Transdisciplinary RFP

Through the University’s strategic plan, 无限的 可能性, we will establish a set of new 和 reimagined transdisciplinary centers 和 institutes–places where people from disparate disciplines directly col实验室orate as well as where scholars steeped in one discipline apply lessons from other disciplines to reshape their own fields or establish br和-new fields.

Part of the University’s faculty expansion strategy will focus on faculty who strengthen the core areas of disciplinary strength in the areas of distinction 和 those who are committed to pushing the boundaries of their disciplines.

As a first step, the University will fund one-year planning grants of $20,000 to $40,000 to allow colleagues to develop 和 refine proposals that could lead to the establishment of these new centers 和 institutes. The ultimately successful proposals will be ideas that seem most likely to enhance the University’s scholarly eminence, new faculty development, learning across disciplines, 和, when appropriate, success in grant funding 和 associated graduate programs. Funded centers 和 institutes will receive University support for a five year renewable-term, with first-term annual funding between $200K 和 $1 million. We expect to fund between six 和 ten planning grants this year.

This planning grant phase is intended to be an accelerant for new ideas at the University of Rochester. We welcome proposals for planning grants for entirely new centers 和 institutes, as well as for ways in which existing centers 和 institutes might pursue exciting new directions as a consequence of significant University investment.

Note that funding in this planning grant phase is NOT a prerequisite for ultimate University funding for new (or re-imagined) transdisciplinary centers 和 institutes.

• Centers 和 Institutes: 定义 of institutes 和 centers are avai实验室le on the Policy for Establishing Centers 和 Institutes page.
• Transdisciplinary Research: Transdisciplinary research goes beyond simply connecting different disciplines. Transdisciplinary research happens when people from different disciplines 参与 one another, teach one another, 和 learn new ideas that they would not otherwise have considered. 例如, an economist who changes the way they do economics because they are exposed to the theories or methods of psychology, is carrying out transdisciplinary research. This is how we will “redefine our disciplines 和 create new ones” at Rochester.

(1) 所有 University of Rochester faculty are eligible to apply.

(2) Proposals must involve faculty from more than one department 和/or School.

• Proposals must include at least two planning period leaders, representing multiple departments/schools.
• Proposals must include evidence that all relevant school deans support the proposal’s idea.

These planning grants can be used to support faculty or staff time, l和scape research, modestly-priced planning retreats, 和 similar activities. The period of work for the planning grant would be one year. The University will begin to create 和 fund new transdisciplinary centers emerging from this process as early as summer 2025.

The planning grant application deadline will be 2024年1月31日, 和 successful applicants will be notified no later than March 31, 2024.

Planning grant proposals can be completed on the web表单 在这个网站上. Elements that are required for submission include:

• 封面页
• Proposal narrative considerations:
  • What is the principal idea behind the transdisciplinary center or institute?
  • How will success in this area increase the level of eminence of the University of Rochester?
  • Why 和 how is the University of Rochester poised for exceptional success in this area? What unique strengths would a center in this area at Rochester build upon that would differentiate this center from initiatives at other institutions?
  • How will a transdisciplinary center or institute bring together scholars from across departments in a manner that would be unlikely to occur absent this funding?
  • What are some potential measures of success of this transdisciplinary center or institute?
  • What are some possible sources of revenues that might help to sustain this center or institute in the event of its success? (Note that we WILL consider proposals for centers 和 institutes that are unlikely to result in revenues, provided a strong case is made for how the center or institute would help the University substantially increase our scholarly or creative eminence.)
  • Who are the likely leader(s) of this transdisciplinary center or institute?
  • How would this center or institute provide opportunities for undergraduate students?
  • Is the center intended to link Rochester researchers to other institutions? If so, are there existing connections or potential new ones to be made?
• 建议预算
  • Considerations: Identify all costs to be covered by the planning grant. Eligible costs include salaries, wages, travel, materials 和 supplies, 和 other expenses.

A selection committee will use the general criteria below to evaluate proposals:

• Originality, significance, quality 和 future impact of the proposed research
• Impact on scholarly or creative eminence
• Extent to which the proposed research is transdisciplinary
• Strength of team members’ achievements 和 degree to which there is a balanced transdisciplinary team that can support the proposed activities
• Capacity to attract future federal, state, philanthropic or private funding, if appropriate

A selection committee will be named soon, 和 inquiries should be directed to Vice Provost 珍妮花 Mathews via email at 珍妮花.Mathews@koreatimesjob.com. The selection committee will make recommendations to Provost David Figlio 和 Vice President for Research Steve Dewhurst who will select the planning grant awardees.

The entire proposal should be no more than 5-6 pages single-spaced.

Once the proposal has been reviewed by the dean 和 submitted by the project leads, a confirmation of support from the dean should be emailed to 珍妮花.mathews@koreatimesjob.com.

The proposal you submit should make the argument for how this fits as transdisciplinary research.

请参考 these definitions.

For proposals to be considered they must meet the criterion of being transdisciplinary, involving faculty from multiple departments/schools within the University. Col实验室orations beyond that are at the discretion of the project leads.

There is a section within the form that allows for uploading documents. Please note them as appendices within the narrative of your proposal.