The IGERT Program Preliminary Proposals

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The IGERT ProgramPreliminary Proposals

• June 2008
• Carol Van Hartesveldt
• IGERT Program Director

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IGERT Overview

• Proposals submitted to the IGERT program must
  describe integrative, research-based, graduate
  education and training activities in emerging
  areas of science and engineering.
• The IGERT project should be organized around an
  interdisciplinary theme and involving a diverse
  group of faculty members and other investigators
  with appropriate expertise in research and
  teaching. The interdisciplinary theme provides a
  framework for integrating research and education
  and for promoting collaborative efforts within
  and across departments and institutions. Students
  should gain the breadth of skills, strengths, and
  understanding to work in an interdisciplinary
  environment while being well grounded with depth
  of knowledge in a major field.
• In contributing to a diverse science and
  engineering workforce for the future, the IGERT
  project must include strategies for recruitment,
  mentoring, and retention aimed at members of
  groups underrepresented in science and
  engineering, including women, racial and ethnic
  minorities, and persons with disabilities.
• The graduate experience should contribute to the
  professional and personal development of the
  students and equip them to understand and
  integrate scientific, technical, business,
  social, ethical, and policy issues to confront
  the challenging problems of the future.
• As an opportunity for faculty to experiment with
  new approaches to graduate education, the IGERT
  project should provide students with experience
  relevant to both academic and nonacademic
  careers. This may involve such activities as
  internships and mentoring in industrial, national
  laboratory, academic, or other settings.
• Globalization of research and career
  opportunities places importance on providing
  students with an international perspective. This
  may be gained through programs within the
  institution, or through strongly integrated,
  collaborative research experiences and/or
  fieldwork at foreign institutions and sites.

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Summary Points to Remember

• Read and re-read the Solicitation
• Proposal requirements and review criteria
• Be sure to address each section required
• Get input from all involved EARLY
• Be sure all disciplines involved fully contribute
• Be sure to clearly integrate and articulate
• Exceptional value of the interdisciplinary
  science and the research to be done with the
  interdisciplinary educational curriculum
  (Intellectual Merit)
• Inclusion and broadening participation (Broader
  Impacts)
• Address challenges or risks

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Agenda

• The Review Process
• The Preliminary Proposal by Topic
• Project Summary
• Vision, Goals, and Thematic Basis
• Major research efforts
• Education and training, including recruitment,
  mentoring and retention and international
  awareness
• Institutional commitment
• Other resources and connections
• Recent traineeship experience
• Supplementary Documentation

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Review Process IGERT Preliminary Proposals

• Multiple interdisciplinary panels
• No standing panels
• High demand (400-450 proposals in recent years)
• High Priority 15 Medium priority 20
• About 80-100 invitations for full proposals
• About 20 awards

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Project Summary

• First impression for reviewers
• Avoid excessive background information
• Be specific and clear about the goals, focus and
  value-add of your IGERT
• Independently and explicitly address
• Intellectual Merit
• Broader Impacts
• Include key words

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Vision, Goals, and Thematic Basis

• Set the stage
• Interdisciplinary theme
• Vision, overview and need for this integration
• Why it is important to train graduate students in
  this emerging area
• Value-add
• Why this collaboration of disciplines,
  individuals, constructs, institutions, etc., is
  important
• Why it will work

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Major Research Efforts

• Interdisciplinary research in science/technology/e
  ngineering/math
• Science/engineering cutting edge in emerging
  areas
• Why this is important and will hang-together/integ
  rate as a theme
• Project future interdisciplinary research
  collaborations
• Topics
• Faculty collaborators

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Education and Training

• In the context of the interdisciplinary research
  theme for consideration
• What is novel and innovative?
• What level of facility in the various disciplines
  in required for trainee success?
• How will trainees in all the disciplines
  involved become familiar/facile with the all
  disciplines involved? (No trainee left behind!)
• What will each element contribute, and why is it
  important?
• What faculty will be responsible, and are they on
  board?
• Evidence of your careful planning and integration
• How will trainees gain an appreciation for the
  globality of the science?
• How will you recruit, mentor, and retain trainees?

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Recruitment, Mentoring, and Retention

• Evidence of careful planning
• Plans for all students
• Plans for groups underrepresented in science and
  engineering
• Using what you have will it work and be enough?
• Look critically at what you have
• Plans tailored to your proposed IGERT
• Partnerships documented with letters

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Recent Traineeship Experience

• Experience with ANY graduate traineeship program,
  NSF or other
• Renewal proposals
• Outcomes of previous award
• Added value of potential new award
• Do not provide results of traditional
  NSF-supported research projects

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Supplementary Documentation

• Limits on letters
• Up to 5, with one internal from senior level
  administrator
• No paper documents accepted
• Content of letters
• Explicit in solicitation
• Give this information to letter-writers
• Negotiate early with your institution

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Summary

• Its all about integration emerging science,
  excellence in training and education, engaging
  and enfranchising a broad participation and
  preparation for 21st century global careers and
  contribution

21st Century Global STEM Careers
Broadening Participation