UCR Research and Economic Development
Newsletter: May 2, 2015
Michael Pazzani
Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development
Back Issues of Newsletter: http://research.ucr.edu/vcr/newsletters.aspx
Grant Opportunity Search: http://pivot.cos.com
·
UCR Early Career
Investigator page
·
Samsung Global
Research Outreach: June 1
Deadline
·
Why was my NSF
proposal declined?
·
RFP – California
Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine Demonstration Projects: May 22 Deadline
·
2015
Ernest Orlando Lawrence and Enrico Fermi Awards: June 15 Deadline
·
Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation – Grand Challenges Explorations: May 13, Deadline
·
2016 UC President’s Research
Catalyst Awards: June 4, Deadline
·
Hummingbird
Nest
UCR Early Career Investigator page
Helen Magid, Director of Foundation Relations, put together a resource the UCR Early Career Investigator page. The web page lists private support specifically focused on foundations who understand the importance and impact that early career funding can have. See http://research.ucr.edu/ord/new-investigators.aspx
Foundation often support areas in the arts and humanities for which there is little government support.
Samsung Global Research
Outreach
Samsung has released its
solicitation for the 2015 Global Research Outreach program. This program makes
awards of up to $100,000 per year for up to three years.
The solicitation is available
at http://www.sait.samsung.co.kr/saithome/Page.do?method=main&pagePath=01_about/&pageName=gro_overview.
Samsung requires a letter
signed an authorized representative from UCR (Sponsored Programs) stating we
accept their terms. Jade Sche ) Jade.Sche@ucr.edu)in UCR’s Office
of Technology Commercialization used to work at Samsung and can provide advice
on positioning proposals to align with Samsung's selection processes.
Proposals, Due June 1, will
be accepted in the following topic areas only. (greater
detail on Samsung Web site)
·
Machine
Learning & Recognition
·
Internet
of Things
·
Security
& Privacy
·
Big
Data & Next Generation Network
·
Data
Analytics
·
Mobile
Healthcare
·
Biometrics
·
Sensor
Technology
·
Next
Generation Computing
·
Soft
Robotics
·
Intelligent
Assistant
·
2D
Materials/Devices
·
New
Photonic Sensors / Sources
·
Quantum
Information
·
Nano
Electro Mechanical System
·
Next
Generation Battery
·
Remote
Wireless Charging
·
Fast
Charging Material / Structure
·
Functional
Material
·
Smart
Textile
·
Organic
Sensor Materials
·
Next
Generation Display
Why was my NSF proposal
declined?
Recently, we went through the reviews of some NSF proposals from last year. Here are some comments on the intellectual merit. Avoiding these mistakes will increase the chances of acceptance.
California
Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine Demonstration Projects –
Request for Proposal
Concept Proposal
Deadline: 5:00pm PT on May 22, 2015
The University of California will host California’s Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine – a collaboration of public and private
academic and industry partners that will help to build the infrastructure and assemble the resources necessary to advance precision medicine-oriented data, tools
and applications.
$2.4 million is provided by the state for two demonstration projects that leverage the UC’s expansive and diverse patient data and research expertise, along with expertise and resources from public and private partners across the state (see Section V Selection Criteria). The demonstration projects will be focused
on different disease
areas and funding will be allocated
based on project
needs (not necessarily an even split).
Precision
medicine holds
promise to
profoundly transform
health, healthcare
and biomedical
research, and California is
positioned to lead in advancing the field. Gains are already being made, but efforts across the state are fragmented, failing to achieve the scale and scope needed to test and achieve
the impact of a networked knowledgebase.
Precision
medicine – as envisioned in the 2011 National Academy of Sciences’
report, “Toward Precision Medicine: Building
a Knowledge Network for Biomedical Research and a New Taxonomy of Disease”i — aims to use advanced
computing tools to integrate and analyze the vast amount of basic science data,
together with
molecular, clinical,
environmental and
epidemiological data
on patients worldwide, so-called “big
data.” The objective
is to better understand diseases, with the goal of developing mechanistic insights into both rare and common
illnesses, new diagnostics and therapeutics, and prevention measures. The report committee emphasized that it would take strong
partnerships and collaboration to achieve the vision of precision
medicine, and that pilot projects
should be undertaken at the institutional or regional
levels to identify barriers, define effective practices
and achieve some early, albeit modest scale,
successes.
The CIAPM will bring together precision
medicine leaders as well as research
projects to demonstrate the power and application of precision
medicine, positioning California to lead in promoting this confluence of science,
research, and medicine.. UC will assemble
expert teams to conduct two proof- of-principle demonstration projects
in disease focus
areas where the UCs have particularly deep expertise, and where private and non-profit partners are also ready to contribute assets. The demonstration projects will be developed and selected in a two stage process: 1) submission, review, and initial selection of concept
proposals, and 2) active development of the selected
concept proposals into full proposals
(including the potential for matchmaking with internal and external collaborators) and final selection
of the two demonstration projects. UC will provide guidance in developing concrete
metrics and goals to track
the success of this initiative over a two-year period.
a. Each
proposal must
identify a host institution who will submit the proposal and administer
the grant if awarded.
b. This is a limited
submission. Each UC campus may submit up to two proposals
as host. Proposals
must be submitted electronically by the
vice chancellor for research.
c. Proposals
must include
collaboration across
at least two UC campuses, use of patient data from
at least two campuses, and collaboration at least one
external public or private partner (industry, foundation, non-UC academic institution). Additional collaborators are encouraged.
d.
Applicants must
be willing to
participate in planning and coordination activities, such as workshops
and
conference calls, and to submit bi-monthly progress
reports.
a.
Disease
focus area:
Describe the
potential for a project
to develop and demonstrate the promise of precision
medicine in a specific disease area. Provide rationale for the selected disease area by outlining existing strength, resources and opportunities available (e.g., ability
to obtain molecular measurements, remotely collect behavioral or other data, subtype the disease, link genomic
data to EHR; access to existing biobanks; databases, medical records; an engaged participant community, established mechanisms for responsible data sharing, etc.) –see also Selection
Criteria below.
b. Impact
for patients: Describe
the opportunities to
improve patient outcomes
within the 2 year project timeframe—and beyond.
c. Precision medicine capabilities:
Describe the precision
medicine capabilities
that will be
developed as
a result of this project
(i.e., outline the infrastructure and tools will be built as result of this project including physical capacity, new consortia, collaborations, personnel competencies, databases, software or computational development, startup company opportunities, intellectual property, patient cohorts, participant communities and
networks, models for responsible
data sharing, etc.)
d. Participant
engagement: Describe strategies
to engage patients
(e.g. opportunities
to build trust,
approaches
ensuring consent, approaches to data sharing, privacy, security,
etc.).
e. Anticipated
challenges and proposed
solutions: Describe potential barriers
to
the
project’s success, paying particular attention to barriers that could delay the launch, progress or completion,
and provide potential
solutions to these
challenges.
f.
Project Team:
Provide a brief description of the host institution PI and team, and the key UC and external
collaborators. Describe the nature and strength of any existing external collaborations.
g.
Budget, overview:
Propose budget
of up to $2 million with statement of what you would do with less. Note: no indirect
costs will be provided with CIAPM funds. Outline how CIAPM funds will be used and other resources that will be leveraged
(e.g., experts’ time; biomedical informaticians at each medical center to obtain and structure electronic health data; molecular characterization, including DNA, RNA and genomic sequencing; computational platforms, including genome analysis, data visualization, innovative databases, data sharing, data privacy and security, or high-performance computing; mobile platforms to reach patients between medical encounters, to track their health and outcomes, etc.)
IV. Selection:
A. Criteria:
Selection criteria
will include, but not be
limited to, the following:
a.
potential for
tangible benefit
to patients within
two years, including
the
likelihood that the study will have an
immediate impact on patients;
b. depth
and breadth
of data available and potentially available in the disease
focus area across the UCs and from partnering institutions/organizations (for example, the volume and
scope of phenotypic and
molecular data available for the
patient cohort);
c. prospects for efficient, effective data integration and
analysis;
d. expertise
of potential team members;
e. resources
available for the project outside of CIAPM funds, including
the potential for leveraging dollars (internal, extramural, or
other external);
f.
clinical and commercial potential of the platforms as assessed
by outside experts;
g. strength of connections
between proposal team collaborators;
h. potential
to scale, and to leverage
the 13.6 million EHR from across
the
UC Health centers;
i.
attention
to particular challenges
of interoperability, health disparities, privacy, participant engagement, consent, security and ethical concerns and establish appropriate standards.
j.
potential downstream
use of
tools, measurements,
and data,
including open
public accessibility
of generated data
and publications
Toward Precision Medicine: Building a Knowledge Network for Biomedical Research
and a New Taxonomy of Disease.
2015 Ernest Orlando Lawrence and
Enrico Fermi Awards:
June 15 Deadline
The Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award is bestowed by the Secretary of Energy to mid-career scientists and engineers in recognition of exceptional scientific, technical, and/or engineering achievements related to the broad missions of DOE and its programs. The Award is administered by the DOE Office of Science, and consists of a citation signed by the Secretary of Energy, a gold-plated medal, and a $20,000 honorarium. The award is given in nine categories: Atomic, Molecular, and Chemical Sciences; Biological and Environmental Sciences; Computer, Information, and Knowledge Sciences; Condensed Matter and Materials Sciences; Energy Science and Innovation; Fusion and Plasma Sciences; High Energy Physics; National Security and Nonproliferation; and Nuclear Physics.
The Enrico Fermi Award is one of the longest running and most prestigious science and technology awards given by the US Government. It recognizes outstanding contributions and achievements that are particularly distinguished and demonstrate scientific, technical, management or policy leadership that are related to all basic and applied research, science, and technology supported by DOE and its programs. The Fermi Award has recognized some of this country's most brilliant, productive, and accomplished scientists, engineers, science policymakers, and scientific leaders. It consists of a citation signed by the President and the Secretary of Energy, a gold-plated medal, and a $50,000 honorarium. The award is administered on behalf of the White House by the DOE Office of Science.
For more information on the awards, the nomination process, or to nominate, go to: http://science.energy.gov/news/featured-articles/2015/04-08-15/
The nomination of a diverse pool of candidates is encouraged, as is the sharing of information throughout your campus, center, or other interested parties.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation –
Grand Challenges Explorations
The Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation is accepting applications for Round 15 of
its Grand Challenges Explorations initiative, an accelerated grant program that
encourages bold approaches aimed at improving the lives of the world’s poorest
people. Anyone -- students, scientists, entrepreneurs -- with a transformative
idea is invited to apply.
Initial
grants of $100,000 are awarded twice a year. Successful projects have the
opportunity to receive a follow-on grant of up to $1 million. Topics for Grand
Challenges Explorations Round 15 are
1) addressing
newborn and infant gut health through bacteriophage-mediated microbiome engineering;
2) exploring
new ways to measure delivery and use of digital financial services data;
3) surveillance
tools, diagnostics, and an artificial diet to support new approaches to vector
control;
4) new approaches
for addressing outdoor/residual malaria transmission;
5) new ways
to reduce childhood pneumonia deaths through delivery of timely effective
treatment;
6) enabling merchant acceptance of mobile money
payments.
The
foundation encourages cross-disciplinary approaches. Grants will be awarded
within approximately four months of the proposal submission deadline.
http://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/explorations/pages/introduction.aspx
Proposals
are being accepted online until May 13, 2015.
Mike’s note: In writing a LOI, make sure you
mention all of the items in the 6 bullets below. For example, those that
don’t provide mentorship opportunities for early career faculty may not be
invited to the final round.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
UC President Janet Napolitano and UC Research Initiatives are pleased to issue a Request for Proposals for the 2016 President’s Research Catalyst Awards. This president’s initiative aims to advance innovative research in areas of strategic importance to UC that has the potential to benefit California, the nation and the world, and to stimulate public support for UC research. Awards are made on a competitive basis for highly meritorious research that fulfills the following programmatic goals:
·
Catalyze innovative scholarship that
makes significant contributions
to knowledge and science in areas
of strategic
importance to UC, and that has
the potential to improve human lives, society, the environment, or the economy, enhance culture and community, or provide other public benefit
·
Catalyze multicampus
and systemwide collaboration
that positions UC as a national
leader
·
Catalyze faculty
collaboration across career stages to provide mentorship, support professional advancement, and position UC faculty
as leaders in key fields
·
Catalyze graduate student training opportunities in cutting-edge interdisciplinary
or multi- disciplinary
research
·
Catalyze public
engagement in
the UC research mission through opportunities for community collaborative research, citizen science,
or other community outreach,
education and engagement
·
Catalyze undergraduate participation in research through educational, curricular or training/internship components (as appropriate to the fields and disciplines)
Funding for
this opportunity is
provided through the President’s
Initiative funds; we anticipate awarding
$7 million
total over three years in response
to this RFP. Within the constraints of this total available funding,
there are no minimum or maximum budget limitations.
The competition is open to all fields of research and interdisciplinary or thematic
collaboration. All
proposals must be submitted
by academic appointees with Principal
Investigator status at a UC campus.
The proposed
research activities
should go beyond individual PI projects
to fulfill the research, education and public service mission
of UC as outlined in the programmatic goals above.
To both take advantage of the distributed excellence and resources available through the UC
system, and to benefit the UC research enterprise, a minimum of three (3)
UC campuses must participate in the proposal; broader systemwide engagement is
encouraged. Systemwide engagement may include,
as appropriate to the proposed
activities, collaboration with the UC-managed national laboratories,
the Division of Agriculture and Natural
Resources, or other UC systemwide research entities. The award start date is
January 1, 2016, and the award term is 2 - 3 years.
This RFP contains
information regarding application requirements, the review process, eligibility and exclusion criteria, due dates, and program contacts.
Detailed instructions are provided in the application materials. General program information regarding the President’s Research Catalyst Awards may be found at our website:
http://ucop.edu/research-initiatives/programs/catalyst-awards/.
Applicant
Teleconferences:
May 1 - 8, 2015 (times TBD; register on the website)
Letters of Intent Due:
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Notification
of LOI Decision:
by Friday, July 10, 2015
Invited Full Proposals Due:
Wednesday, August 26, 2015 Notification of Review Outcome:
by Tuesday, December
1, 2015 Award Start Date
Friday, January 1, 2016
NOTE: The Letter of Intent is required and will be used to determine who will be invited to submit a full proposal.
All submission deadlines are 12:00 noon Pacific Time. Late submissions
will
not be accepted.
Applicant
teleconferences will
be held between May 1-8, 2015. Registration and call-in information will be available on our website at: http://ucop.edu/research-initiatives/programs/catalyst-awards/.
Participation in
the teleconference is
strongly recommended.
Interested applicants must complete a formal Letter of Intent (LOI) using the online proposalCENTRAL application system. Instructions
are provided below. LOIs
will
be reviewed for compliance with the instructions
and
eligibility criteria, and will be prioritized based on adherence
to the program goals and funding priorities
as determined by the UC Office of the President. Invitations to submit full proposals will be limited to no more than 30 proposed collaborations, or $25 million
total funding. No feedback or comments
will be provided on the LOI,
nor the reasons for selection
or non-selection.
Only collaborations that are invited to advance beyond the LOI stage will be given access
to
the full application on proposalCENTRAL. All proposals must be submitted
online and in accordance with the instructions, templates and guidelines provided, and must conform
to the requirements of the final version
of the RFP. It is the applicants’ responsibility to check the program
website for any updates or clarifications prior to submitting the full proposal.
Full proposals
will undergo a competitive peer review and ranking process
based on the merit and scoring criteria outlined in this
RFP. It is
expected that no more than ten proposals
will be selected for funding.
Final
selection from among the highest ranked proposals
will be at the discretion of the Office of the President. Awards
are contingent on availability of funding. Final decisions may not be appealed, but declined proposals may be submitted to future competitions and opportunities without prejudice.
Adherence to eligibility and program requirements will be evaluated at the LOI stage, as well as during the full proposal review for invited applications.
1. Eligible
Principal Investigators: Proposals must identify a lead Principal Investigator (PI) for the award who holds PI status
at
a UC campus [Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San
Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara,
or Santa Cruz]. For
guidelines on PI status, contact your campus Office of Research, or refer to Section 1-530
of the UC Contracts and Grants Manual.
2. Proposals must
also identify one
collaborating PI (Co-PI
or site lead) for each collaborating UC campus, UC-managed national laboratory, Division of Agriculture and Natural
Resources (DANR),
or other UC research entity.
All collaborating PIs must have PI status at
their home institution. Additional co- investigators (Co-Is) may be identified if (and only if) they contribute substantively to the proposed
research activities. Academic Personnel whose primary role is in university-wide, campus
or school administration above the level of Dean may not serve as
PIs, Co-PIs, or grant Key Personnel.
Eligible
Institutions: One of the ten UC campuses
[Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara,
or Santa Cruz] must serve as
the host institution for the research
collaboration, and submit the proposal on behalf of the collaborative team. The host campus should be the home campus of the lead Principal
Investigator, and full proposals
must be submitted through
the host campus SPO/C&G office. If a host campus is proposed that is not the home campus
of the lead PI, an explanation must be provided, along with a description of how the research
oversight and compliance will
be administered. See “UC multicampus/systemwide collaboration” (#3 below) for requirements regarding the collaborating partner institutions.
3. UC Multicampus/systemwide collaboration: To take advantage
of the distributed excellence and resources available through the UC
system, and to benefit the UC research enterprise, proposals must include the participation of a minimum
of three UC campuses; broader
systemwide engagement is encouraged.
Where appropriate, systemwide engagement may also include collaboration with the UC- managed national
laboratories, the Division
of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the 5 UC medical centers, or
other UC research
entities if advantageous to the research effort and outcomes.
Funding may not support
activities at the UC Office of the President.
If
invited to submit a full proposal,
collaborations that intend to utilize the infrastructure of existing institutes, programs
or specialized facilities/labs must clearly articulate the relationship of this collaboration and project to those existing
resources and infrastructure, indicating both the potential
to leverage those resources
and
the unique contribution of this new effort.
4. Faculty
Collaboration and
Mentorship: Project participation
should include faculty
across career stages (Assistant, Associate, full Professor, or equivalent academic titles) as
appropriate to the proposed project and disciplines. Full proposals must describe how the team was composed and articulate how the collaboration, mentorship and shared leadership
opportunities will be integrated into the proposed
project and activities to achieve the programmatic goals.
5. Graduate
Student Support
and Training: Proposals must
clearly articulate the opportunities for graduate students
to engage meaningfully in the research endeavor, gain professional experience, and make progress
towards degree, and should request funding to support graduate
student participation. Post- doctoral
training opportunities
are also encouraged but not required.
6. Public
Engagement: Proposals must
include components of public engagement through
community collaborative research, citizen science, community participation and educational outreach, or
other activities that demonstrate the value of UC research to the California public. These components
should be appropriate and tailored to the fields
of research
proposed. Patient treatment
and medical care at the UC medical
centers does not qualify as
community/public engagement and may not be included in the proposal
budgets. However, education and outreach
to populations or communities not already benefitting from healthcare delivery in the proposed
research area may be considered. Agricultural extension activities may be considered if they create new education and outreach
services to communities
as a function of the proposed
research.
7. Undergraduate
Research and Education: The research
activities should inform or expand curricula, provide opportunities for undergraduate engagement in research,
or provide internship opportunities related to the proposed research.
If summer training programs
or internships for UC undergraduates
are already in place, funding may be used only to expand the activities in areas consistent with the
proposed research
(and not to fund the ongoing/existing program).
8. Existing
Support and New Activities: The intent of this opportunity is to fund new research projects and collaborations
that will position UC as
a leader in cutting-edge and emerging fields, attract extramural funding, help recruit and retain outstanding faculty, enhance education
and training, and positively impact human lives and society in California, the nation
and the world. Funding may not be requested to fund ongoing
research activities, provide core institutional support, or extend funding for existing projects already supported by other systemwide funding from UCOP. Nor should proposers
expect Catalyst funding to be renewed
or extended beyond the maximum 3-year award period.
Existing collaborations that propose
to initiate new research
directions may
apply, but must provide a compelling justification regarding the unique contribution of the proposed new activities
beyond the existing work and support.
To ensure that funds
target novel research efforts, all applicants must disclose all current and concurrent UCOP and systemwide research funding in both the LOI and full proposal. In addition,
the full proposal will require
disclosure of all other sources of support.
Existing support will be considered as
part of the decision-making process.
9. Budget
Request:
The total available funding for this
2016 Catalyst Award competition is
$7 million, and the maximum award term is 3 years. Given widely varying costs among different disciplines
and
possible projects, there is no minimum
or maximum budget requirement imposed.
Keeping in mind the limits of the overall
available funding, applicants should propose budgets that are well justified in relation
to the proposed activities and potential
impact. For the Letter of Intent, it is necessary
to identify only the total estimated
request (all years) and the number of years requested (2 or 3).
10. Allowable Costs: A budget itemization and justification will be required
for the full proposal only. The template
and application materials
will
outline allowable and non-allowable costs.
While not fully detailed in this
RFP, for general guidance, only direct
costs that support approved research activities will be covered by this
award. Funds provided by this
opportunity may not be used to cover patient care costs, clinical trials, patent execution costs,
fundraising costs, subawards
to non-UC-affiliated entities (except as may be required to support community
engagement or participation), or indirect
costs.
11. Exclusion
Criteria: Recipients of the 2015 Catalyst Awards are
not eligible to apply. Recipients of other systemwide or UCOP funding may not apply for funding to extend or expand activities already supported by the Multicampus Research Programs
and Initiatives (MRPI),
the UC Lab Fees Research Program (LFRP),
or other systemwide funding from the UC
Office of the President. Requests to fund research
activities and collaborations that leverage the infrastructure of existing collaborations, facilities or institutes will be required
to clearly articulate the distinct
and unique contribution, specific aims, and expected
outcomes of the proposed
novel activities. Without a compelling
justification, such proposals
will receive low priority
for funding.
All interested applicants must submit an LOI using the template provided on proposalCentral.
LOIs must adhere to the instructions
and
requirements. LOI instructions are available online in pC and attached in Appendix 1 of this document.
LOIs must be submitted
by Thursday, June 4, 2015 at 12:00 noon PDT (3:00 PM EDT).
The
LOI must include
the following required information:
1. Lead PI name, title, and departmental and campus affiliation;
2. Host
campus (usually it is the campus
affiliation of the Lead PI);
3. Identification
of the collaborating UC campuses that will have a significant role in the proposed
research and the name of the collaborating PI for each participating site, as well as identification of other collaborating sites and Co-PIs (national
labs, DANR, or other UC
research entities), if any;
4. Identification
of primary research field(s) (one required)
and interdisciplinary or thematic area(s);
5. Abstract (2400 characters/~350 words)
providing a brief description of the proposed scope of research
and activities, expected impact on UC
research/scholarship, and a brief description of any specialized facilities
or
resources at each participating site relevant to the proposed activities;
6. Brief
text responses addressing the required
structural components and eligibility criteria;
7. Total estimated budget request and award term; and
8. Disclosure
of current/concurrent systemwide
research funding.
Letters of Intent will be evaluated for responsiveness
to Catalyst Award priorities in three areas:
1) Eligibility: Is the LOI complete and fully adherent to the instructions
and
guidelines? Are all the eligibility criteria and structural
requirements included? Submission of extraneous supplemental information or attachments may result in non-selection of the LOI.
2) Research
Scope: Is the proposed topic/scope of the research
compelling, innovative and likely to create new knowledge
or outcomes that benefit
California and the world in areas
of strategic
importance to UC?
3) Required Components: How
well are
the required components of faculty
collaboration/mentorship, graduate
student training,
community engagement and undergraduate/curricular components
integrated into the research
effort?
NOTE: Assessment
of the proposed research scope will be based on how well the significance and value of the project is communicated to a panel of well-educated non-experts who share a commitment to advancing
the UC research mission
to advance knowledge, benefit California and the world, and address
significant challenges.
No more than 30 Letters of Intent, or $25 million in total funding requests, will be invited to submit a full proposal. This invitation is required to advance to the next stage. The decisions of the LOI review panel may not be appealed and no feedback will be provided to applicants regarding the LOI review. Declined LOIs may apply in future competitions without prejudice.
Only project teams that receive an invitation to submit a full proposal
will have access
to
the full application materials on proposalCentral. Proposals must adhere to all of the requirements to be forwarded
to peer review.
Scope and Content of the Full Proposals
The
proposal narrative is limited to eleven (11) single spaced pages
(not including the abstract,
budget justification, and attachments), and must include the following components
(maximum page length for each section provided):
1.
Abstract/Project
Summary: The
abstract should be
appropriate for
a general scholarly audience. Avoid disciplinary jargon or
technical language
specific to a single field. (The abstract
is not counted
in the 11- page limit.)
2. Proposed Research
Activities (6 pages): Identify the specific
aims, research activities
and
scholarly contributions
of the proposed
research, including the innovative, interdisciplinary components that will advance
scholarship in emerging
fields or areas of strategic
importance to UC.
3. Collaboration, Mentorship and Training Opportunities (2 pages): Describe the collaborative research and training aspects of the proposal
in relation to: 1) Project leadership and mentorship across the
Professorial ranks, and opportunities for professional development; 2) Faculty, post-doctoral and researcher engagement and participation across the campuses and collaborating partner institutions; 3) Graduate
student engagement and opportunities for professional development and progress
towards degree;
and 4) Opportunities for undergraduate research, internships, and/or educational enhancement.
4. Systemwide
Engagement and
Benefits (1 page): Describe
the mechanisms and collaborative approaches that will ensure
genuine multicampus
engagement and/or UC systemwide benefit. Identify
any existing infrastructure,
resources or
expertise that may be leveraged to enhance outcomes or impact of this novel endeavor.
Identify specific benefits to UC resulting from this collaboration.
5. Public Engagement
and Research
Benefit (1 page): Describe the components for community participation or engagement with the research, as
well as the anticipated public benefits
of the research outcomes
themselves to California and the world. As
appropriate to the research activities
or disciplines, public engagement includes
community collaborative research,
citizen science, community participation and educational outreach, or activities that demonstrate the value of UC
research to the California
public.
7. Itemized Budget
Template and Justification: Provide
a detailed budget, by project year, using the Excel template provided in proposalCentral. In addition, a budget justification, not to exceed two (2) pages, is required,
to describe significant project expenditures. The total budget requested in the budget template
must match the total budget requested
in the proposal
cover sheet. If these figures
do not match, the lower figure will be used to determine
the maximum award. The budget may include direct costs only. The award start date is
January 1, 2016. Funding may be requested
for 2 or 3 years.
NOTE: For proposals that include collaboration with the 3 UC-managed national labs, DANR, or subcontracts to a community partner, the collaborating institutions must waive their indirect cost recovery on any funds paid by UCOP from this funding opportunity. Indirect costs may be covered by matching funds from non-UC sources, or through cost-sharing by the labs or other entities. (This restriction on indirect cost recovery does not apply to UC Lab Fees Research Program awards. For other systemwide programs or opportunities, refer to the specific program’s indirect cost recovery rules.)
8. Attachments: a) Literature
cited (2-page limit);
b) Curriculum Vitae for principal
investigator(s), co- Principal
Investigators (site leads), and Co-investigators only; c) Disclosure (required) of all current or anticipated concurrent sources of systemwide (UCOP) research funds
(template provided); and d) Letter(s) of commitment (optional) identifying campus
resources (if any), as appropriate to the proposal.
Full proposals should be submitted through the host campus Office of Research (C&G or SPO). It is the PI’s responsibility to follow local rules and procedures for submitting a proposal and to confirm that all collaborators have obtained local approval, if required by their campus or lab, in advance of submission.
Proposal Review Process
The
review process is competitive and interdisciplinary panels will evaluate
proposals based on the scoring criteria and program
priorities. Reviewers
will be selected
for their subject
matter expertise, and the panels
will be composed of
faculty and researchers drawn from both inside and outside of the University of California system. Review assignments
will be made to ensure a fair and balanced review and to address
conflicts of
interest. Because panels are interdisciplinary, applicants should avoid jargon,
and use language understandable to scholars in other
fields or disciplines.
Each
panel will rank proposals based on overall
merit, responsiveness to the RFP as reflected by the scoring criteria, feasibility, and adherence to the proposal
requirements. A rank-ordered list of proposals will be forwarded to the President for a final determination of the funded applications. The President will make the final selection
from among the highest ranked proposals
consistent with Presidential priorities, portfolio balance, or other considerations. Funding decisions are not subject to appeal.
Scoring Criteria
The
review and selection
criteria for
success in this competition include:
1. Research
Excellence and Innovation: Highest
quality research in compelling and important topics
that create or strengthen UC’s
research capabilities to advance scholarship and knowledge in areas
of strategic
importance. Catalyst Awards
clearly demonstrate the potential
of the scholarship to position UC and its faculty as innovative leaders
addressing topics and problems that impact California, the nation, and the world. Excellence includes likelihood of scholarly
impact in the fields
or thematic
areas identified in the proposal,
and feasibility for achieving proposed goals and outcomes in the award period. Innovation may be demonstrated by interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary scholarship at the cutting edge of two or more fields, or
proposed theoretical or applied breakthroughs in important
areas of scholarship. Translational and applied research efforts concerned with the ultimate
practical application of basic research
findings and innovative technologies
are encouraged in applicable fields.
2. Strength
of the Multicampus Collaboration
and Systemwide Impact and Benefit: The impact
and benefits to the UC
system of the proposed collaboration may be demonstrated by:
·
Genuine engagement
and interaction of
faculty, researchers, and graduate students
from three or more UC
campuses, and if advantageous to the research activities
or
outcomes, collaboration with the UC- managed national
laboratories, the Division
of Agriculture and Natural Resources, or
other UC research entities.
·
Interdisciplinary or
multidisciplinary collaborations that stimulate
systemwide creative processes, access
to the best available resources (i.e., national laboratories, medical centers,
museums and collections, databases, natural
reserves and more).
·
Contributions that help position the UC
system for strategic excellence, leverage the complementary strengths among the campuses
and
labs and increase utilization of shared resources.
·
A structure
or approach that ensures systemwide impact and a balanced
opportunity for participation. Additional benefits of the collaboration might be demonstrated through
increased efficiency as
a result of common facilities
or
administrative support.
3. Strength
and Benefits of
Faculty Collaboration and Mentorship: Meaningful collaborative engagement among faculty across career stages, and opportunities for mentorship and professional advancement that position
UC faculty as leaders in their fields. This may be demonstrated by: leadership roles
across the academic ranks; activities
that help attract and retain
outstanding and diverse faculty, or foster novel research directions; or collaborative activities
that enhance UC’s
competitiveness in awards, prizes, honors, and extramural funding.
4. Quality
of Graduate Student Training: Opportunities for meaningful engagement by graduate or professional
students in innovative research and cutting-edge scholarship, as
demonstrated by graduate
student support, participation in key research activities, as
well as opportunities that advance them towards degree and successful professional careers.
5. Community
Engagement and Benefit: Successful proposals
will catalyze public engagement in the UC research
mission in ways that are meaningful
to the research
endeavor and provide community benefit. These may include, but are not limited to: community-based participatory research,
citizen science, K-12 education and outreach, or
other public engagement appropriate to the research scope and activities. Generally speaking, the creation
of a community
advisory board alone is not sufficient evidence of meaningful community engagement for the purposes of this award. Some examples of community engagement, not meant to be an exhaustive list, are included in the separate program
FAQ.
6. Contributions to Undergraduate
Education or Curriculum: Proposal should incorporate research activities
that inform or transform curriculum, provide opportunities for undergraduate participation in research, internships, or fieldwork appropriate to the fields
and
disciplines of the proposal. Strong proposals
will demonstrate the impact on education and training of a future generation of scholars
and
engaged citizens.
7. Other
Considerations: In
addition to the criteria outlined above, five additional factors will be considered in evaluating proposals:
·
Appropriateness
of the proposed budget to achieve the proposed aims in the award period;
·
Plans
to secure extramural support, and likelihood that Catalyst Award funding will
lead to enhanced competitiveness for extramural funding. Proposals that
rely on ongoing UC systemwide funds beyond the award period to achieve the
proposed outcomes will receive a low priority for funding.
·
Other
sources of support. Existing collaborations that leverage existing UC resources
or infrastructure to propose innovative new research activities must provide a compelling
justification indicating that the proposed research activities are distinct and
unique contributions to scholarship.
·
Sufficient
campus commitment and administrative capacity to support the proposed
activities.
·
Proposals
that involve human subjects, animals, or toxic substances must outline how they
will address the regulatory and compliance requirements for research approval.
The
President’s Research
Catalyst Awards
are made on a one-time
basis, and the funding opportunity is administered under the auspices of UC Research Initiatives (UCRI) in the Research Grants Program Office (RGPO) at the UC Office of the President. Funded proposals are required
to report annual
progress and fiscal
expenditures. Funded proposals
will be assigned to at least one UCRI staff member who will serve as
the primary program contact.
Awards are contingent on availability of funding, and compliance with research and reporting requirements.
For questions on program scope and priorities, please contact: UCRI@ucop.edu
You are also encouraged to review the Catalyst Award FAQ document on our website (see below).
Administrative questions regarding the application process may be directed to: RGPOGrants@ucop.edu
Technical Questions related to use of proposalCENTRAL: Please email pcsupport@altum.com or call 800-875-2562 (Toll-free U.S. and Canada) Technical support for online submission is available through proposalCENTRAL (Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Please note that from California you must call between 5:00 AM and 2:00 PM).
Updated Program Announcements, FAQs and RFP clarifications (if any), and Applicant Information teleconference information will be posted on the UCRI website. To ensure LOI and proposal submissions meet all program requirements, PIs and their collaborators are strongly encouraged to check the website for any program updates prior to submission:
http://ucop.edu/research-initiatives/programs/catalyst-awards/index.html
Hummingbird Nest
A hummingbird built a nest outside
my bedroom window, and is raising two baby chicks. Thanks to a
suction-cup camera mount, a timer shutter release, a wireless SD card, Dropbox,
and an understanding wife, I’m able to take photos every few minutes without
the disturbing the nest and look at them on the web . Last weekend,
while glancing at the photos, we noticed there was only one two-week old chick
in the nest and it was about a week before they would normally leave the nest.. We ran to the nest and found the other chick on the
ground about 5 feet from the nest. I placed it back in the nest and all
has been well this week. Here’s a photo from yesterday.
Michael Pazzani
Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development
Professor, Computer Science & Engineering
University of California, Riverside
200 University Office Building
Riverside, CA 92521
Assistant: Linda Bejenaru
Email: VCREDadmin@ucr.edu
Michael Pazzani
Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development
Professor, Computer Science & Engineering
University of California, Riverside
200 University Office Building
Riverside, CA 92521
Assistant: Linda Bejenaru
Email: VCREDadmin@ucr.edu