DRIVING TOMORROW Our plan t lead and innvate Twin Cities Campus Strategic Plan Grand Challenges Research Transfrming the University f Minnesta thrugh the Enhancement f Interdisciplinary Research Prvst s Grand Challenges Research Initiative Phase 3 March 2018 Sptlighting Three Grand Challenges fr 2019 20: Enhancing Individual and Cmmunity Capacity fr a Changing Wrld Advancing Health thrugh Tailred Slutins Feeding the Wrld Sustainably We invite faculty t participate in interdisciplinary research pprtunities that will cntinue t distinguish University f Minnesta schlars as leaders in addressing the critical challenges f ur state, natin, and wrld. Opprtunities in 2019 2020 will fcus n the challenges f Enhancing Individual and Cmmunity Capacity fr a Changing Wrld, Advancing Health thrugh Tailred Slutins, and Feeding the Wrld Sustainably. Wrk at the intersectin f Grand Challenges has resulted in exciting interdisciplinary team effrts. Cnsequently, prpsals that address the intersectin f these three Grand Challenges r the intersectin f ne f the three with either f the ther tw Grand Challenges, f Assuring Clean Water and Sustainable Ecsystems r Fstering Just and Equitable Cmmunities are welcme. The latter tw challenges were the fcus f the previus Grand Challenges Research phase. The current call is purpsely aligned with the April 18, 2018, Grand Challenges Research Exp: Inspiring Ideas, Creating Change. The Exp is designed t cnnect individuals frm a range f disciplines wh have similar tpical research interests. It will feature mechanisms fr faculty, students, and staff t share and expand n ideas that might lead t prpsal develpment. Interactive sessins will als address features f interdisciplinary research that might challenge new teams, including identifying team members acrss disciplines, engaging external partners, clarifying disciplinary terminlgy, integrating wrk styles and identifying best practices. Small mnetary incentives fr pre- prpsal develpment will be prvided t faculty wh explre new ideas with new research clleagues during the day- lng Exp. Details and criteria are described belw. Due t the imprtant alignment with the April 2018 Grand Challenges Research Exp, the deadline fr Phase 3 pre- prpsal and subsequent full prpsal submissins ccur n a mre expanded timeline than in previus years. Please make special nte f deadlines that are described belw. Phase 3 f the Prvst s Grand Challenges Research Initiative builds n tw earlier phases engaging the Twin Cities campus cmmunity and partners. Phase 1, in 2016, fcused n all five Grand Challenges embraced by the campus, and allcated $3.6 millin in internal research investments t 29 teams. Phase 2, in 2017, fcused n Assuring Clean Water and Sustainable Ecsystems and Fstering Just and Equitable
Cmmunities, with $2.96 millin allcated t six team prjects a smaller number than in Phase 1, but at higher levels f supprt. The current Phase 3 call will similarly fcus n larger awards t successful teams. The Grand Challenges Research Pre- Prpsal call is a cmpetitive prcess fr interdisciplinary teams, fcused n a smaller number f larger awards up t $500,000 per award but with pprtunities fr smaller awards as well. This prcess strives t target research prjects that will distinguish the University f Minnesta faculty as leaders in addressing three specific challenges: Enhancing Individual and Cmmunity Capacity fr a Changing Wrld, Advancing Health thrugh Tailred Slutins, and Feeding the Wrld Sustainably r the integratin f any f the five Grand Challenges. (Prpsed wrk at the intersectin f Assuring Clean Water and Sustainable Ecsystems and Fstering Just and Equitable Cmmunities was included in the previus call, and is nt included in this rund. Research at the intersectin f either f these tw Grand Challenges with any f the three Phase 3 challenges, hwever, is included.) The prpsal and selectin prcess is iterative; initial pre- prpsal submissins are nly tw- page statements. Fllwing initial review, a relatively small number f teams submitting the mst prmising pre- prpsals will be invited t develp and submit full prpsals, with an expectatin that a reasnably high prprtin f thse invited t submit full prpsals will be funded. We actively encurage participatin frm schlars frm all disciplines acrss the campus. A fundamental cmmitment f the Grand Challenges Research initiative is that disciplinary perspectives frm the full array f fields are necessary t address effectively the interrelated issues f the Grand Challenges. All five Grand Challenges prblems benefit frm cmbined expertise frm sciences and engineering, scial sciences, humanities and arts, and the prfessins business, design, law, health and medicine, and plicy. We hpe that the respnse t the majr fcus n these three Grand Challenges in Phase 3 is fr faculty t ask, Hw might my expertise be brught t bear significantly in addressing ne f the three challenges r an intersectin with ther Grand Challenges? The Grand Challenges Research Initiative advances the integrative research gals that are ne cmpnent f the Twin Cities Campus Strategic Plan Driving Tmrrw. The gal f this initiative is t elevate the University s interdisciplinary research strengths fr greater impact n the critical scietal issues facing ur state and the wrld. We seek t build n past allcatins t appreciably deepen the University s impact. Thrugh the new cmpetitive call, we strive t identify exciting pprtunities t fster new interdisciplinary cllabratins, spur creative interdisciplinary appraches, integrate research acrss disciplines and clleges, and strengthen prductive research interactins within and beynd the University. Guidelines fllws fr Grand Challenges Research Phase 3: Cmpetitive Call fr Prpsals and Grand Challenges Research Opprtunity (Seminar Series) fr Graduate and Prfessinal Students and Pst- dcs 2 Grand Challenges Research Phase 3 Office f the Executive Vice President and Prvst March 2018
DRIVING TOMORROW Our ten- year plan t lead and innvate Twin Cities Campus Strategic Plan Grand Challenges Research Grand Challenges Research Phase 3 Cmpetitive Call fr Prpsals March 2018 Successful Grand Challenges Research prpsals will be funded at levels up t $500,000. We expect mst funded prjects t range between $120,000 and $400,000, based n the gals f the prpsed research. We emphasize that interdisciplinary prpsals at smaller funding amunts are als encuraged. Awards are nn- recurring and are t be expended within tw years. Special Pre- Prpsal Develpment Awards The Grand Challenges Research Exp Inspiring Ideas, Creating Change (gcresearch- exp.umn.edu) prvides the frum fr faculty t exchange ideas with new clleagues, ideally leading t the creatin f new interdisciplinary teams. T encurage these ptentially fruitful interactins, new clleagues have the pprtunity t be awarded $500 t pursue an idea and develpment f an interdisciplinary team. Prcess and criteria fr this pre- prpsal develpment award include: Attend the Grand Challenges Research Exp and identify a new partner(s) frm anther discipline during the interactive idea sessins. Agree t pursue an idea that culd be the basis fr a pre- prpsal submissin. Submit a descriptin f nt mre than 500 wrds that describes yur idea and intent t explre pre- prpsal develpment that wuld include an expanded team. The descriptin shuld include: Names, titles, department/center affiliatin, emails, and phne numbers f the tw r mre new clleagues pursuing the idea; Nte the Grand Challenge r intersectin f Grand Challenges t be addressed; State the cre cncept f the interdisciplinary research prject that culd be prpsed State the ways that this idea and the cmbinatin f interdisciplinary expertise represented by the partner faculty members is new and culd lead t new knwledge; and Include the kinds f expertise that wuld be needed t develp an interdisciplinary pre- prpsal, including University- based schlars and representatives frm external cmmunities. Submit the 500- wrd idea descriptin t gcrsrch@umn.edu by Friday, April 27, 2018. Fllwing a review f idea descriptins, a pre- prpsal develpment award f $500 will be made t successful idea partners wh are cmmitted t submitting a pre- prpsal by the Wednesday, June 6, 2018 deadline. 3 Grand Challenges Research Phase 3 Office f the Executive Vice President and Prvst March 2018
Overall, the key feature f the call is its iterative prcess that includes the fllwing steps: Submissin f tw- page pre- prpsal due Wednesday, June 6, 2018 Frmal peer review f pre- prpsals will result in an invitatin t submit a full prpsal t thse wh describe particularly prmising research ideas invitatins extended by August. Invited full prpsals due Wednesday, Octber 10, 2018 Award annuncements January 2019. Awarded funds will be available immediately fr use in Spring semester, 2019 Elements f participatin Tw r mre individuals must be named as c- PIs; at least ne must be a tenure- track faculty member; The c- PIs and the verall research team must represent an interdisciplinary cllabratin that bridges disciplines, ideally acrss clleges, and that will make a substantial new cntributin t the University s psitin as a leader in addressing the Grand Challenge; Teams are encuraged t include pst- dcs, students, ther members f the University s schlarly cmmunity, and external partners in aspects f the prpsed wrk. Guidelines fr tw- page pre- prpsal submissins (n mre than 2 pages, 12- pint fnt, single spaced, 1- inch margins) C- PI cntact infrmatin. Prvide names, titles, departmental r center affiliatins, emails, and phne numbers n a separate cver page. Research team members. Prvide names, titles, departmental r center affiliatins, als n yur cver page. Pstdcs, students, and external partners shuld be included, if knwn. Level f funding. State the apprximate level f funding t be requested fr the prpsed prject; n detailed budget is required at the pre- prpsal stage. The amunt is an estimate, since it may change during the iterative prcess f review and discussin. Pre- prpsal descriptin. Describe yur idea. In ding s, address the fllwing six questins: 1) Hw will this research enable the University t establish a new signature cntributin in research n individual and cmmunity capacity building, advancing health, feeding the wrld, r an intersectin with any f the five Grand Challenges? 2) Hw is this team well psitined t address the idea? 3) What is the ptential fr this research t catalyze additinal interdisciplinary pprtunities and external funding in rder t psitin the University as a leader in the field? 4) Hw will the research cntribute t beneficial utcmes t sciety in addressing the Grand Challenge? 5) What will the research entail methdlgies, activities, engagement with external partners, ther? 6) Hw will yu measure impact, including n best practices fr interdisciplinary research? Grand Challenges criteria. Thse wh are invited t submit full prpsals shuld be prepared t als address the relatinship f the prpsed research t the eight Grand Challenges research criteria utlined in the Twin Cities Campus Strategic Plan (pages 29 32). The tw- page pre- prpsal des nt need t address these criteria explicitly, hwever. 4 Grand Challenges Research Phase 3 Office f the Executive Vice President and Prvst March 2018
Evaluatin and review Pre- prpsals will be evaluated n: Ptential f the research t have a substantial impact n the Grand Challenge and t psitin the University t play a leadership rle with respect t the Challenge, Schlarly strength and interdisciplinary scpe f the prpsed team, including its engagement f external partners, Likely impact n shaping change in the University, and Ptential t leverage substantial external funding. Review prcess. Peer review f pre- prpsals and final prpsals will be cnducted by an interdisciplinary panel f distinguished schlars wh are well versed in the develpment f the Twin Cities Campus Strategic Plan and the Grand Challenges Research initiative. Final reviews may als include eminent external reviewers selected fr fit with the prpsed research. Cllegiate deans will discuss funding recmmendatins, and the Executive Vice President and Prvst will determine the final grant awards. Please submit yur tw- page pre- prpsal t gcrsrch@umn.edu by Wednesday, June 6, 2018. Inquiries can als be sent t gcrsrch@umn.edu. Phase 3 Grand Challenges Research Opprtunity fr Graduate and Prfessinal Students and Pst- dcs Seminar Series T be apprpriate fr the University f Minnesta, a Grand Challenge research prblem shuld be ne that engages students, pstdctral assciates and fellws, and ther trainees in innvative and grundbreaking ways. A key part f ur missin is training future leaders, practitiners, and glbal citizens wh can address cmplex and imprtant challenges. The institutin s intent is t develp Grand Challenges research cllabratins that centrally invlve graduate and prfessinal students, and that als prvide experiential and intercultural learning pprtunities. With attentiveness t graduate and prfessinal students and pst- dcs, Phase 3 f the Grand Challenges Research initiative will include the launch f a set f seminars at the 8xxx level, ffered as expressly interdisciplinary instructin in the skills fr and exemplary experiences in grappling with cmplex scietal challenges. These credit- bearing seminars will be listed under the Grand Challenges designatr, and will serve as a supplementary curriculum fr graduate and prfessinal students wh wish t g beynd their degree- prgram cursewrk t fcus n schlarly engagement with interdisciplinary Grand Challenges. The Grand Challenges Research seminar series will be ffered beginning in Spring 2019. 5 Grand Challenges Research Phase 3 Office f the Executive Vice President and Prvst March 2018