Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
Enhanced Mentoring Program with Opportunities
for Ways to Excel in Research
(EMPOWER)
Guidelines and Application
Questions regarding the EMPOWER internal funding mechanism should be directed to
Etta Ward at emward@iupui.edu or 278-8427.
This program is co-sponsored by the IUPUI Office for Women.
GUIDELINES
The Enhanced Mentoring Program with Opportunities for Ways to Excel in Research
(EMPOWER) has been developed to support IUPUI faculty who are historically
underrepresented and/or excluded populations in their discipline or area of scholarship
and historically denied admission to higher education or that discipline, 1) to become
successful in sponsored research and scholarly activity, and 2) to achieve significant
professional growth and advancement. The program sustains mentorship opportunities
through the EMPOWER Grant Program, supporting achievement of excellence in
research and scholarly activity, and optimal attainment of academic career goals and
objectives.
AWARD CATEGORIES
There are two categories of EMPOWER grants:
A. Assistant Professor Grant: This category is intended for assistant professors in
tenure-track faculty positions. The goal is to assist these faculty members in
becoming productive researchers, and better positioned to successfully get through
the tenure and promotion process. Specifically, the program consists of two cohorts
per year, a group of mentors and a group of mentees. The mentees are assistant
professors beginning a research agenda, and developing a plan for sustained
external funding. The mentors are associate professors or professors with successful
research programs, who are willing to sponsor and support mentees, and assist with
developing their research agenda. Mentors and mentees can apply separately to the
program and get matched by the review committee, or apply together and get
evaluated by the review committee. There will be emphasis on matching mentors
and mentees from the same school and discipline based on research methodology
skills, appropriate topic expertise or other technical dimensions needed by the
mentees.
B. Associate Professor Grant: This category is intended for associate professors in
tenured faculty positions. The goal is to assist these faculty members in achieving a
high level of excellence in sponsored research and scholarly activity, and better
positioned to successfully get promoted to the rank of full professor. Specifically, the
program consists of two cohorts per year, a group of mentors and a group of
mentees. The mentees are associate professors with a research program, and
developing a plan for growth in external funding. The mentors are professors with
successful research programs, who are willing to sponsor and support mentees, and
assist with developing their research agenda. Mentors and mentees can apply
separately to the program and get matched by the review committee, or apply
together and get evaluated by the review committee. There will be emphasis on
matching mentors and mentees from the same school and discipline based on
research methodology skills, appropriate topic expertise or other technical
dimensions needed by the mentees.
ELIGIBILITY
Category A: Full-time tenure-eligible assistant professors from all schools and units at
IUPUI are eligible to apply as mentees. All full-time tenured associate professors or
professors from all schools and units at IUPUI are eligible to apply as mentors.
Category B: Full-time tenured associate professors from all schools and units at IUPUI
are eligible to apply as mentees. All full-time tenured professors from all schools and
units at IUPUI are eligible to apply as mentors.
For both categories, a letter of support is required from the mentee’s department head or
dean, 1) addressing the mentee’s eligibility for this mentoring program, and 2) indicating
how this program is expected to benefit the mentee’s research and professional growth.
Refer to the Guidelines section for the goals and objectives of this program.
FUNDING AND PROJECT DURATION
All Categories: Grants will be normally of one (1) year duration. Funding available to the
mentees is to support their research and scholarly activity. This will consist of $5000 in
support of the mentee’s research and professional development, and leading to the
submission of at least a grant proposal for external funding, to occur no later than six
months from the end of the award period. Specifically, the mentee will receive $2000 for
beginning the mentoring program, $2000 on submission of a grant proposal, and $1000
on successful funding of the grant.
Funding available to the mentor consists of $1000 to support his/her research and
scholarly activity. During the one academic year period of the grant, the mentor is
expected to spend at least 30 hours with the mentee.
The mentor and mentee will receive their respective grant funds in separate accounts,
and in both cases the funds exclude salary support for the mentee and mentor.
POST AWARD REQUIREMENTS

Mentors are required to attend an initial workshop on mentoring (expected in early
October), a follow-up workshop (expected in April), and meet on a regular basis with
their mentees.

Mentees are required to attend an introductory workshop (expected in early
October), and encouraged to attend campus professional development opportunities,
such as Partnering for Promotion, and Preparing Future Faculty.

Mentees are required to submit a plan for their research goals and objectives. The
mentee and the mentor agree on the goals to be realized during the period of the
grant.

If an award is made, a final report must be submitted to the Office of the Vice
Chancellor for Research within 30 days of the termination of the award period. The
report must be prepared and submitted by the mentee and include a section from the
mentor. It must describe the mentorship experience and highlight key outcomes,
including the submission of at least a grant proposal for external funding (to occur no
later than six months from the end of the award period), and the impact of the
mentorship experience on the mentee’s research and scholarly activity and
professional advancement.

A mentee can receive this award once.
SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION

Submission due date is September 15th

Submit your application in PDF format via email attachment to: ovcr@iupui.edu
IUPUI Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Leave blank-for internal use only
Enhanced Mentoring Program with Opportunities for Ways to
Excel in Research (EMPOWER) Application
Name
Campus Address
Rank/Title
Email Address
School
Telephone Number
Department
Fax Number
Applying as
(choose one)
Mentee
Mentor
Category for which you are applying
Amount Requested
(choose one)
A
B
Project Dates
Performance Site(s)
Research Risk (double-click on the box, use the default value buttons) Include a copy of the approval form in the Appendix.
YES
NO
Human Subjects IRB Study # and Approval Date:
Animals
IACUC Study # and Approval Date:
Biosafety (rDNA) IBC Study # and Approval Date:
Principal Investigator Assurance
The undersigned agrees to accept responsibility for the scientific and technical conduct of the research project
and for submission of the final report.
Signature of Principal Investigator
Date
Signature of Dean of School
Date
APPLICATION FOR MENTEES
The proposal should be in electronic form, based on 8 ½ x 11 page size with at least
1/2 inch margins. Use an Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype, or Georgia typeface, a
black font color, and a font size of 11 points or larger. Charts, grafts, figures and so
on may be in color. The entire application is limited to a total of 5 pages (excluding
appendixes and Curriculum Vitae). Applications longer than 5 pages will not be
reviewed.
Current and Pending Internal and External Funding: Identify internal and external
funding received during the past 5 years including name of funding agency/mechanism,
project title, duration of funding, amount received per year and your role on the project.
Include collaborative projects such as research centers.
Please check areas of research activity on which you would like to receive guidance
from a mentor:
___ Identifying research topics
___ Conducting research
___ Manuscript preparation/writing
___ Presentations
___ Publishing
___ Identifying funding opportunities
___ Grant writing
___ Computer/statistical skills
___ Developing a research portfolio
___ Other Specify: ______________________________________________
Please check areas of professional activity on which you would like to receive guidance
from a mentor:
___ Understanding promotion and tenure
___ Developing a plan for career advancement
___ Finding your professional niche
___ Accessing/utilizing institutional support
___ Prioritizing professional demands
___ Improving time management
___ Identifying collaborators/partners
___ Communication skills and networking
___ Connecting to local/community resources
___ Connecting to industry
___ Balancing personal/professional demands
___ Other Specify: _______________________________________________
Which of these do you prefer?
□
□
□
□
A mentor from your discipline/program/department
A mentor who is an effective researcher but may be from a different discipline
Any effective mentor will be okay with me
I request the following person to be my
mentor:_________________________________________
What do you consider to be the most major obstacles in attaining your career goals?
What do you consider to be your strongest skills/strengths?
What are the most important areas you would like to enhance during your mentoring
period?
Please list any other comments or questions regarding your expectations and
participation in the faculty mentoring program.
Budget: Describe how the received funds will be used to support your research and
scholarly activity. The funds can be used for equipment, supplies, travel, etc. The funds
exclude salary support.
Appendix: Letters of Support, including a letter of support from the mentee’s department
head or dean, 1) addressing the mentee’s eligibility for this mentoring program, and 2)
indicating how this program is expected to benefit the mentee’s research and
professional growth. Refer to the Guidelines section for the goals and objectives of this
program.
Curriculum Vitae: Limited to four (4) pages (focusing on research and scholarly activity).
APPLICATION FOR MENTORS
The proposal should be in electronic form, based on 8 ½ x 11 page size with at least
1/2 inch margins. Use an Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype, or Georgia typeface, a
black font color, and a font size of 11 points or larger. Charts, grafts, figures and so
on may be in color. The entire application is limited to a total of 5 pages (excluding
appendixes and Curriculum Vitae). Applications longer than 5 pages will not be
reviewed.
Current and Pending Internal and External Funding: Identify internal and external
funding received during the past 5 years including name of funding agency/mechanism,
project title, duration of funding, amount received per year and your role on the project.
Include collaborative projects such as research centers.
Please check areas of research activity on which you would like to provide guidance to
a mentee:
___ Identifying research topics
___ Conducting research
___ Manuscript preparation/writing
___ Presentations
___ Publishing
___ Identifying funding opportunities
___ Grant writing
___ Computer/statistical skills
___ Developing a research portfolio
___ Other Specify: ______________________________________________
Please check areas of professional activity on which you would like to provide guidance
to a mentee:
___ Understanding promotion and tenure
___ Developing a plan for career advancement
___ Finding your professional niche
___ Accessing/utilizing institutional support
___ Prioritizing professional demands
___ Improving time management
___ Identifying collaborators/partners
___ Communication skills and networking
___ Connecting to local/community resources
___ Connecting to industry
___ Balancing personal/professional demands
___ Other Specify: _______________________________________________
Which of these do you prefer?
□
□
□
□
A mentee from your discipline/program/department
A mentee from a different discipline
Any mentee will be okay with me
I request the following person to be my
mentee:_________________________________________
What have been the most major obstacles in attaining your career goals?
What do you consider to be your strongest skills/strengths?
What are the most important areas you would like to focus on during the mentoring
period?
Please list any other comments or questions regarding your expectations and
participation in the faculty mentoring program.
Please describe your specific research program/areas in which you believe you have
expertise as a mentor.
Budget: Describe how the received funds will be used to support your research and
scholarly activity. The funds can be used for equipment, supplies, travel, etc. The funds
exclude salary support.
Appendix: Letters of Support
Curriculum Vitae: Limited to four (4) pages.