Early Career Investigator Awards Nominations Now Open
Nominate an eligible colleague or submit a self-nomination for the Early Career Investigator Awards.
This award recognizes two tenure-track SJSU faculty who have excelled in areas of research, scholarship, and creative activity during their probationary period at SJSU.
Nominations Deadline:
Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. PST.
Before You Nominate
Please confirm that the nominee meets all eligibility requirements before beginning.
Most importantly, the nominee must have received an "externally funded" grant or contract as PI or co-PI during the eligibility period of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
“Externally funded” means funding provided by an entity outside San José State University and the SJSU Research Foundation. Funding provided by SJSU or the Research Foundation does not qualify.
You will be asked to confirm this requirement in the nomination form.
Eligibility Criteria
The nominee must:
Have been awarded externally funded grants or contracts as PI or co-PI during the eligibility period of July 1, 2025, to 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2026. Externally funded refers to funding provided by entities outside of San José State University and the SJSU Research Foundation. Funding provided by SJSU or the Research Foundation does not qualify.
- Be a full-time Unit 3 faculty member.
- Be tenure-track, but non-tenured at the time of the nomination.
- Have completed no more than six full years in their SJSU tenure-track appointment.
- Have not previously received this award.
Future Years’ Eligibility
The selection committee will consider a nomination and its supporting materials through three selection cycles total (academic years 2023–24, 2024–25, and 2025–26), as long as the nominee was eligible in the first year of nomination.
For each future cycle, the Research Foundation will contact roll-forward nominees who are still eligible and ask them to confirm by a stated deadline whether they wish to be considered again. If a nominee does not confirm by the stated deadline, the nomination will not move forward for consideration in that cycle. RSCA activity and externally funded grants and contracts obtained after a nominee has received tenure are not considered.
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Selection Criteria
Selection will be based on the nominee’s demonstration of success in the following areas:
1. Securing External Funding
This category evaluates externally funded research grants and/or contracts awarded to the nominee, as PI or co-PI, that meet the eligibility criteria. An explanation of how such awards contribute to the research capability and recognition of San José State University may be included.
Only externally funded grants and contracts that meet the following criteria will be considered:
- Awarded to the nominee as principal investigator or co-principal investigator.
- Externally funded (funding provided by entities outside of San José State University and the San José State University Research Foundation).
- Awarded between July 1, 2025, and 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2026.
- Awarded during employment by or affiliation with San José State University or the San José State University Research Foundation.
2. Scholarship and Creative Activity
This category encompasses successfully publishing in top-ranked peer-reviewed journals, authoring respected scholarly books, presenting at conferences, exhibiting in renowned galleries, or other artistic endeavors. Specific information (journal name, book citations, presentations, exhibits, performances, etc.) should be included in the nomination form, curriculum vitae (CV), or resume.
3. Student Involvement
This category evaluates the nominee’s impact on student RSCA and the extent to which their work supports student learning and development. This may include student involvement in research activities, financial support, mentorship, instruction in research methods, and development of presentation skills, among other contributions.
4. Interdisciplinary Research
Interdisciplinary research integrates information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge, can be done by teams or by individuals, and advances fundamental understanding or solves problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice.
5. Community-engaged Research
Community-engaged research is a process that incorporates input from people who are impacted by the research outcomes — the research outcomes will impact and involve such people or groups as equal partners throughout the research process. This involvement may include co-designing research questions to solve problems, making decisions, influencing policies, and creating programs and interventions that affect their own lives. Community engagement often involves partnerships and coalitions that help mobilize resources and influence systems, change relationships among partners, and serve as catalysts for changing policies, programs, and practices.
Nomination Instructions
Nominations may come from university administration or the faculty member’s academic unit (dean, chair, or faculty). Nominators do not need to be tenured or tenure-track. Self-nominations will also be accepted. Faculty members who are submitting a self-nomination should notify their dean and chair of their submission.
To nominate, complete the SJSU Research Foundation Early Career Investigator Award Nomination Form. Nominations must reflect "externally funded" awards received within the eligibility period (July 1, 2025, to 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2026).
"Externally funded" refers to funding provided by entities outside of San José State University and the SJSU Research Foundation. Funding provided by SJSU or the Research Foundation does not qualify. Provide a concise statement explaining the nomination and addressing the selection criteria (maximum one page, either entered in the form or uploaded as a letter). Include a CV or resume.
Nominations Submission Deadline:
Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. PST
Submit a Nomination
Selection Committee
The selection committee will consist of the Associate Vice President for Research, the Research Foundation Executive Director, the Research Foundation Director of Sponsored Programs, one faculty researcher from Category 1, one faculty researcher from Category 2, and one prior award winner.
Reward and Recognition
Each award recipient will receive a commemorative trophy, a cash award of $5,000, and a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition. The award will be presented at the annual Celebration of Research.
Save-the-Date
2027 Celebration of Research
Date: Monday, April 19, 2027
Time: 2 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Location: Ballroom of the Diaz Compean Student Union
A profile of each recipient’s accomplishments will be announced to faculty and staff via email and featured on the Research Foundation’s website and in the Research Foundation’s Annual Report. This information may also be publicized in university media. Early Career Investigator Awards winners are expected to make themselves available for the year after their award to attend select Division of Research and Innovation events, speak about their RSCA journey at SJSU, and sit on the selection committee for the following year.
