Apply for 2025-26

Research Advancement Academy 2025-26 Recruitment Announcement 

The Office for Research Advancement is pleased to announce the continuation of the Research Advancement Academy (RAA) for Academic Year 2025-26!

The RAA is a professional development program for faculty from across OSU to develop research leaderships skills. Focused on early and mid-career faculty, the RAA seeks Fellows who are successful researchers and ready to start developing their big ideas into a large and solutions-oriented research enterprise. The goal of the Academy is to support a cohort of Fellows to successfully lead large transdisciplinary proposals & funded research programs in alignment with the Prosperity Widely Shared: The Oregon State Plan (PWS). 

RAA curriculum centers on developing transdisciplinary research practices. It defines transdisciplinary research as a complex form of use-inspired research. This research aims to generate integrated interdisciplinary knowledge and discovery through participatory and engaged practices spanning across sectors and disciplines in a way that transcends traditional boundaries and directly contributes to resolving critical societal challenges. 

RAA Fellowships last two-three years. Year one includes a series of (in-person) workshops to help Fellows hone their big ideas and develop the skills, relationships, and mindsets of a research leader. The workshops are followed by an opportunity for Fellows to apply for seed funds (up to 50K) to advance and develop their solutions research partnerships and funding. Fellows who receive seed funds will be provided with ongoing coaching and support from ORA during Year two as they pursue their research advancement plans. Fellows may be invited to compete for additional seed funds in Year three (up to 100k) to maintain momentum or scale-up their research advancement plans.

The Research Advancement Academy Seed Fund Program is supported through a partnership between the Colleges, the Office of the Provost and the Division of Research and Innovation.   

Eligibility

• Tenure-tracked Faculty, Practitioner-tracked Faculty (e.g. Professor of Practice), and Professional Research Faculty who have a successful record of extramural grants and/or contracts and experience with collaborative and interdisciplinary research are eligible.

• Tenure-track faculty should be within 4 years of their anticipated tenure achievement. Although the program is designed for early to mid career faculty, it may be a good fit for more experienced faculty as well.

• Faculty from all OSU campuses, all Colleges, Experiment Stations, Centers, and Institutes are eligible.

Feel free to reach out with any questions about eligibility.

Application and Selection Process 

• Applications for the cohort of 2025-26 will open on April 7th, 2025 and will be due on June 6th, 2025

• Application submission can be made through OSU’s InfoReady platform and will include an online form, along with the submission of a brief Letter of Interest and Curriculum Vitae 

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to share their intent to apply with their direct supervisor and home college/campus Associate Dean for Research (ADR) and to discuss readiness for the program and/or alignment between your goals for the academy and college/school/departmental priorities 

• Applications will be reviewed by ORA staff and the RAA advisory committee

• The strongest applications from each college will be reviewed by the Associate Dean for Research (ADR) who will provide input on selection

• Finalists will be subject to approval by College/Unit Leadership, the Vice President for Research and the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

• Up to 20 Fellows will be selected for the 2025-26 cohort

• The selected fellows will be required to attend the in-person series of nine workshops in Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 as per the schedule below

Important Dates

Contacts

If you have questions about eligibility and fit with the program, fee free to contact [email protected]