TILT Faculty Research Fellowship
TILT Faculty Research Fellowship
The TILT Faculty Research Fellowship provides up to $5,000 of financial support for CSU faculty to engage in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) or Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER). This initiative encourages faculty to explore innovative teaching methodologies in their classroom, assess the impact of instructional strategies, and contribute valuable insights on teaching and learning to the broader educational community.
2025-2026 TILT Faculty Research Fellows
Dr. Aramati Casper
Research Scientist and Affiliate Faculty; Biology
Teaching accurate biological variation and complexity of sex and reproduction using a Knowledge in Pieces theoretical framework in an introductory biology course
Dr. Lauren Chenarides
Assistant Professor;
Agricultural and Resource Economics
Enhancing Student Engagement and Professional Development through Podcasting and Case-Based Learning
Dr. Susana Muñoz
Associate Professor;
Higher Education Leadership
Community Cultural Wealth as Pedagogical Framework at CSU’s Spur Start
Drs. Jennifer Neuwald and Michael Shavlik
Associate and Assistant Professors;
Biology
Just RoLL with it! Enhancing metacognition through Paired, Student-Generated Study Aids
Eligibility
Full-time Colorado State University faculty members on a tenured/tenure-track, contract, or a continuing non tenurable appointment for the 2026-2027 academic year are invited to submit proposals. While graduate students are not eligible to apply as principal investigators, we do encourage students as co-investigators on projects. All proposals must include a brief Letter of Support from the faculty member’s Chair or Director indicating they support the faculty member in pursuing this work during the 2026-2027 academic year. A formal letter of recommendation is not required.
Budget
TILT will fund 3-5 projects for the 2026-2027 academic year, depending on budget allocations. Proposals may request up to $5,000 to support their research project. Funds will be disbursed during August 2026. All funds will be subject to CSU and departmental fiscal restrictions. Any funds used for supplemental pay or salary must be used to compensate for work done outside a person’s normal work duties.
Past monies have funded participant incentives, student research assistants, equipment/supplies purchases and conference travel, among other expenses.
Timeline
Proposals are due by 11:59pm on April 5. All projects will be funded on a one-year cycle. Funds will be disbursed during August 2026. Projects must be completed by June 30, 2027.
| Activity | Timeline |
|---|---|
| CFP Opens | March 1 |
| IRB questions sent, as needed, to [email protected] | March 13 |
| Proposals Due | April 5 at 11:59 p.m. |
| Award Notification | May 2026 |
| Funds disbursed | August 2026 |
| Project Implementation | Fall 2026 - Spring 2027 |
| Final Report Due | June 30, 2027 |
Applications for the 2026-2027 Fellowship is closed.
Call for proposals for the 2026-2027 Fellowship will open in Spring 2026
Applications for the 2026-2027 Fellowship are open!
Proposal Process
Proposals should be submitted electronically as a single document using the TILT Faculty Research Fellows Submission Form by 11:59 p.m. on April 5. Proposals should include the following materials:
- Cover page including the project title and names, email addresses, and department affiliations of the Principal Investigator and any co-investigators
- Abstract (250 word maximum)
- Project narrative (3-page maximum, single spaced)
- Purpose statement describing the learning issue or pedagogical innovation the project will address, and rationale for how the project will advance TILT and/or CSU priorities or teaching methodologies within your discipline
- Learning context in which you plan to conduct your investigation (e.g., course, class level, number of students, etc.)
- Project objectives and expected outcomes
- Brief literature review
- Methodology, including research questions, method & design, participants, data collection tools and analysis plan
- Plan for obtaining IRB approval, if needed. Please contact CSU IRB at [email protected] by March 13 if you are unsure whether your project would require IRB review.
- Project timeline, including work to be accomplished during the period of the award/investigation. All monies will be distributed during August 2026, and all projects must be completed, including final report, by June 30, 2027.
- Dissemination plan – how will the results be shared at CSU and/or with external communities of interest
- Budget and budget narrative, including amount request, description of how you will use the funds, disclosure of other funding sources for the project (funding agency and amount), and rationale for how the TILT Faculty Research Fellowship funds will advance the overall project.
- Letter of Support signed by your Chair or Director
Selection Process
Selection will reflect teaching and learning priorities as identified by student success efforts and campus priorities identified by President Parsons. The project should involve and investigate innovative ideas and approaches. Suggested areas of focus include alternative assessment, mental health and trauma-informed classroom practices, accessibility/UDL, DEI, belonging, meeting the needs of students in an emerging HSI context, 1st Generation, rural, low income, adult and/or veteran student needs, artificial intelligence, Community Engaged Learning, Writing-Engaged Learning or Writing-Across-the-Curriculum or other important areas of instructional/pedagogical/curricular interest.
Proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of a cross-disciplinary group of faculty and staff and members of the TILT and University assessment teams. The committee will review proposals based on the following criteria:
- Importance and potential impact of proposed project
- Scope of project in relation to funding timeline
- Clarity of research method and design
- Alignment between proposed project and CSU priorities
- Alignment between proposed project and the suggested areas of focus
- Degree to which TILT funds will advance the project
Accepted Proposal Examples
Awardee Expectations and Requirements
- If human subjects are involved, documentation of IRB approval must be submitted to TILT before beginning data collection
- Send final approved proposal to the faculty member’s dean with cc to TILT Faculty Research Fellows leads Sue Doe ([email protected]) and Rebekah LeMahieu ([email protected])
- Submit final report to TILT no later than June 30, 2027
- Present findings internally at CSU and externally through publications or presentations
- Acknowledge TILT in any presentation, publication, or poster
- Agree for your name, image, and project summary to be published on the TILT website
Additional Consideration
The Teaching Effectiveness Initiative (TEI) is a voluntary professional development program that provides recognition to instructors invested in growing their teaching practice. The TEI provides a structure to engage in developing teaching effectiveness through implementation, self-reflection, and growth, grounded in the evidence-based teaching practices of the CSU Teaching Effectiveness Framework (TEF). Faculty who engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) can complete a TEI Post Implementation Reflection Form to earn domain experience units (DEUs) towards a TEF domain.
Please contact Sue Doe or Rebekah LeMahieu with any questions about the proposal submission process or the TILT Faculty Research Fellows Program.