Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program
Please note that program guidelines were updated on June 9, 2025.
Deadline: February 1, 2026
Announcement: early May 2026
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, as well as a demonstrated commitment to education, and provides an unrestricted research grant of $100,000.
Eligibility
The Camille 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 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.
- From Ph.D. granting departments in which scholarly research is a principal activity and undergraduate education is an important component.
- Are within the first six years of their independent academic careers at the time of submission of the nomination. Experience has shown that awardees tend to be close to the end of their eligibility window, but all eligible candidates are welcome to apply.
Institutions may submit only one Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award nomination annually. Renominations are accepted.
The Foundation will consider extensions to the window of eligibility for official tenure clock stops, for reasons including but not limited to parental leave, military leave, medical leave, and the pandemic. Any exceptions should be clearly discussed at the beginning of the letter of nomination. We encourage you to reach out to [email protected] to discuss these exceptions prior to nomination submissions.
If you feel that there are special circumstances that may apply to your nomination, please contact the Foundation office at [email protected].
Selection
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.
The nominee’s achievements are assessed by a review panel of distinguished faculty in the chemical sciences. The letters of recommendation should address the nominee’s research accomplishments as an independent faculty member.
Nominations recommended for approval are presented to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, and approved Awards are announced by early May.
Nomination Procedure
Institutions may make only one nomination annually for the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards Program. All nomination materials and letters of support must be received at the Foundation office by the deadline.
If you have any questions about the nomination process, or would like to discuss best practices for applying with a member of the Foundation’s team, please reach out to [email protected]. The Foundation especially encourages institutions new to the award process to reach out for a discussion.
The nomination consists of:
- The online nomination form.
- A letter of nomination (limited to two pages) from an institutional representative 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 five pages, including references, with use of at least one graphic being encouraged).
- A statement that illustrates the nominee’s efforts in education in the chemical sciences (limited to two pages)
- 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.
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 the above materials by the deadline as a single PDF to: [email protected].
Note: If a nominee has significant developments in their career, teaching, or research after the deadline, the Foundation will allow a one paragraph appendix no more than three weeks past the deadline. This paragraph can be sent as a PDF via email to [email protected]. No other additional materials will be accepted.
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.
- None of these letters may be from the candidate’s nominating institution.
- No more than one letter may be from a former mentor.
- Typically, letters from students are not impactful.
- 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].
Frequently Asked Questions
- The candidate’s department does not grant Ph.Ds., but there are other departments at the institution that do. Are they eligible for this Award?
If a candidate has active participation in or receives significant benefits from the Ph.D. programs – post-docs, funding, etc. – they may be eligible for this program. However, if they do not, they may be eligible for the Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards. The Foundation encourages reaching out to [email protected] to discuss.- Does a candidate have to have a primary appointment in a chemistry-focused department?
While candidates from departments that are not primarily chemistry-focused are eligible to be an institution’s nominee, reviewers will be evaluating nominations through the lens of “advancing the chemical sciences.” Therefore, any materials submitted to the Foundation should be specifically tailored to highlight accomplishments related to the chemical sciences. And, as only one nomination is accepted per institution each year, it is strongly recommended that candidates connect with other departments that may also be planning on submitting a nomination to determine the best selection for the institution.- How is the first year of eligibility determined?
The Foundation generally counts the year a candidate started their first tenure track position as the first year of eligibility. This means that, if they have moved institutions, they will need to count that past experience as well. If a candidate has had extensive non-tenure track experience (e.g., industry experience, research positions, and lectureship positions), that may also factor into how reviewers consider the nomination. The Foundation encourages reaching out at [email protected] if there are any questions.- Does promotion to tenure exclude a candidate from applying?
No. If the candidate meets the program requirements, they are eligible to apply.- When will the cover sheet generator be available?
The Foundation opens the generator approximately three months prior to the deadline each year.- Who should write the letter of nomination?
The letter of nomination can be from any institutional representative at the University. Generally, this is the department head, but sometimes the dean, provost, etc. is also selected. The key to choosing a good nomination letter writer is picking a person who has a background that would allow them to understand and speak about the candidates work – making a strong case they are one of the top early career chemists in the country. More succinctly, someone with a background in the chemical sciences is ideal. Joint letters are allowed if the nominating institution feels it is necessary.- Is a budget required?
As this is an unrestricted research grant, no budget is needed. The Foundation does not allow any materials that are not in the above guidelines.- Who should send the nomination package to the Foundation?
The Foundation does not have a requirement for who sends the nomination package. However, it is strongly recommended that the nominee and nominator are copied on the email to ensure everyone is aware the proposal has been submitted and to quickly assist with any possible issues.- Will the Foundation provide feedback on declined nominations?
No, the Foundation does not share information about Award deliberations. If a candidate is planning to resubmit, the Foundation is happy to set up a call to discuss best practices.
Guidelines for Use of Funds
- The Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award provides a $100,000 unrestricted research grant 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.
- If the awardee leaves the institution, the transfer of the remaining funds requires prior Foundation approval.
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 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholars.
- For questions, please contact the Foundation office by e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at 212-753-1760.