research and publication record of the nominee.
2. A current CV from the nominee.

Recipients:

Junior and Senior Faculty Outstanding Teaching Award ($1,500 each)

The Outstanding Teaching Award recognizes a BCMB faculty member who demonstrates a commitment and excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level. Faculty members in the BCMB department are invited to nominate their colleagues for this award.  Materials required include:

1. A letter of nomination that gives details of teaching approaches and effectiveness.
2. Student evaluation surveys for each course from the past three (junior) or five (senior) years also should be submitted.
3. Written comments from undergraduate students regarding the teaching effectiveness of the faculty member are desirable, but not required.

Recipients: