The Summer Excellence in Research Program for Faculty

The Summer Excellence in Research Program for Faculty (SEiR-F) promotes high-quality research efforts for Culverhouse faculty by providing funding for their summer research. Funds may be taken as a summer stipend and/or used to reduce the costs of the proposed research.

In order to be awarded an SEiR-F grant, the faculty must engage in research efforts that:

  1. Have clear potential for high impact on business and/or society
  2. Result in the submission of a manuscript to a high-quality, peer-reviewed academic journal and/or submission of a proposal for research funding to a recognized grant agency (federal, state, foundation, or private industry).

Each semester, the faculty members who received grants through the SEiR-F program will give presentations of their supported research.

What Is Explained:

  • Research supported by the SEiR-F grant
  • Portions of the research that needs to be completed
  • Potential impact of research on business and/or society
  • Targeted outcome of the research
    • The journal to which it will be submitted
    • The agency to which a proposal will be submitted

Ready to apply?

  1. Submit a proposal (five-page limit) that explains:
    • the research;
    • the parts of the research that are completed or need to be completed before the research is finalized;
    • the potential impact the research will have on business and/or society;
    • the proposed outcome of the research effort (i.e., the possible journal and/or agency a manuscript/proposal will be submitted)
    • how the funds will support the research (i.e., a budget that shows how much will be used as a summer stipend, travel to a conference or work with colleagues off-campus, software, equipment, data, respondent pool, etc.)
  2. If a faculty member receives an SEiR-F grant, then they must submit a progress report (five-page limit) by September 15 explaining:
    • the parts of the research that were completed during the period of support;
    • the parts of the research that remain to be completed before submission of:
      • a manuscript to a high-quality, peer-reviewed academic journal
      • a grant proposal to an agency;
    • any changes to the potential impact the research could have on business and/or society that may have been discovered through research done during the period of support;
    • the date the faculty member expects to complete the research and submit their manuscript to a high-quality, peer-reviewed academic journal and/or submit a grant proposal to an agency, etc.
  3. If faculty member receives an SEiR-F grant, then during the fall semester they will give a formal thirty-minute presentation to students and faculty explaining:
    • the research the SEiR-F grant supported;
    • the parts of the research that remain to be completed;
    • the potential impact the research could have on business and/or society;
    • the targeted outcome of the research (i.e., to what journal a manuscript will be submitted, to what agency a proposal will be submitted, etc.)
      •  

In order to receive an SEiR-F grant, a faculty member must:

  • agree to the Requirements listed above;
  • be tenured or tenure-earning
  • not be receiving summer funds as part of an initial employment agreement
  • not be teaching during the summer in which she or he receives an SEiR-F grant.

In addition,

  • the total funds received by the SEiR-F grant cannot exceed 30% of the faculty members’ base salary during the summer (if the grant exceeds 30% of the base salary, the amount awarded will be reduced).
  • a faculty member must not have received an SEiR-F grant within the past two years.

When accepting, the faculty member must agree to the following conditions:

  1. Residency Condition:
    • The faculty member will engage in an active, in-residence, research program during the summer the SEiR-F grant is received*
      • *exceptions must be approved in writing in advance by the Dean
  2. One-Year Condition:
    • If awarded, the faculty member will remain for one academic year following the receipt of the SEiR-F grant.
      • If a faculty member who receives a summer research grant accepts a position at another institution within the following year, will result in immediate cancelation of their SEiR-F grant.
  3. Submission Papers & Presentation:
    1. Submission Papers
      • The faculty member will prepare a submission for journal review and/or prepare a grant proposal for an agency.
      • The faculty member will submit a progress report (see bullet point 2 in the Requirements section) by September 15 of the year they receive the SEiR-F grant.
    2. Presentation
      • The faculty member will present the progress and results of their grant-supported research to students and faculty during the fall semester (see bullet point 3 in the Requirements section).
        • If the paper is not finished, a presentation on the completed research parts with an outline detailing the remaining work will be sufficient.

The criteria used in determining awards are:

  • The nature of the proposed research
  • The potential impact of the proposed research
  • The faculty member’s recent research record (i.e., the prior three years)
  • The engagement of students in the proposed research

Although funds are paid out over the summer the award is received, in most circumstances, the research will carry over into the academic year.

The Faculty Awards and Honors Committee will make final funding decisions.