Professional Activity

Defined in Elon University’s Faculty Handbook as “any activity involving the serious practice of disciplinary expertise,” professional activity is a key expectation for faculty success. Professional activity includes peer-reviewed scholarship as well as activities that “promote the exchange of ideas and acquisition of knowledge that enrich one’s teaching and contribute to the advancement of learning in the profession at large,” such as leadership in a professional organization, mentoring undergraduate research, consulting, or developing skills or knowledge through workshops, conferences, or performances, among others.

Elon faculty embrace the full range of scholarly activity reflected in the Boyer Model (E.L. Boyer, Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate, 1990), including the scholarship of discovery, of application, of integration, and of teaching and learning.

When articulating the significance and quality of their scholarship in annual or promotion narratives, faculty rely on their departmental peer-reviewed scholarship statement and Elon’s Teacher-Scholar-Mentor Statement for guidance. Each departmental scholarship statement explains:

a) the shared, university definition of peer-reviewed scholarship as “a creative process of inquiry and exploration that adds to the knowledge or appreciation of disciplinary or interdisciplinary understanding,” and

b) the distinct differences that characterize the types and measures of high quality peer-reviewed scholarly activities for a department’s discipline(s).

Elon provides a number of resources and guides to support faculty in their professional activity. Visit the Faculty Funding website to learn about internal and external funding opportunities to support full-time faculty in their research and development.

Opportunities and Resources

Use the drop-down filter to select opportunities specific to your career stage.Use the search bar to narrow by:

time commitment (sample search terms: one-time, multi-day, one-year, multi-year, self-paced),
monetary or time support offered (sample search terms: reassigned time, stipend, travel funding, project or research activity funding), and
strategic initiatives (sample search terms: scholarship of teaching and learning; Elon Experiences; diversity, equity, and inclusion; mentoring; writing; data competency; scholarship and creative activity).

CATL Conference Reimbursement GrantsCATL’s Conference Reimbursement Grants support faculty involvement with the scholarship of teaching and learning and connect faculty with highly innovative or research-based programs that support engaging, effective, inclusive, or scholarly approaches to teaching and learning. These Reimbursement grants supplement faculty professional development support from other parts of the University, making it possible for more faculty to participate in national and international initiatives on teaching and learning. These grants fund attendance at conferences or workshops to develop one’s pedagogical skills or present on the scholarship of teaching and learning. They do not fund attendance or presentations of disciplinary research or to present on or learn about materials for course content.
CATL Diversity and Inclusion GrantsThe Diversity and Inclusion Grant (DIG) program supports pairs or small teams of up to 5 members to develop projects focused on inclusive content, pedagogies, assignments, or strategies to foster learning about human diversity, broadly defined. DIG projects can be used to meet a range of DEI-focused curricular or pedagogical goals, such as to: Collect and analyze student learning, representation, or success at the departmental or program level and develop responsive strategies or interventions, Develop content for multi-section courses, or creating repositories of materials for departments or programs, Design and pilot new assignments for individual courses, and/or Build instructor or student awareness, skills, and strategies to incorporate inclusive pedagogies.
CATL Mini-GrantsThe CATL Teaching and Learning mini-grants support small-scale innovative, inclusive, and/or research-based teaching and learning projects designed to enhance student engagement and learning or professional development opportunities to advance your own teaching practice. Mini-grants can be used for: course-related student engagement, and can be used to fund materials or experiences for innovative, active or engaged learning, or individual, group, or departmental professional development for teaching or pedagogy (NB: group or departmental professional development might include funding for a reading group). Small grants of up to $500 support start-up and one-time expenses (materials, stipends, and so on), but do not cover ongoing operational costs. CATL Faculty are also willing to consult with you about other sources of possible funding for ongoing projects.
CATL ScholarThe CATL Scholars Fellowship program fosters innovative and scholarly teaching and learning by providing support so that teaching faculty can devote significant time to innovative, scholarly teaching and learning projects and scholarship and to make plans to “go public” with the results. At the end of the two-year term, CATL Scholars will submit a brief report on the project results, impact, and future directions, which may be shared on the CATL website.
CATL Teaching and Learning GrantsCATL’s Teaching and Learning Grants support faculty in their efforts to pilot innovative, inclusive and/or research-based teaching and learning projects or to conduct teaching and learning-related scholarship. This grant program will be of particular interest to those who wish to: experiment with innovative teaching or learning strategies or assignments; pilot engaged learning strategies in a curriculum with an evidence-based approach; use academic data to understand and improve student engagement, or evaluate the impact of innovative and/or engaged teaching strategies in a course.
CATL Winter Term Enhancement GrantsWinter-term enhancement grants are designed to support assignments, activities or events that deepen student learning and enrich your winter-term course on campus. Grants of up to $400 are available to faculty teaching Winter Term courses to support student learning activities. Anyone teaching an on-campus winter term course can apply. These grants can be used to fund materials, guest speakers, or course-related experiences that enhance student learning during winter term. Some additional funding is available for collaborative projects that connect faculty across courses and or disciplines. Winter-term enhancement grants can also be used to support collaborations between faculty to connect across classes or disciplines, enabling students to more broadly engage with a topic or theme or to support supplemental learning experiences.
Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) Conference on Engaged Learning (opens in a new window)The annual Conference on Engaged Learning showcases cutting-edge research on engaged learning. Each annual conference features multi-institutional research from a specific Center for Engaged Learning research seminar and encourages contributions from other scholars and practitioners studying engaged learning practices. CEL typically covers registration for Elon University faculty, staff, and students.
Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) Research Seminar on a Focused Engaged Learning Topic (opens in a new window)Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) Research Seminars support international, multi-institutional, and multi-disciplinary research on focused engaged learning topics. The seminars invite applications from scholars at higher education institutions around the world for 24 to 30 participant spots, and accepted participants collaborate over two academic years, with three summer meetings. CEL Seminars have significant impacts on engaged learning scholarship related to the seminar topics.
Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) Scholar (opens in a new window)During a two-year appointment, Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) Scholars develop expertise in a specific aspect of engaged learning and create resources on that topic to be shared through CEL’s web site and in other scholarly venues. The CEL Scholar position is an opportunity for an Elon faculty member to launch and deepen a professional development trajectory that includes scholarly activity on a high-impact practice or other engaged learning topic. Mid- or Later Career OpportunitiesMid- or Later Career OpportunitiesMid- or Later Career Opportunities
Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) Studying Engaged Learning Open Access Resources (opens in a new window)CEL's concise guides offer practical strategies for studying engaged learning.
Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society On the Edge SymposiumThe On the Edge Symposium is an annual scholarly symposium organized by two Elon faculty members that hosts 10-12 scholars from around the US. The Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society offers travel stipends to the visiting scholars and supports the Elon faculty conveners to generate appropriate scholarly publications based on the symposium proceedings.
Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society Research SupportThe Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society will support the research needs of faculty undertaking work that supports the mission of the center. All teaching faculty in full-time positions are eligible for funds that facilitate the research process, writing, or publication. Grants are normally capped at $500.
Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society ScholarDuring a two-year appointment, the CSRCS Scholar undertakes activities and initiatives that promote their own professional development and support the work and mission of the CSRCS. The CSRCS Scholar undertakes Center work that extends its productivity, accessibility, and impact and to motivate, organize, and sustain scholarly collaborations across campus. Applicants propose professional and scholarly activity conducted under the auspices and with the support of the CSRCS that achieve shared objectives to promote interdisciplinary research and intercultural learning related to religion, culture, secularity, worldview, lifeways, and/or associated themes.
Center for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society Travel GrantsUp to $500 is available to support faculty who are making presentations at disciplinary or other in-person conferencesrelated to the scholarly study of or teaching about culture and religion.
Community-Based Learning Faculty Research ScholarEach year, one to two faculty members who are experienced with CBL are selected to serve as a CBL Faculty Research Scholar. During the year, they pursue an independent research project related to some aspect of CBL. They receive mentored support from the CBL Faculty Fellow.Mid- or Later Career Opportunities
Data Nexus Data Camps and WorkshopsData Nexus Data Camps and Workshops cover a variety topics such as technology workshops, workshops focusing on integrating the data-intensive and Advancing Equity initiatives, and vary based on needs that are articulated by faculty and staff.
Data Nexus ScholarThe Data Nexus Scholars Program is intended to provide teaching faculty the opportunity to undertake activities and initiatives that focus on data competency, and support to the campus-wide Data Competency QEP initiative. The three overarching themes of the Data Competency QEP include (1) campus-wise computer and technology proficiency, (2) campus-wide foundational statistical proficiency, and (3) advanced data competency. Data Nexus Scholars will be expected to partake in work that deepens and extends the capacity and impact of Data Nexus.
Design Forge ConferenceDesign Forge is Elon’s annual convening of design thinking educators, practitioners, and thought leaders. Each year, Design Forge addresses a topic of interest to higher education, strengthens collaboration in the design thinking community, and searches for new opportunities for design thinking to enhance student learning.
Design Thinking Consultations and WorkshopsWould you like help with project design, strategic planning, or team collaboration? We offer consultations and customized workshops to fit your unique needs. Simply reach out to request a consultation at our website.One-Time Commitment
Design Thinking Faculty CatalystFaculty Design Thinking Catalysts partner with the Center for Design Thinking in order to advance design thinking educational practices through curricular, cocurricular, or scholarly pursuits. Opportunities to operate as a catalyst can be codesigned in partnership with the Director of Design Thinking. Interested faculty can review the website and contact the Director to learn more (dlake@elon.edu)
Evidence Synthesis Workshop (opens in a new window)This workshop introduces secondary research – evidence syntheses – as a method to produce meaningful work without gathering original data. It covers the steps in a typical evidence synthesis, discusses the different methods/tools/standards used in this work, and showcases real examples from the literature.
Faculty Research on Global Engagement GrantA grant of up to $2,000 to support the research process for scholarship on global engagement with a focus on student development.
Faculty Scholarship In-Progress Lunch and Learn Events (opens in a new window)In partnership with the Provost’s Office for Scholarship and Creative Activity, Elon faculty give lightning talks about ongoing or recently completed professional activity. Events typically occur once a semester and provide opportunities to connect with faculty and staff outside of your department/school and discover what scholarly activity looks like across the university.
Institutional Animal Care and Use CommitteeThe Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) provides oversight for Elon's commitment to the respectful treatment, care, and use of animals involved in research and teaching, to ensure this treatment and care is an ethical and scientific necessity, and the use of animals in research and teaching contributes to the advancement of knowledge and the acquisition of understanding.
Institutional Review BoardOn behalf of Elon University, the Institutional Review Board’s (IRB) major role is to safeguard the rights and welfare of all human subjects who participate in research projects conducted by Elon.
Office of Sponsored ProgramsElon University’s Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) empowers faculty and staff in advancing research and scholarship through expert guidance on securing external funding, managing awards, and ensuring compliance with policies and regulations. From helping you find funding opportunities and crafting proposals to navigating award administration and serving as the key liaison with sponsors, OSP is your partner every step of the way.
Open Access: Making Your Research Free to All (opens in a new window)This workshop covers the ins and outs of open access (OA), various models for funding OA publications, the benefits and drawbacks of OA, and why you might want to consider OA for your next publication. Learn about Belk Library's transformative agreements and how they can help facilitate open access at Elon.
Research Impacts Workshop (opens in a new window)This workshop discusses tools and resources to help faculty and staff explore and measure the impact of their research, scholarship, and other professional activities. Typically occurring once a semester, it is designed to help you tell your story for promotion and tenure, grant-writing, and building your professional network.
Writing Across the University Best Practices in Writing Pedagogy GrantThis grant encourages and supports teaching faculty in full-time, ongoing positions who are working to pilot best practices in writing pedagogy in their classes or programs. Individual and collaborative proposals are accepted; offered fall and spring terms; $1,000 for each participant, up to 5 collaborators. See the list on the WAU “Best Practices” page for help developing ideas for this grant proposal.
Writing Across the University Online Writing Boot CampsOnline Writing Boot Camps are designed to encourage faculty and staff to launch or make progress on their personal or professional writing projects. Sessions run from 9am-3pm, although you’re invited to attend for any amount of time. You’re welcome to work on any writing project (participants often work on journal articles, grant applications, conference presentations, class materials, end-of-year reports, book projects and edited collections, and P&T materials).
Writing Across the University Research into Writing GrantOffered over the summer, this grant supports faculty to conduct research into writing or the teaching of writing in the disciplines and professions. Example of appropriate research topics include studying a specific writing pedagogy to determine if it improves student learning outcomes; researching how the professional writing associated with your discipline is changing; or examining student attitudes, strengths, and weaknesses in a particular writing situation. $3,000 stipend.
Writing Across the University Writing Groups"Join a 3-5 person Writing Group to boost your productivity in a collaborative environment. Faculty and staff are invited to join a peer writing group to increase their accountability and boost their productivity in a collaborative environment. Groups are encouraged to set their own procedures, although suggestions will be provided. Groups get $300 in reimbursable funds per academic year for snacks and coffee."