Each year, the Department of Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology (BCMB) recognizes outstanding faculty.

A reception will be held at Calhoun’s on the River on May 7, 2026, and the award winners will be announced there.

Applications are due by midnight on Monday, April 6, 2026, and should be submitted to Reagan Strang. Materials may be delivered to the BCMB office (Room 309, Ken & Blaire Mossman Building) or emailed to her at (rstrang4@utk.edu).

Please submit a single PDF file named as follows: LASTNAME_(NAME OF) AWARD_2026 with the application materials.

Charles P. Postelle Distinguished Professorship (Not available until 2027)

The Charles P. Postelle Distinguished Professorship is awarded to a tenured Full Professor in the BCMB Department who has demonstrated exceptional scholarly achievement. The purpose of this professorship is to encourage excellence in research and teaching in biotechnology.

The professorship is awarded for a three-year term and may be renewed. The recipient will hold the title of “Charles P. Postelle Distinguished Professor.”

Eligibility and Application Process: Applicants must be tenured Full Professors who have been members of the BCMB faculty for at least five years. Eligible candidates may apply directly or be nominated by others.

Applications will be evaluated by a committee of faculty members external to the department.

Nomination must include:

1. A letter of nomination describing how the candidate meets the eligibility criteria and highlighting their qualifications
2. The candidate’s current CV
3. A statement outlining the research the candidate plans to pursue during the term of the professorship

Recipients

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. 

Applications will be evaluated by a committee of faculty members external to the department.

The application should include:

1. A short (3 page) description of the research project, including a timeline 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 (no longer available)

The BCMB Department funds the BCMB Research Incentive Award (formerly the Pat Hunsicker Award), established in honor of Pat Hunsicker, a long-time researcher in the mammalian genetics group at ORNL. This award was open to tenure-line faculty, as well as Research Associates and Postdoctoral Fellows within the BCMB Department.

Research Associates and Postdoc – please see the C.W. Fite Research Incentive Award

Recipients

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

*These funds need to be spent by June 30 the following year

Established in 2022, this award supports postdoctoral fellows and research associates in advancing their professional development. Its primary goal is to help recipients build a strong professional portfolio that prepares them for the next stage of their careers, whether in research, teaching, science communication, entrepreneurship, or technological innovation. The award is designed to:

1. Enhance the research training of postdoctoral fellows and research associates
2. Support activities that directly advance professional goals through training, partnerships, or unique research experiences
3. Provide seed funding to explore and develop initial ideas aligned with these professional goals

Application Requirements

1. A concise project proposal (maximum 2 pages) that includes:
   • A statement of professional goals (up to ½ page). Activities such as attending professional workshops, participating in technical training, or conducting short-term visits to collaborators’ laboratories to gain new skills or establish partnerships are strongly encouraged.
   • A description of proposed research, training, and/or collaborative activities (up to 1½ pages) that support these goals
2. A proposed budget and justification (maximum 1 page). At least 30% of the total funds requested must be allocated toward training-related expenses
3. A letter of support from the research mentor, supervisor, or sponsor. This letter should:
   • Confirm support for the proposal
   • Explain how the proposed research aligns with existing funded projects
   • Describe how the planned activities will help the applicant achieve their professional goals
4. A current CV.

Recipients

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

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

1. A letter of nomination detailing the nominee’s research accomplishments and publication record.
2. The nominee’s current CV.

Recipients

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

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

1. A letter of nomination describing the nominee’s teaching approaches and effectiveness.
2. Student evaluation surveys for each course taught during the past three years (for junior faculty) or five years (for senior faculty).
3. Optional but encouraged: written comments from undergraduate students regarding the faculty member’s teaching effectiveness.

Recipients