Research Enhancement Program in Nanotechnology

Deadline for Letters of Intent: December 1, 2005
Award: Between three (3) and ten (10) awards are expected to be made, with a minimum award level of $100,000.

WSU’s Research Enhancement Program is designed to strengthen the University’s performance as a nationally recognized research university, as described in the Strategic Action Plan. This year, President Reid has designated $1.2 million to be committed to seed projects and pilot studies in Nanotechnology. An increase in the number of successful faculty requests for funding, especially those entailing multidisciplinary research and scholarship that ultimately will advance graduate programs and institutional reputation, is expected as an outcome of this program. This program is intended to contribute toward developing research themes for the University that are consistent with an emphasis on the urban mission, a global presence, and technology.

Principal investigators should e-mail a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) at sjames@wayne.edu. The LOI should be limited to three-to-four pages in which the following are summarized: (1) the multidisciplinary research objectives and plan, (2) the participating faculty, (3) the budget in the form of a spreadsheet, (4) the potential external funding sources and timeline for submitting proposals to these sources, and (5) the potential of the project to enhance graduate programs and institutional reputation. Funding over a two-year period may be requested. Biosketches of the participating faculty should be appended. LOI’s are due by e-mail only no later than 5:00 PM on December 1, 2005.

An advisory committee consisting of the Vice President for Research; Associate Vice President for Research; the Associate Deans for Research in the College of Engineering, School of Medicine, College of Nursing, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; and the Dean of the Graduate School will evaluate the LOI’s and make selection recommendations to the President.

Assessment criteria will include:
-Significance of project
-Demonstrated excellence of the participating faculty and research plan
-Multidisciplinary nature of the proposal
-External funding opportunities allowing three-to-five fold return on investment
-Timeliness of external fund solicitations
-Contributions toward advancing graduate programs and institutional reputation

Inclusion of post-doctorates and GRAs in the budget is encouraged. Faculty salaries may comprise up to 20% of the total budget. Special consideration will be given to research teams in which a senior investigator makes a commitment to mentor junior faculty in the team in regard to proposal and program development. Minority faculty are particularly encouraged to apply. Investigators will be selected from the Letters of Intent to develop full proposals. This initial review will be completed by December 15, 2005 and investigators will be notified shortly thereafter.

The Request for Proposals is available at: http://research.wayne.edu/internaldocs/Research_Enhancement_Program_Notice_FY06.pdf.

Innovative Projects in the Arts and Humanities

Deadline: December 2, 2005
Award: The Center will fund up to four (4) projects up to $4000 each.

This program was developed in an effort to promote and encourage new ideas and projects in the Humanities and the Arts. The Humanities Center will fund proposals from faculty that will chart new research or artistic territory. The Center will fund up to four proposals that indicate new directions in humanistic or artistic work. These new projects could be proposed by individual faculty or by collaborative teams. More favorable consideration will be given to projects involving collaborative efforts by two or more faculty.

Applications for Innovative Projects should consist of:

1. A narrative describing the project and indicating clearly and in detail how this project breaks new ground in the humanities or arts (maximum length, two pages)
2. A letter of support from a senior faculty, not involved in the application, supporting the proposal and endorsing its innovative aspects.
3. A budget, indicating how the applicant(s) will use these funds in developing the project
4. A curriculum vitae for each applicant

Applications (14 copies) should be sent to The Humanities Center, Attn: Walter F. Edwards, Director, 2226 Faculty Administration Building. For more information about the Humanities Center and its programs, please contact the Center at 577-5471 or visit our website at http://www.research.wayne.edu/hum/.

University Research Grant Program

Deadline: December 5, 2005
Maximum Award: $10,000

The University Research Grant Program, budgeted at $160,000, provides funding for regular full-time faculty and academic staff (per WSU/AAUP Agreement), with preference given to instructors and faculty below the rank of full professor, to: (1) support research in the form of summer stipends for nine-month faculty for whom a period of extended and uninterrupted activity is essential; and (2) support purchases of supplies and equipment not otherwise obtainable. Other research expenses such as travel and support personnel are allowed only when they are necessary to perform the stated research and are properly justified. Support to attend a professional meeting may also be requested. Only one application may be submitted per faculty member.

The application form is available for download at: http://www.research.wayne.edu/internaldocs/Univ_Research_Grant_Application_2006.pdf. Completed applications require the endorsement of the department chairperson and dean. Send completed application, including necessary signatures, and curriculum vita or biosketch in PDF format to Sarah James at sjames@wayne.edu. Awards will be announced by March 10, 2006. If you need additional information, please e-mail sjames@wayne.edu or call 577-8997.

Faculty Competition for Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Deadline: January 17, 2006
Award: Approximately thirty (30) 12-month GRA positions for the Fall, Winter and Spring/Summer Terms of 2006-2007 will be funded

GRA positions will be awarded directly to faculty on a university-wide competitive basis for support of their research/scholarship and training endeavors. Funding for the assistantships will be awarded primarily on the merits of the proposed research/scholarship or training opportunities, the past productivity of the investigator(s), the award’s potential for increasing publication output and external funding, and the alignment with the university/unit strategic goals and objectives as well as the research/scholarship and training priorities identified by the schools/colleges.

Appointment to these GRA positions is restricted to Ph.D. students at the time of the appointment. The research conducted by the appointed GRA must be directly related to his/her own dissertation research. Requests for GRAs require the approval of all department chairs and deans of the faculty involved. For requests involving more than one school or college, one dean should be designated as the lead dean.

Click on http://www.research.wayne.edu/internaldocs/GRA.doc to download a blank application form. Applications should be submitted collectively by the school or college accompanied by a cover letter from the dean indicating the school or college’s research/scholarship and training priorities. Each dean’s office should submit one e-mail to sjames@wayne.edu with attached cover letter, curriculum vitae or biosketches, signature page(s), and electronic proposals in PDF format by January 17, 2006.
If you have questions regarding the pre-funded stage, please call Sarah James in the Office of the Vice President for Research at 577-8997 or e-mail her at sjames@wayne.edu. For post-funded questions, please call the Graduate School at 577-8051.