Research Leaders Academy

The Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors and the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost host a Research Leaders Academy for Principal Investigators who aspire to lead, or who are already leading, large-scale, interdisciplinary research initiatives. The program launched in 2023 and is offered every other academic year.

Participants learn how to scope a collaborative, large-scale research vision with colleagues from different scholarly backgrounds, how to secure external support to realize that shared vision, and how to successfully implement and manage their vision. The Research Leaders Academy program consists of monthly, half-day (in-person) workshops covering the following topics in research leadership:

  • Foundations of the UT Research Enterprise, including CSU-level and central research fundraising support and resources (OVPR, Discovery to Impact, University Development)
  • Scoping Your Broader Research Vision
  • Complex/Center Grants and Organized Research Units
  • Building Partnerships and Coalitions with Researchers Across Disciplines
  • Budgeting and Finance at UT
  • How to Work Effectively with Staff
  • Strategic Large-Scale Grant Management
  • Securing Buy-In from Deans and Leadership
  • Time Management and the Strategy of Saying "No"

Participants will also interact with campus leadership and OVPR to learn best practices for securing grant funding for large, cross-campus research initiatives and applying those to build and sustain successful teams.

Application
Applications are due on Monday, May 19, 2025 at 5pm, via Infoready.

Eligibility

Participants must be principal investigators who fall into one of the following categories:

  • Tenured or tenure-track faculty, with preference for mid-career and full professors
  • Professional-track faculty who meet the following criteria:
    • Have been appointed at UT for at least six academic years with no gap in service longer than three consecutive academic years
    • Have a benefits-eligible appointment at UT during the academic year
    • Meet greater than or equal to 50% FTE in each of the fall and spring semesters of the academic year
  • Research Scientists or Senior Research Scientists

Any eligible PI may nominate themselves to be considered for selection to the cohort. PIs who have not have yet worked closely with OVPR’s Research Development team are encouraged to apply.

A committee composed of faculty/research peers and OVPR leaders will select participants on the basis of the following criteria:

  • Clearly articulated research or scholarly vision that is broader than one’s individual line of inquiry
  • Demonstrated capacity to secure external support for research or scholarly activity
  • Evidence of a collaborative mindset in research and the potential to form cross-disciplinary connections
  • Willingness to commit to in-person participation in the Research Leaders Academy intensive workshop series for the duration of the academic year. Workshops are currently scheduled as half-day sessions, one or two Fridays per month, on the UT Austin campus. Total time commitment, inclusive of these workshops, is anticipated to be 40 hours of preparation, learning, and planning time.

Application Deadline

Applications are due on Monday, May 19, 2025 at 5pm.

Submission Requirements

Submissions will be accepted through Infoready.

Please submit the following, in order, as a single PDF or Word document:

  1. A one-page statement articulating the applicant’s interest in participating in Research Leaders Academy. This statement of interest should address:
    1. The large-scale, interdisciplinary research or scholarly vision that the applicant wants to lead
    2. Current plans for executing this vision. For example, does the applicant plan to lead a team toward a funding opportunity (if so, which one, and on what timeline)? Is the applicant taking over leadership of an existing major institute and seeking to shift its scope? Is there another type of strategic research opportunity the applicant plans to pursue?
    3. How participation in Research Leaders Academy will help the applicant achieve personal goals related to research leadership in their field
  2. A statement (no more than one page) describing prior experiences, positive or negative, working as part of a collaborative research team. Include the nature and purpose of the team and the applicant’s specific role(s) within the collaboration. Cite a few examples of the research or scholarly outputs from the collaborative team.
  3. Biosketch or Curriculum Vitae 
  4. List of any previous professional development, faculty mentoring, leadership or other skill-building programs in which the applicant has participated (whether at UT or elsewhere).

Program Timeline

Application and selection: Summer 2025

  • Application deadline: Submissions for the 2025 cohort will open in April 2025.
  • Selection decisions will be announced in late June 2025.

Program Duration: September 2025 – May 2026

  • Monthly, half-day workshops will take place on Fridays on the UT Austin campus.