Research at The University of Toledo : Summer Research Awards and Fellowship Program

Summer Research Awards and Fellowships Program

Deadline: Tuesday, 20 January 2009

The Summer Research Awards and Fellowships Program supports full-time, 9-month, tenured and tenure-track faculty. Funds are awarded through a competitive, peer-reviewed process to support research, scholarly activities, and creative artistic projects; to advance a faculty member’s professional career; to position a faculty member for additional external support; or to provide assistance in developing a promising research program.

This program does not support the preparation of textbooks or other instructional material.

The maximum award is $12,000 and may support summer salary and fringe benefits (to a maximum of six weeks), travel, equipment, materials and supplies.  With the approval of the dean and department chair, funds may be used to buy out one course during the academic year. Funding becomes available in May 2009 with all expenditures completed by 31 December 2009. By accepting the award, the faculty member agrees not to teach or engage in other activities that would interfere with the completion of the project during a continuous six-week summer period. An awardee may teach a maximum of one (1) course during the summer. Awardees must submit a written report to the Office of Research Development by 30 June 2010 summarizing the results of the project and including a list of presentations, publications and proposals that were a direct result of the project.

Research Council members will review proposals and may seek additional reviewers from on and off campus. The evaluation process will take into consideration the faculty member’s rank and discipline. For assistant professors in all disciplines, the most important consideration is the likelihood that a successful project will lead to a productive and meaningful research and scholarship program. The council members also will consider the extent to which the proposed project will lead to self-sustaining external support. For associate and full professors, the proposal must explain how the project will take the individual to higher national stature through significant contributions to their disciplines or move them into a promising new area of research or scholarship.
 

Eligibility

Nine-month tenured or tenure-track faculty who will be at the university during the 2009-2010 academic year are eligible to apply. A faculty member may not receive salary support from more than two awards during any five-year period from this or the deArce program.
 

Submission Requirements

Proposals must be double-spaced, have a font size of 12 points or more, and be submitted as a single PDF file. The following items must be included:
 

1. The official Summer Research Awards and Fellowships Program cover page with all signatures.
   Download Cover Page PDF
   Download Cover Page .doc 
     
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 that includes sections on objectives, significance, methodology (or approach), and outcome. The outcome section should include indication of the contribution a successful project will make to the individual’s professional growth. The project description must not exceed six (6) pages including all figures, diagrams, and references. The description should provide council members with sufficient information to show the contribution of the project to the discipline.  For associate and full professors, the proposal must explain how the project will take the applicant to higher national stature through significant contributions to the discipline or move into a promising new area of research or scholarship.
     
4. A one-page budget, including a budget justification, that lists major expenditure categories, including faculty salary and fringe benefits, student salaries and fringe benefits, equipment, supplies, travel, and other necessary costs.
     
5. A two-page c.v. that includes the individual’s current professional position, degrees (with institutions and dates), professional positions held, recent relevant publications, artistic performances, other original products, and grants and contracts.
    
6. A copy of the final report from all URAF awards received awards during the past five years.
    
7. No appendix material will be accepted.

Evaluation

Proposals that do not follow the above guidelines or do not meet eligibility criteria will not be accepted. Proposals will be reviewed by members of the Research Council, who may obtain additional reviews from individuals on and off campus. Although the council represents  a broad spectrum of expertise, it is important that the proposal be written in a way that communicates to an intelligent reader—but not necessarily one well-versed in the subject matter of  the proposal, as would occur if the proposal were submitted to a national competition.
 

Proposals will be rated as follows

Proposal worthy of support and likely to result in significant contributions, but questions exist relating to objectives, significance, methodology/approach or outcomes
 

Has meritorious components but serious shortcomings.   
     

Submit one hard copy of the proposal with the signed cover sheet and the complete proposal as a single PDF file via e-mail or disk, no later than 3 PM, Tuesday, 20 January 2009, to Dr. Elsa Nadler, Office of Research Development, 3rd Floor, CCE Building, urafp@utoledo.edu or elsa.nadler@utoledo.edu.