Research Funding and Recognition

Upcoming Deadlines

Recommended Listservs

Recommended Resources for Rice Faculty

  • Quick Guide for Research Faculty - You will find included in this guide some tips and resources useful to researchers at Rice University.
  • Recordings of Research and Funding Events - Access all recordings from research and funding events sponsored by the School of Social Sciences Dean’s Office here. Please note: faculty must log in with a Rice netid in order to access the folder.

Internal Research Funding

Social Sciences Research Institute
University Grants

External Funding Opportunities (links to major funding agencies)

Research and Fellowship Funding Opportunities Databases for Faculty, Postdocs, and Graduate Students

  • PIVOT-RP - is a global database of open research funding opportunities, and is now available to the Rice community. To create an account and start using Pivot, visit PIVOT.PROQUEST.COM and click "Use login from my institution," then select Rice University and follow the prompts to match with one of the pre-loaded profiles or create a new one. Once you create a profile, you can track and share funding opportunities, save searches, get automatic alerts, view groups, and more. If you have questions about Pivot-RP, please contact Ted Walker, associate director of foundation relations, at ted.walker@rice.edu.
  • SEARCH GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES - is intended to inform about funding sources and opportunities that are available generally. Please review the sponsor's website and/or recent solicitation to confirm the deadline and to identify the newest eligibilities, requirements, and funding details.
  • LIST OF MAJOR GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS WITH HYPERLINKS - The majority of these fellowships are designed for those studying in a particular discipline, although some are open to students across disciplines. 
  • FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS, AND INTERNSHIPS - This list has hyperlinks and is maintained by Fondren Library.
Writing/Dissertation Completion Fellowships
Other Fellowships
Sources for Research Expenses

Rice University Offices

School of Social Sciences Pre-Award Services

Primary Contact:  Director of Research Administration, Chris Rodriguez, 713-348-2985, carod@rice.edu

Internal Achievement Awards

SoSS Dean’s Distinguished Research Awards: The aim of the SoSS Dean’s Distinguished Research Awards is to recognize excellence in faculty research. Two awards will be given each year, one for junior faculty and one for senior faculty.  Nominations will be evaluated on the extent to which the candidate’s work has been (or has the potential to be) transformative in their field, and the extent to which the applicant’s work has garnered national and international recognition. Nominations must come from department chairs; each chair may nominate one person for each award.    

Charles W. Duncan Achievement Award for Outstanding Faculty:

The Duncan Award was established in 1998 in honor of Charles Duncan, former Chairman of the Rice Board of Trustees, and is presented each year to a full-time, tenured, or tenure-track faculty member in recognition of outstanding performance in the areas of both teaching and scholarship.

Eligibility information, selection criteria, process, and timeline are listed below.

Eligibility: Must be a full-time Rice tenured/tenure-track faculty member with ten or fewer years of experience from appointment as an assistant professor at Rice and have his/her primary academic appointment in one of the following schools: Architecture, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences.

Criteria for award: Candidates must have demonstrated outstanding performance in both scholarship and teaching.

Award: $5,000 cash award and engraved medal

Rice University Faculty Award for Excellence in University Service and Leadership: This award is bestowed annually on a faculty member who has made significant and distinctive contributions to the mission of Rice University through exceptional university service and leadership. The winner will receive $3,000 and a framed certificate signed by the President and Provost.*

Rice University Faculty Award for Excellence in Professional Service and Leadership: This award is bestowed annually on a faculty member who has made significant contributions to the academic profession or the wider community (local, national, or international) through professional service and leadership. The winner will receive $3,000 and a framed certificate signed by the President and Provost.*

Rice University Faculty Award for Excellence in Research, Teaching, and Service: This award is bestowed periodically on a faculty member who fulfills the Rice academic ideal by exhibiting exemplary achievement in all aspects of faculty responsibilities: research, teaching, and service. The winner will receive $6,000 and a framed certificate signed by the President and Provost.*

Marjorie Corcoran Award: This award is given annually to a Rice faculty member who has made major contributions to the advancement of women or underrepresented minorities in STEM fields, either in support of students at Rice or through local, state, or national programs, with a particular commitment to engaged mentoring. The winner will receive $2,500 and a framed certificate signed by the President and Provost.*

*Nomination process: Any Rice faculty or staff member may nominate a faculty member for any of the four awards above. Faculty Senate sends a call for nominations each Spring.

Teaching Awards

    Media and Communications

    Primary Contact: Senior Media Relations Specialist, Amy McCaig, 713 348 6777, amym@rice.edu
    Rice Office of Public Affairs