Overview

The Moores Professor’s Program was established to honor full-time tenured faculty who have achieved the rank of full professor at the University of Houston and who have made outstanding contributions in the areas outlined below.

The purpose of the Moores Professors Program is to encourage and support continued excellence by providing funds for individual career development. Selection of faculty to become Moores Professors will be accomplished through competitive review following nomination by individuals, department chairpersons, or deans. Occasionally, the Senior Vice President and Provost will include a Moores Professorship in a recruitment package for a faculty candidate.

Each Moores Professor will receive an annual stipend of discretionary funds. The position will be awarded for a period of five years with the possibility of renewal (see renewal process below). It is anticipated that two Professors will be selected during Spring 2024, with an annual stipend of $10,000. Faculty members at the University of Houston may hold only one distinguished or named chair or professorship (university or college-level).

Nomination Deadline: February 3, 2025

Nomination Checklist

Criteria

• Research, Scholarship, and/or Creative Activities

1. Documented excellence in research, scholarship, and/or creative activities.
2. Clear distinction on a national and/or international level.

• Teaching

1. Documented excellence in teaching or mentoring at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
2. Clear distinction on a national and/or international level.

• Service

1. Outstanding participation in governance or other uncompensated services at departmental, college, university, national, and/or international levels.
2. Clear distinction on a local, national, and/or international level.

Requirements of the Award

• The Moores Professor’s Program will be a five-year award subject to annual review. The recipient must be a full-time, tenured faculty member at the rank of full professor at the University of Houston. She/he must be in residence for the duration of the award unless the person is on a Senior Vice President approved development leave that enhances the purposes of the award.
• The stipend associated with the Moores Professors can be used for any expense associated with the purpose of the award (e.g., equipment, travel, secretarial assistance, student fellowships, seminars or conferences, or for salary supplementation [e.g., summer salary]). If used as salary, appropriate tax and fringe benefit deductions will be made.
• A brief written report on the recipient’s activities and involvements related to the award will be provided to the Provost by July 1 of each year. The report also will include an accounting of fund expenditures.

Renewal of an Existing Moores Professorship

At the end of five years a Moores Professor may apply for renewal of the award. An applicant has two options for requesting a renewal:

• Option 1 (Competitive Renewal to retain the title of Moores Professor with an annual stipend of $10,000) – Applicants should submit a full renewal application. The materials should include:
  • Letter providing justification for renewal using the criteria listed for each area.
  • Supporting letters from the Dean and Department Chair providing justification for the renewal using the criteria listed for each area.
  • The candidate's current curriculum vitae. (CVs between 5-20 pages only will be accepted), Also, please highlight items of distinction or note distinctions on a separate 1-2 page summary.
  • Documentation of excellence in research, scholarship, and/or creative activity; teaching; and service as listed in the criteria section above.

The Option 1 The application must be submitted as four (4) PDF documents as listed on the Renewal Checklist. The application will be included in the 2024 application pool and will be evaluated as a new application.

• Option 2 (Non-Competitive Renewal to retain the title of Moores Professor without an annual stipend) - Applicants should include a written request, a current curriculum vitae and a candidate statement. Each renewal request will be assessed on its own merits. Non-competitive renewal applications for Fall 2024 should be submitted by February 3, 2025. Option 2 renewal applications should be submitted as a single PDF document (LABEL: LAST NAME – RENEWAL) to mooresaward@uh.edu .

Renewal Checklist

Selection Process

Nomination portfolios must be electronically submitted no later than  February 3, 2025 to mooresaward@uh.edu .

The Provost has charged the Moores Selection Committee with soliciting and evaluating nominees for the Moores Professors. The committee will make its recommendations and submit all relevant materials to the Provost. Funds will be made available September 1 of the following academic year.

The committee will examine the submitted documentation and qualifications of the nominees. The materials in the nomination should include:

• Letter of nomination providing justification for the appointment using the criteria listed for each area.
• Supporting letter from the Dean unless the Dean is the nominator.
• The candidate's current curriculum vitae. (CVs between 5-20 pages only will be accepted). Also, please highlight items of distinction or note distinctions on a 1-2 page summary.
• A minimum of three but no more than five external letters of recommendation from eminent educators, scholars, researchers, creative artists, and/or leaders in the profession. (A summary of the credentials of each referee and relationship, if any, to the applicant must be provided.)
• Documentation of excellence in research, scholarship, and/or creative activity; teaching; and service.

Please use the nomination checklist which should also be included in the nomination portfolio. Please note the following:

• The nomination portfolio must be submitted as (5) separate PDF documents and labeled as outlined on the nomination checklist.
• Unsuccessful nominees from previous competitions may use the same external letters. A new nomination letter and  supporting letter from the Dean are required.