Faculty Fellowship Program

I. Program Overview

The A&M System announces the inaugural call for proposals under the Research Excellence Fund (REF), a bold initiative to elevate the research enterprise across all A&M System member institutions. The REF provides competitive funding to accelerate discovery, strengthen collaboration, and enhance national competitiveness.

Strategic Initiative 8: The Faculty Fellowship Program program under the REF supports short-term research fellowships for faculty to engage in collaborative research projects in laboratories at other A&M System campuses, including Texas A&M-RELLIS and Texas A&M-Fort Worth. The program fosters mobility, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among faculty, enhancing integration across system research environments and enabling new partnerships that can lead to major external funding and high-impact outcomes.

II. Program Objectives

The Faculty Fellowship Program aims to:

• Promote cross-institutional research collaboration by enabling faculty to work directly with peers at other A&M System institutions.
• Encourage interdisciplinary and multi-site research aligned with system-wide strengths and strategic priorities.
• Facilitate shared access to research infrastructure and unique facilities located across the A&M System.
• Strengthen capacity for large-scale proposal development and competitive team formation.
• Enhance faculty development and retention by providing professional growth opportunities and expanding research networks.
• Support emerging research hubs such as Texas A&M-RELLIS and Texas A&M-Fort Worth as focal points for innovation, industry collaboration, and system-wide engagement.

III. Eligibility

• Eligible Institution: Any A&M System member university.
• Eligible Applicants:
  • Tenured, tenure-track, or research faculty at any A&M System member university.
  • Fellows must be PI-eligible and hold a full-time faculty appointment at an A&M System member university.
  • Applicants must identify host A&M System campus willing to provide research collaboration and facilities access during the fellowship period.
  • Fellows must remain full-time employees of their home institutions during the award period.
• Eligible Activities:
  • Short-term (one to six months) research residencies at another A&M System member campus.
  • Collaborative proposal development, co-supervision of graduate students, or joint publication activities.
  • Training or skill development using specialized research instrumentation or methodologies.
  • Joint workshops, seminars, or pilot projects to initiate long-term partnerships.
• Ineligible Activities:
  • Sabbatical leaves unrelated to collaborative research.

IV. Award Information and Allowable Costs

• Total Funding Available (FY26): $1,000,000
• Maximum Individual Award: $25,000 to $100,000 per fellowship
• Expected Number of Awards: Approximately 12 annually
• Limited Submission: Submissions limited to three lead proposals per A&M System university as approved by designated university Chief Research Officer (CRO) (i.e., Vice President of Research). Note: A&M System agencies are included under Texas A&M University (TAMU) led submissions.
• Cost Share: Not required but encouraged to leverage the REF investment and demonstrate institutional commitment.
• Allowable Costs:
  • Travel and lodging expenses related to the fellowship
  • Research supplies and materials
  • Limited summer salary support (subject to institutional policy)
  • Facility access fees and data acquisition costs
• Non-allowable Costs:
  • Routine operational expenses
  • Salaries for faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral staff, or administrative staff

All funds must be expended within 12 months of award unless an extension is approved. Funds are non-renewable but recipients may reapply in future cycles with new projects or collaborations.

V. Proposal Requirements

A. Proposal Components

Proposals must include the following sections, combined into a single PDF document:

1. Cover Page (1 page)
   • Title of proposed project
   • Host and home institutions
   • Faculty fellow name and contact information
   • Host collaborator name and contact information
   • Duration of fellowship
   • Total amount requested
2. Project Summary (1 page)
   • Overview of research topic
   • Collaboration plan
   • Anticipated outcomes
3. Project Description (up to 3 pages)
   • Overview of research topic and its significance.
   • Clear articulation of project goals, methodologies, and expected deliverables (i.e., Statement of Work).
   • Anticipated outcomes and plan for sustainable collaboration beyond fellowship period.
4. Collaboration Plan (1 page)
   • Description of how the host institution will support the fellow and how the collaboration will enhance both parties’ research capacity.
5. Milestones and Deliverables (1 page)
   • Fellowship period timeline with key activities, expected outputs, and major milestones.
6. Budget and Cost-Share Details (1 page)
   • Detailed itemization of proposed expenses.
   • Institutional cost share commitment to leverage the REF investment.
7. Biographical Sketches (Faculty Fellow)
   • Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv) format.
8. Letter of Commitment (1 page) from collaborator at the host A&M System institution.
9. Memo of Support (1 page) from CRO endorsing this proposal for submission.

VI. Review Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated by an independent peer-review panel composed of internal and external experts using the following weighted criteria:

Priority will be given to proposals that demonstrate transformational potential, cross-system collaboration, and clear readiness for major external funding competitiveness.

VII. Reporting and Expectations

Awardees will be required to:

• Submit a final report within 60 days of fellowship completion summarizing achievements and outcomes; publications, proposals, and patents initiated; new collaborations formed; plans for sustained partnership and external funding applications.
• Participate in the annual A&M System Research Excellence Meeting and present key findings and collaboration impacts.

VIII. Submission Instructions

• Submission Portal: Submit single PDF document to ref@tamus.edu
• File Format: Single PDF document, 12-point font, 1-inch margins.
• Deadline: Rolling
• Questions: Contact E-mail: ref@tamus.edu

IX. Program Governance

The Faculty Fellowship program will be administered by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research under guidance from the REF Advisory Committee, composed of representatives from A&M System member institutions.
 
Proposals will be reviewed through a competitive independent peer-reviewed process. Decisions on funding will be approved by the Vice Chancellor for Research and endorsed by the Chancellor of the A&M System.

X. Key Dates

XI. Summary Statement

The Faculty Fellowship Program of the Research Excellence Fund seeks to:

• Build stronger cross-campus research networks that enhance competitiveness and innovation.
• Facilitate faculty exchange and collaboration as a cornerstone of research excellence.
• Increase external funding success through joint proposals and multi-institutional projects.
• Enhance faculty professional development and retention within the A&M System.
• Strengthen the strategic role of Texas A&M-RELLIS, Texas A&M-Fort Worth, and other A&M System facilities as collaborative research hubs.
• This initiative represents a key investment in the people and partnerships that define the A&M System’s commitment to research leadership and statewide impact.