Harrington Faculty Fellows - Energy Studies

Description

The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) invites pioneering early- or mid-career scholars from around the world in the area of energy studies to apply for the Harrington Faculty Fellows Program for the 2026-27 academic year. This highly selective program provides a full year of salary support to enable ambitious scholars to focus entirely on the advancement of their research and scholarship. Bolstered by unmatched resources and financial support, Harrington Fellows are provided the freedom to solve significant problems, the privilege of renowned mentorship and scholarly collaboration, and the opportunity to push their work forward for the benefit of all society.

The thematic focus for this year's competition is energy , which can include issues related to energy discovery, production, storage, demand, usage, technology innovation or distribution. Scholars from the disciplines of engineering, geology, chemistry, physics, biosciences, law, computer science, policy, or business are especially encouraged to apply, but applications from any academic discipline will be considered. The selected Harrington Fellows will be based at the Energy Institute (https : / / energy.utexas.edu / ), which fosters the innovative, interdisciplinary energy-related research of its over 400 faculty affiliates at UT Austin.

Fellows will be awarded generous salary stipends equivalent to 130% of their salaries at their home institutions. They will receive a housing allowance that will enable them to spend 9 to 11 months in residence at UT Austin beginning in August 2026, and reimbursement for moving expenses. Each Fellow will also receive $75,000 in discretionary funds to support their research, scholarship, collaboration, and dissemination while at UT Austin. There are no teaching expectations for this fellowship. Harrington Fellows will benefit from opportunities to interact regularly with one another and with prominent campus research leaders, providing additional opportunities for collaboration, career development, and academic growth.

Qualifications

Tenure-track or tenured faculty from any discipline whose research addresses the area of energy are invited to apply. Fellowships are open to early- and mid-career faculty who will be within 10 years of the initial year of their first tenure-track faculty position during the 2026-27 academic year. Applicants whose faculty appointments are not at UT Austin will be prioritized, but faculty with current appointments at UT Austin are eligible to apply. Applicants must be willing to relocate to Austin, TX, and to remain in residence at UT Austin for the full 2026-27 academic year (August 2026 to May 2027) and have the option to remain for up to 11 months. Applicants are not required to be US citizens. We welcome applications from faculty at institutions from around the world who are eligible for J-1 visas.

Application Instructions

Interested faculty should complete an application no later than 5 p.m. CT on October 31, 2025. Applicants will be asked to upload the following materials into Interfolio :

• Curriculum Vitae
• Research Statement : A two-page, single-spaced lay statement of the applicant's research and scholarly goals for the period of the year-long fellowship. This statement should articulate, in separate subsections :
• (1) How the applicant's scholarship will address a fundamental question or gap in knowledge about energy;
• (2) How residency at UT Austin and the resources provided by this fellowship program will advance their research and scholarly goals; and
• (3) Why UT Austin is an ideally suited environment for the applicant to pursue and achieve their research and career goals.
• List of Recommenders : The names, positions, institutions, and email addresses of two prominent scholars who can provide letters of recommendation.

Applicants will be informed of decisions by mid-December 2025.

Information about the Harrington Faculty Fellows Program is available here : https : / / harrington.utexas.edu / . Questions about the program or the application process can be directed via email to harrington@utexas.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.