Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program
Please note that program guidelines were updated on November 28, 2023.
Deadline: August 1, 2024
Announcement: early November 2024
The Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program supports the research and teaching careers of talented early-career faculty in the chemical sciences at primarily undergraduate institutions. The award, which requires an institutional nomination, is based on accomplishment in scholarly research with undergraduates, as well as a compelling commitment to teaching, and provides an unrestricted research grant of $75,000.
Eligibility
The Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program is open to faculty who meet all of the following criteria:
- From academic institutions in the States, Districts, and Territories of the United States of America that grant a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the chemical sciences, including chemistry, biochemistry, materials chemistry, and chemical engineering.
- In departments that do not grant a doctoral degree. A potential nominee is ineligible if there is active participation or substantial research productivity in a Ph.D. program of another department or institution, or in an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program.
- Hold a full-time tenure-line academic appointment focused on the chemical sciences.
- Are after the fourth and not after the twelfth years of their independent academic careers, and engaged in independent research and teaching primarily with undergraduates. Applicants are normally expected to have been appointed no earlier than mid-year 2012.
Institutions may submit only one Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award nomination annually. Renominations are accepted.
If you have procedural questions regarding the nomination process, or feel that there are special circumstances that may apply to your nomination, please contact the Foundation office by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at 212-753-1760.
Selection
The Foundation seeks Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholars who, as independent faculty members, have demonstrated leadership in original scholarly research of outstanding quality, substantially carried out with undergraduates, as well as innovation in and dedication to undergraduate education.
Recommendations for awards are based upon evidence of outstanding educational efforts and the nominee’s scholarly research achievements with undergraduates, as assessed by a review panel of distinguished faculty in the chemical sciences. The three outside letters of support (see below for details) are of particular value to the reviewers. Other considered factors are: awards and honors, publication of research achievements in leading journals, success in attracting research funding, and service to the larger community in chemical education.
Nominations recommended for approval are presented to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, and approved awards are announced by early November.
Guidelines for Use of Funds
- The Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award provides a $75,000 unrestricted research grant to the Awardee.
- Of the total amount, $5,000 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.
- If the awardee leaves the institution, the transfer of the remaining funds requires prior Foundation approval.
Nomination Procedure
Institutions may make only one nomination annually for the Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program. All nomination materials and letters of support must be received at the Foundation office by the deadline.
The nomination consists of:
- The online nomination form.
- A letter of nomination (limited to two pages) from an institutional representative (e.g., the department chair or dean) highlighting the nominee’s research and teaching accomplishments. In addition, this letter may contain institutional and departmental descriptive information.
- A summary description of the nominee’s research accomplishments as an independent faculty member and a description of future research plans (limited to six pages, including references).
- A statement that illustrates the nominee’s efforts in education in the chemical sciences (limited to two pages).
- A CV (limited to five pages), which includes a list of publications in which the corresponding author and undergraduate and graduate student coauthors are clearly and separately identified. Research support should be indicated.
While the Foundation does not have any specific formatting requirements for the nomination PDF, it is expected that applicants use a reasonable font size for reading and printable margins.
Send all above materials as a single PDF to: [email protected].
Letters of Support
- Three letters of support should be requested by the nominator and sent directly to the Foundation from individuals who can address the nominee’s capabilities and accomplishments as an independent faculty member.
- A letter from either the candidate’s Ph.D. advisor or a postdoctoral advisor is acceptable but should also discuss the nominee’s accomplishments as an independent investigator. One letter may be from the candidate’s home institution. Letters from a former advisor or the home institution will not be given the greatest weight.
- The letters of support should not be received with the nomination package, but instead should be sent by the deadline as a PDF directly to: [email protected].
Reports
A set of final reports is due at the end of the fifth year. Interim reports are due to the Foundation as requested. For questions about reporting, contact [email protected].
Additional information
- Publications and presentations describing work supported by the award should acknowledge The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation.
- Recipients of the award are designated Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholars.
- For questions, please contact the Foundation office by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at 212-753-1760.