Research at The University of Toledo : Interdisciplinary Research Initiation Awards

Deadline for Proposals:  Monday, 11 January 2010

The Office of Research Development invites a collaborative group of at least four faculty from at least two separate departments to develop an external proposal that will help support an interdisciplinary program of excellence.  This program supports the goals of the university’s strategic plan to encourage and develop interdisciplinary research.   Awards of up to $100,000 are expected to generate submission of an interdisciplinary proposal to a nationally competitive funding agency. 

Investigators must be full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty at the University of Toledo and be at the university for the 2010-11 academic year.

Funds may support summer salary and fringe benefits (maximum summer support is for six weeks’ salary and fringes), academic year release time, other support personnel, cost of outside participants or consultants, travel, equipment, materials and supplies as necessary to organize, prepare and submit a proposal to an external agency.  Funding is available in May 2010 with all expenditures completed by 15 May 2011.  Awardees must submit a written report to the Office of Research Development by 31 August 2011, summarizing the results of the project with a list of presentations, publications, proposals and funding directly resulting from the project.  Awardees will also be expected to provide the Research Council with a presentation on the progress and results of their project.

Proposals that pass administrative review will be sent to expert external reviewers  for comment and evaluation.  The primary consideration is whether the investment in the proposed activity will produce a coherent research group likely to emerge as nationally competitive and able to win competitive funding.  Proposals must make it clear that the interdisciplinary nature of the project adds value, that each investigator is making important contributions, and that there are specific external sources of support for the activity.

Proposals must be double spaced, font size 12 points or higher, and submitted as a single PDF file. The following information must be included:
 

1. A completed Interdisciplinary Awards cover page with the project title, the names and titles of all investigators, and the signatures of chairs and deans of all involved units. 
   Download Interdisciplinary Initiation Cover Page

2. An abstract, written for a general audience, that summarizes the project and its expected outcomes.  The abstract must not exceed 250 words.

3. A project description, written to technical reviewers who are versed in the topic of the project, must explain the objective(s) or specific aims of the project, the significance of the project, the methodology or approach to be used, the expected outcomes or products, and the contribution that a successful project will make to the research stature of the University of Toledo.   The project description must not exceed ten (10) pages.  The description should provide reviewers with sufficient information to also show how the project will contribute to growth of the field and may include tables, graphs, photographs or other information.  Recommended sections are :

   1. Objectives or specific aims
   2. Significance
   3. Methodology
   4. Expected outcomes
   5. Contribution to research stature of UT
      

4. A one-page summary of plans to move the project toward sustained, external funding. This should list potential sources of support, such as programs within agencies.

5. A two-page management plan that outlines the roles of each investigator in the project. (NOTE: Weaknesses in this section are often identified by reviewers who question why the project needs to be supported to advance interdisciplinary research.) 

6. A one-page budget that lists the major categories of expenses.  Summer faculty support must be clearly separated from academic year release time. Requests for travel funds should include the location and purpose of the travel as it relates to the project.  Equipment must be separately listed.  The budget may only request funds for activities that are not supported from other sources.

7. A two-page c.v. for each investigator must include the individual’s current professional position, degrees (with institutions and dates), professional positions held, recent relevant publications, artistic performances or other original products, and grants and contracts. 

8. No appendix material will be accepted.

9. Do not staple or bind in any way; use paper or binder clips. 

Full proposals are due by 5 PM on 11 January 2010.  Submit both (1) one hard copy of your proposal with the signed cover sheet and (2) a single PDF file of the complete proposal (with scanned signatures) via e-mail or disk to Dr. Elsa Nadler, Office of Research Development, 3rd Floor, CCE Building, Health Science Campus Dr. Elsa Nadler, Office of Research Development, 3rd Floor, CCE Building (or to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, 2300 University Hall, Mail Stop 944), urafp@utoledo.edu or elsa.nadler@utoledo.edu.