Research, Innovation & Impact

Oct. 31, 2024

The CAREER award is the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious award for early career faculty. Those who receive this award are viewed by the NSF as role models in academia, but not solely for their outstanding teaching or individual scholarly work — these investigators have demonstrated that they’re poised for a lifetime of leadership in integrating research with their teaching. 

It's an NSF stamp of approval (with federal dollars behind it) that says: “We see the multifaceted work you’re doing in your field. We can’t wait to see where you go and the impact you’ll make.” 

In 2020, the Mizzou Division of Research’s Professional Development team debuted a program — the MU NSF CAREER Club — to help early career faculty navigate the complex proposal process for these special awards and increase chances that their proposals would be accepted.

Kiruba Krishnaswamy, assistant professor in the Division of Food, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences and in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, was recently named an NSF CAREER awardee after going through the NSF CAREER Club program at Mizzou.

“It was eye-opening participating in the MU NSF CAREER Club and learning about the major sections of the proposal, how it’s different from a standard NSF grant, and listening to mock panel discussions and hearing everyone’s experiences submitting their CAREER proposals,” Krishnaswamy said. Krishnaswamy’s CAREER award supports her project titled “FEAST (food ecosystems and circularity for sustainable transformation)" framework to address hidden hunger. 

“I first submitted an NSF CAREER proposal in 2022, and it was rejected, and I was full of self-doubt,” Krishnaswamy said. “But as part of the MU NSF CAREER Club, Christie Terry, Director of Professional Development, was able to provide valuable insight based on the reviewer’s comments and encouraged me to try again. Christie was my biggest supporter even when I had doubts. She is a patient listener and supported me throughout the submission process.” 

We sat down with the NSF CAREER Club facilitators, Amanda Carr and Christie Terry to ask them some common questions researchers might have about the program. 

Before we talk about the Club itself, can you tell us more about the NSF CAREER award? How does it benefit faculty?

CAREER is the NSF’s most prestigious award for early career faculty. While funding varies depending on directorate/discipline, the 5-year award is intended to help launch faculty research careers. It seeks to support faculty who are poised to be strong academic role models in research and education. The award is an excellent opportunity for faculty to build a solid research and education foundation that shapes their career trajectory and to develop lasting and meaningful relationships with the NSF. 

The CAREER award includes a research project, broader impacts, and an education plan. A unique aspect of this award is the requirement to propose an education plan that is innovative and integrated with the research plan. This is a key aspect of the proposal, and our team has skills and expertise to help faculty create strong education plans in line with NSF expectations.

Why does the NSF CAREER award need its own specific program at Mizzou? 

The CAREER award is complex and has many components. We wanted to make sure faculty had the support they needed to create standout proposals. We also wanted to support them in connecting to the resources, partnerships, and support needed to execute the vision of their projects if awarded. 

What does MU CAREER Club offer early-career faculty?

We provide a tailored, step-by-step series of workshops to help faculty craft their proposals. Topics include demystifying the request for proposals, understanding the merit review process, working with program officers, building grantsmanship skills, developing and maintaining partnerships, crafting a Broader Impacts statement, building an education plan, creating and managing budgets and general guidance for working with the NSF. 

The program also provides a mock panel review of proposal drafts and individualized support through one-on-one coaching meetings and proposal review. We work in collaboration with the Broader Impacts Team, college level grants offices, and SPDS as needed to provide the most support possible. Our team also supports faculty working on resubmissions by helping them interpret and incorporate feedback.

Who should apply for an NSF CAREER award?

Broadly speaking, the NSF’s mission is to “promote scientific progress, advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare, and secure the national defense.” The NSF generally funds work that speaks to basic research and education outside of the medical sciences. A list of NSF directorates is here. The NSF CAREER is a directorate-wide activity and MU CAREER Club supports any faculty whose research is a fit for the NSF. 

 A note on eligibility: NSF CAREER requires that applicants be pre-tenure, tenure track faculty at the NSF submission deadline. Individuals are only eligible to receive one CAREER award in their lifetime and can only apply three times. The deadline for submission is the fourth Wednesday in July (so July 23, 2025).