September 27, 2010

Cohen Peace Fellowship Program: November 3

The Cohen Memorial Fund was established in 1984 to support the Benjamin Cohen Peace Fellowship Program, which awards funds in alternate years to Ball State faculty and graduate students for research in fields related to progress toward a peaceful world.

Under the guidance of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, there are two types of Cohen Peace Fellowship:

The Cohen Peace Faculty Fellowship provides support for faculty to conduct activities in the areas of basic or applied research on topics related to peace. Funds may be used for salary, supplies, expenses, and/or travel. Preference will be given to tenure track faculty members.

The Cohen Peace Graduate Fellowship provides support for graduate students to conduct activities in the areas of basic or applied research on topics related to peace. Funds may be used for assistantship stipend, supplies, expenses, and/or travel and may also include tuition remission during the academic time period of the fellowship.

Complete applications and all required materials are due to the Sponsored Programs Office by 5:00 PM on November 3, 2010. SPO will route the University Clearance Sheet and forward the complete applications to the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies Cohen Review Committee for review and notification of awards.

Full guidelines may be found here.

For more information on how to apply for the fellowship, Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, 285-1622, peacecenter@bsu.edu.

September 23, 2010

NIH OER Podcast Episodes: All About Grants

The Office of Extramural Research (OER) presents conversations with NIH staff members. Designed for investigators, fellows, students, research administrators, and others, we provide insights on grant topics from those who live and breathe the information. Podcasts are in mp3 and updated every other week. More information on RSS and Podcasts can be found at the NIH website.

Understanding the Assignment Process
All About Grants is beginning a new series of episodes to help listeners understand how the NIH reviews the approximately 80,000 competing applications we receive each year. Learn what happens to your application once it arrives at NIH, including how it gets assigned to a study section. Dr. Suzanne Fisher, Director of the Division of Receipt and Referral, discusses this and more in "Who Receives Your Grant Application and What Do They Do With It?"

Communicate the Value of Your Research
Dr. Sally Rockey, Deputy Director for Extramural Research, describes which parts of the application are made public via the RePORTER website and why using plain language in these sections can help express the value of your research to the public in "Using Plain Language for Application Titles, Abstracts and Public Health Relevance Statements."

NIH Loan Repayment Programs: November 15

For researchers who have incurred significant educational debt, the NIH Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) are an attractive opportunity. If you can commit to conducting two years of qualified biomedical or behavioral research at a nonprofit or government institution of your choice, the two-year awards repay up to $35,000 of student loan debt annually (for program details, see NOT-OD-10-105). On average, nearly 40 percent of all new LRP applications are funded, and the awards are renewable. So start your application now; the deadline is November 15.

With the start of our 10th year, we are creating new professional development opportunities to capitalize on the growing list of current and former participants. The newly-launched LRP Ambassador Network encourages alumni to share their experiences with potential applicants, and this fall, LRP will host a Webinar for young professionals who want to learn how to map out their careers with NIH.

Interested in Applying?

  • Contact an NIH LRP liaison to discuss research priority areas
  • Review the application tips available in “Tips for Completing a Competitive Application”
  • Check out the LRP payment estimator

Visit www.lrp.nih.gov for more details and to apply. For additional assistance, call or e-mail the LRP Information Center at (866) 849-4047 or lrp@nih.gov. You can also sign up to receive application cycle updates through Twitter @NIH_LRP or www.twitter.com/NIH_LRP.

Graduate & Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database

The Graduate & Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) database catalogs extramural funding opportunities of interest to prospective and current graduate students, students working on a master's thesis or doctoral dissertation, and postdoctoral scholars. It contains information on over 500 private and publicly funded awards, fellowships, and internships. Advanced search options allow users to refine their search by field, academic level, award type, award amount, and other criteria. GRAPES is maintained by the Graduate Outreach, Diversity and Fellowships Office at the University of California - Los Angeles.

Visit GRAPES at the UCLA website.

Remember: Deadline dates are subject to change. Once you have confirmed the actual deadline date, begin the application process as early as possible. Some organizations require application materials, such as reference letters, that take time to prepare. Each organization also has its own schedule for reviewing and funding applications, and you may be required to apply many months before the funds are available.

Save the Date: BeneFacta Day November 10

BeneFacta Day, the annual event celebrating the "good works" of Ball State researchers and creative scholars, will take place on Wednesday, November 10, 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Ball State Museum of Art.

This year, celebration is the keyword, as we put on our party hats, bring out the wine and cheese, and truly celebrate all those faculty and professional personnel who have received grant funding or who have submitted proposals during the previous year.

Festivities will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Museum of Art, as BSU faculty and staff have an opportunity to greet each other and share refreshments. A short program at 5:15 p.m. will include recognition by President Gora of faculty who have pursued a sponsored project during the 09-10 AY.

All are cordially welcome to attend.

BeneFacta Day
Wednesday, November 10
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Ball State Museum of Art

Provost's Immersive Learning Grants: November 1

Provost's Immersive Learning Grant guidelines are below. Please note that the procedures and the funding periods have changed from past calls. Proposals for any and all of Spring, Summer, and Fall 2011 will be reviewed in November, proposals for AY 2011-2012 will be reviewed in March 2011. Complete application information is available from the provost's office.

Preference will be given to projects that meet all or most of the characteristics of immersive learning.

While preference will be given to new proposals and activities, successful projects previously funded by the Provost’s Immersive Learning Grant may apply for funds where need exists and unduplicated students will be served. Faculty members are encouraged to consider how their existing courses may be made more immersive.

Preference will be given to projects that can become self-sustaining. If the project is requesting equipment, please address why new equipment is needed and how it will be maintained. Equipment purchased specifically for immersive learning projects will be turned back to the Provost’s Office if the project is not sustained.

Interdisciplinary proposals involving multiple departments and colleges are encouraged. Proposals should address how students will be recruited and how credit will be assigned.

Preference will be given to projects that work with one or more community partners. Letters of support from said partners should be attached to the proposal. Projects involving international travel should provide a signature of support from Dr. Kenneth Holland, Dean Rinker Center for International Programs.

Projects should involve primarily undergraduate students.

All full-time faculty (tenured, tenure-track, and contract) are eligible to apply. Professional Personnel in collaboration with faculty are also eligible.

Proposals must be signed by appropriate chairs and deans and sent to the Office of the Provost by 5:00 p.m., November 1, 2010.

The proposal is limited to 6 pages, not including the cover memo, letters of community support, or letter of chair support.

Faculty receiving funds are expected to provide a mid-grant report and provide a public presentation of the project upon its completion. Faculty will be asked to provide assessment data at the conclusion of the project. Faculty members who are funded will be asked to use an experimental evaluation form for assessment purposes.

September 17, 2010

NEH Teaching Development Fellowships: September 30

The National Endowment for the Humanities will award Teaching Development Fellowships to support college and university teachers pursuing research aimed specifically at improving an existing undergraduate course that has been taught in at least THREE different terms prior to the application deadline. The research undertaken as a part of the project may involve engaging with fundamental texts or sources, exploring related subjects or academic disciplines, or cultivating neglected areas of learning.

The program has three broad goals:
  1. to improve the quality of humanities education in the United States;
  2. to strengthen the link between research and teaching in the humanities; and
  3. to foster excellence in undergraduate instruction. Research in any area of the humanities is welcome.
Teaching Development Fellowships cover periods lasting from three to five months and carry stipends of $4,200 per month. Thus the maximum stipend is $21,000 for a five-month award period.

The application deadline is September 30, 2010.

For more information and instructions, please see the grant guidelines.

NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA): September 24

AREA grants support small research projects in the biomedical and behavioral sciences conducted by faculty and students in health professional schools, and other academic components that have not been major recipients of NIH research grant funds.

The three goals of the AREA program are:

  • to support meritorious research,
  • to strengthen the research environment of the institution, and
  • to expose students to research.

Students will benefit from participating in meritorious research and will be encouraged to continue studies in the biomedical sciences. The AREA or R15 grant is a research award and not a training award, so the focus is not on course work but on hands-on meritorious research.

Award: Applicants may request a maximum of $300,000 total direct costs plus applicable Facilities & Administrative (F&A)/indirect costs for the entire project period of up to three years. Note when a consortium is involved, the $300,000 direct cost limit is exclusive of consortium F&A costs. These can be requested in addition to the $300,000 direct costs limit.

Deadline: September 24

Website: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm

Graduate Fellowships Available: NSF & EPA

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) provides fellowships to individuals selected early in their graduate careers based on their demonstrated potential for significant achievements in science and engineering. Three years of support is provided by the program for graduate study that is in a field within NSF's mission and leads to a research-based master's or doctoral degree.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowships are awarded to individuals in the early stages of their graduate study. All applicants are expected to have adequate preparation to begin graduate-level study and research by Summer or Fall of 2011. Confirmation of acceptance in an NSF-approved graduate degree program is required at the time of fellowship acceptance, by May 1, 2011.

Please review the eligibility criteria before applying.

Award: Stipend is currently $30,000 for a 12-month tenure period
Deadline: Varies by discipline (see: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10604/nsf10604.htm#dates)
Guidelines: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10604/nsf10604.htm


2011 EPA STAR Fellowships for Graduate Environmental Study
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, is offering Graduate Fellowships for master’s and doctoral level students in environmental fields of study.

Eligibility:
Reference the "Eligibility Information" to determine your eligibility as a graduate student.
Reference the "Specific Areas/Topics of Interest" to determine eligible areas of study.

Deadline:
November 5, 2010 at 4:00 PM for receipt of paper applications,
November 5, 2010 at 11:59:59 PM ET for submittal of electronic applications to Grants.gov.

Guidelines: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2011/2011_star_gradfellow.html

Award:
Up to $42,000 per year per fellowship. Master's level students may receive support for a maximum of two years. Doctoral students may be supported for a maximum of three years, usable over a period of five years.

September 07, 2010

New ENHANCE Program

The purpose of the ENHANCE - Preliminary Federal Proposal Incentive Program is to provide support for faculty members involved in early investigations, the results of which will serve as the basis for a federal grant proposal. This award provides modest support to fund supplies and related expenses needed to acquire preliminary research or other information that will directly impact the development of the proposal, enhance the feasibility of the request, and result in a strong proposal submission.

The funds will support Supplies, Equipment, Expenses, and Travel (S.E.E.T.) costs associated with garnering preliminary results up to $3,000.

Applications will be submitted to the Proposal Manager assigned to the applicant’s unit and will consist of the following:
  • Application Cover Sheet
  • One page budget justification for the requested expenses
  • One or two page narrative summarizing the project and including:
  • The targeted federal sponsor and a link to the program guidelines,
  • Justification of the need for pilot research,
  • Any reviewers' and/or program officer's comments validating the need for pilot research.
  • Deadline: 15th of each month
See the ENHANCE guidelines for more information. If you have further questions, contact your department's Proposal Manager.