Jumpstart your Research Career

The Office of Research Development supports a number of efforts targeted specifically to the needs of new T/TT faculty. In addition, we provide extensive support for helping early career faculty plan for and successfully obtain research funding.

Early Career Research Network (ECRN)

The Early Career Research Network (ECRN) is a year-long, cohort-based program for tenure/tenure track faculty and others with primary research appointments that provides monthly research and grant related professional development and connects faculty to mentors, collaborators, campus resources, and a supportive network of peers. A unique feature of this program is the External Mentoring component which pairs faculty members with leading scholars in their respective fields for a year of mentoring including seminar visits to campus and honorariums for the mentors. Now in its sixth cohort, ECRN has helped seed many research collaborations and participants have been successful in obtaining research funding and tenure. New T/TT faculty receive an invitation to apply each summer.

For more information, reach out to Cynthia Jobe, Director of Research Development at jobec@umsl.edu.