News and Information for Ohio State Faculty
FACULTY AFFAIRS
September 2025
Board of Trustees honors Distinguished University Professors
At the August Board of Trustees meeting, the five newest recipients of the Distinguished University Professor appointment were celebrated for their outstanding contributions and presented with medallions and plaques honoring their awards. Distinguished University Professor is the highest faculty honor at The Ohio State University.
Faculty/Instructor Resources and Support
The Office of Academic Affairs is sharing resources and support to assist all Ohio State faculty and instructors during the autumn semester, including guidance around AI Fluency, SB 1, religious accommodations and more. The collection of resources, policies and updates will evolve as the semester progresses and new support is provided.
Open office hours for faculty and instructors
Throughout the semester, the Office of Faculty Affairs will hold a series of open office hours for faculty and instructors to answer questions on a variety of academic and instructional topics, including SB 1. Each session will include representatives from Faculty Affairs, the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning and the Center for Ethics and Human Values. These sessions are open to all faculty and instructors, including graduate teaching associates.
Faculty Affairs Leadership Podcast: Ayanna Howard
This episode dives deep into the journey of becoming a leader in academia, featuring Dean Ayanna Howard of the College of Engineering. Topics include strategies for fostering collaboration, creating a culture of innovation and preparing for administrative responsibilities. This conversation provides essential wisdom for navigating the challenges of leadership in higher education.
Nominations open for faculty awards
Our faculty members do amazing things. Their achievements reflect the passion and expertise they bring to their fields and the excellence that distinguishes an Ohio State education. Nominations are now open for a number of highly prestigious university-level faculty awards that recognize those achievements, including (due dates in parentheses):
- Provost's Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Lecturer
(Oct. 3) - Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching (Oct. 3)
- President and Provost's Award for Distinguished Faculty Service (Oct. 10)
- Faculty-to-Faculty Mentorship Award (Oct. 10)
- Distinguished University Professor (Jan. 30, 2026)
Learn More and Submit a Nomination
2025 Sullivant Medal nominations open
The Office of Faculty Affairs and the Graduate School invite nominations for the 2025 Joseph Sullivant Medal, one of Ohio State’s most prestigious honors recognizing exceptional contributions in the arts, sciences and engineering. Awarded every five years, the medal celebrates individuals who have produced a truly notable piece of work and maintained a distinguished career.
Eligible nominees must have a strong connection to Ohio State as alumni, former students or long-serving faculty. The recipient will be honored at the 2026 commencement and receive a $5,000 award. Final nomination materials (including a letter of nomination, three letters of support, and a current CV) must be submitted by Oct. 3.
Ohio State, Google announce access to AI tools for students, faculty, staff
Ohio State has expanded its suite of approved AI tools with Google Productivity Services, giving faculty, researchers, students and staff additional tools to enhance teaching, research and innovation.
2025-26 Faculty Fellows announced
Congratulations to the faculty members selected to serve as Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) Faculty Fellows and Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program Fellows (BTAA)! Overall, 14 faculty were selected for the two programs (nine OAA, five BTAA).
Faculty Affairs events calendar updated for 2025-26
Faculty Affairs has a wide range of engaging events throughout the year. Check out the recently updated events calendar for the latest on opportunities for the 2025-26 academic year!
Ohio State welcomes 500 new faculty as part of semester kickoff events
In 2025, Ohio State welcomed 500 new faculty, including tenure-track, clinical/teaching/practice track, research track and associated faculty. That marked an increase of more than 230 faculty overall. In the week leading up to the start of autumn semester, the team in Faculty Affairs worked hard to welcome and support new and current faculty through multiple programs, including the Promotion and Tenure Achievement Conference, New Faculty Orientation and the New Chairs Program Retreat.
Opportunities
Faculty Pathways 2025-26 programming
Starting out as a faculty member can be challenging, but our Faculty Pathways program is designed specifically for new and early career faculty at Ohio State to provide essential resources and development opportunities.
This program offers practical workshops and learning experiences to help you build skills in teaching, research and service. It’s also a chance to connect with other faculty members who are navigating similar stages of their academic careers. The next session takes place Sept. 23 and is titled Designing Your Faculty Life: Planning the Next Five Years.
Limited Submission Opportunities
The Office of Foundation Relations manages the limited submission process for private foundation opportunities, which are listed on the Research Funding and Awards site.
Open and Upcoming Opportunities:
- Brain Research Foundation — Seed Grants Program
Internal due date: Sept. 4; Letter of intent due date: Oct. 23 - Carnegie Corporation of New York — Andrew Carnegie Fellow Program
Internal due date: Sept. 10; Proposal due date: Nov. 7 - Blavatnik Family Foundation — Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists
Internal due date: Sept. 15; Proposal due date: Dec. 3 - W. M. Keck Foundation — Science and Engineering and Medical Research Programs (Spring cycle)
Anticipated posting date: Oct. 31; Anticipated internal due date: Dec. 17; Pre-application counseling period: Jan. 1 – Feb. 15, 2026; Phase I application due date: May 1, 2026
Columbus Region New Faculty Reception
The Columbus Partnership and the Columbus Foundation invite faculty members and a guest to attend the Columbus Region New Faculty Reception on Sept. 18, from 5-7 p.m. The gathering will provide an opportunity to connect with your Ohio State colleagues and meet new faculty from other central Ohio colleges and universities as well as learn more about the Columbus region.
RSVP to events@columbuspartnership.com by Sept. 5. Please include any dietary restrictions and the name of your guest within the RSVP email.
National Academy of Sciences now accepting 2026 award nominations
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is now accepting nominations for its 2026 awards, which recognize outstanding contributions across a wide range of scientific disciplines. Nominators may not nominate individuals from their own institution, and nominations must include two letters of support. Detailed instructions are available on the NAS nomination guidelines page.
If you would like support through the nomination process, from gauging the suitability of faculty for the NAS awards to coordinating letters of support, please contact Director of Faculty Honorifics Travis Sheffler at sheffler.5@osu.edu.
Learn More About Current Awards
Fostering intellectual diversity in your teaching
Join a collaborative workshop hosted by the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning and the Center for Ethics and Human Values. Offered in September, October, November and December, the sessions explore teaching strategies, encourage reflection and support ongoing professional growth. The first workshop is on Sept. 23.
Teaching support for AI Fluency
The Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning offers programming and resources to support the university-wide AI Fluency initiative. Available for all who teach at Ohio State, these interactive learning opportunities and on-demand resources will help you make informed decisions to design learning activities that incorporate AI, communicate transparent expectations for AI use and employ teaching strategies that promote students’ development of AI knowledge and skills.
Explore Teaching Support for AI Fluency
Plan now for Fall President’s Research Excellence Accelerator grant applications
The President’s Research Excellence Accelerator grants are reserved for small teams formed to pursue curiosity-driven, high-risk and high-reward research. The autumn call for Accelerator proposals opens Sept. 10. You can RSVP for an informational briefing on Sept. 18.
Learn More About Important Dates
CTSI Spark Awards available
Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Spark Awards are designed to support preliminary research and generate essential data for new and ongoing projects. Spark Awards provide investigators with resources to advance their research, aiming to jump-start pilot studies and support future extramural grant applications or scientific initiatives. Applications will be received through March 15, 2026, or until designated funds are exhausted.
Associated Press Campus Insights program
Participation in the Associated Press Campus Insights program elevates the research of Ohio State faculty and allows their work to be featured in homes around the world. Faculty participants are only responsible for a 15-minute on-camera interview with a communications team member. Ohio State’s participation in the AP Campus Insights program is supported by the Office of Marketing and Communications, the Office of Academic Affairs, the Enterprise for Research, Innovation, and Knowledge, and the Wexner Medical Center.
2025 International Photography Competition now open
All Ohio State students, faculty, staff, visiting scholars and alumni are invited to submit their photos to the 2025 International Photography Competition. Entries will be accepted through Sept. 22. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your original photographs from around the world.
In the News
- For Ohioans: Using Shakespeare to unlock blocks in children with autism
- Dusty structure explains near vanishing of faraway star
- Introduction to AI embedded in Launch Seminar
- Why parents should have a bigger say in how schools are run
- Extreme heat poses growing threat to our aging population
- How AI support can go wrong in safety-critical settings
- New method upgrades liquid crystals with better recall
- Susan Yoon top-read author in Child Development journal
- Technology updates for Autumn 2025
- Faculty Spotlight: Patrick Sours and the Humanitarian Engineering program