Faculty are invited to attend a forum to learn more about the 2016-17 application processes for different internal funding programs, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Susan R. Wente announced today. The programs include Trans-Institutional Programs (TIPs), University Courses, Research Scholar Grants and Discovery Grants.
“These funding programs represent some of the primary vehicles for Vanderbilt to invest in its faculty, fostering developments in discovery and learning that promote collaboration and advance inter-disciplinary excellence,” Wente said. “It is our aim through these forums to help faculty identify the best program to potentially support their research, scholarship and teaching and to provide clear guidance on the application process.”
The Office of the Provost will host two forums to update faculty about each of the four university funding programs and to explain the subtle but key differences between each of them. The forum dates are:
- Friday, Sept. 30, from 2 to 3 p.m. at 201 Alumni Hall; and
- Monday, Oct. 10, from 3 to 4 p.m. at 5306 Stevenson Center.
Calls for proposals for each of these programs will come later in the fall semester. A new and improved submissions portal will soon be online to help streamline the application submission and review process. Additional information about application windows and key dates and deadlines will be shared with faculty in the coming weeks and months. Faculty members are encouraged to begin working on their proposals so that they are ready to submit once the application window opens.
The forums will provide details and information about:
Trans-Institutional Programs (TIPs) – Pilot funds for trans-institutional efforts that are, or may lead to, emerging programs, centers and institutes. Awards are also made to reinvest in existing trans-institutional centers and institutes. TIPs support such entities that collectively aim to answer big questions and address grand challenges. They seed and expand research and teaching collaborations across disciplines, solve critical problems, embrace discovery and spark learning to position Vanderbilt as a world leader in a given area. This program is open to all VU and VUMC-employed faculty.
Discovery Grants – One of the primary ways Vanderbilt invests in advancing core disciplines, thereby strengthening the scholarly profile of the university. The program is designed to serve as a catalyst to significant external funding sources, supporting new ideas, cutting-edge research and the development of infrastructure. The Discovery Grant Program provides a springboard to make possible external grants that will be more attractive to large federal funding agencies such as the NSF, NIH, DoD, etc. This program is open to VU-employed faculty in all schools and colleges.
Research Scholar Grants – Provide funding for innovative scholarship and creative expression projects that are unlikely to have extramural funding options available. These awards support humanistic research and efforts that result in the creation of artistic or humanist bodies of work. This program is open to VU-employed faculty in all schools and colleges.
University Courses – Promote new and creative trans-institutional learning, a key component of the Academic Strategic Plan. A natural offshoot of Trans-Institutional Programs (TIPs), these courses leverage the natural synergies across Vanderbilt’s schools and colleges, providing faculty the opportunity to reach beyond departmental boundaries to deliver innovative classes on significant subjects. This program is open to both VU and VUMC-employed faculty for courses teaching students in schools and colleges reporting to the provost.
To learn more about the internal faculty funding programs and for complete lists of eligibility requirements, visit the Office of the Provost’s website or email occi@vanderbilt.edu.