Research Investment Fund

University of Memphis Announces $1 million Research Investment Fund

University of Memphis President David Rudd has allocated $1 million in FY17 funds to support research investments intended to increase sponsored projects activity in the near term and move us towards our goal of $100 million in annual research expenditures. The funds will be awarded by the Office of the Vice President for Research through three competitions designed to support cross-disciplinary collaborations*.

I. Catalyst Grants

A. Team Initiation Grants

Team Initiation Grants will support new research collaborations of three - five tenure/tenure track faculty at the University of Memphis representing two or more units/perspectives (e.g. natural science and social science; humanities and education; fine arts and engineering; health and business). Teams may request up to $10,000 per team member ($50,000 maximum) for a project period of 18 or 24 months to help develop a track record of collaboration, generate preliminary data/publications, and submit collaborative proposals to an external sponsor. Funds cannot be used to support or supplement faculty salaries or for travel to meetings and conferences. Teams must identify the compelling research question(s) they hope to address, provide a detailed plan of activities, provide a rationale for the integration of research expertise of the proposed team members, provide a rationale for the budget request, and identify at least two specific extramural research opportunities to which they will apply by the end of the project period. Teams selected for funding must also address sustainability of the collaboration beyond the funding period. Teams will be required to participate in a series of four planned team science workshops and to work closely with a Research Development Director throughout the project period.

B. Discovery & Development Grants

Discovery & Development Grants are intended to stimulate novel, basic or applied research that is at too early a stage to receive funding from traditional sources or that requires additional development or testing prior to resubmission of a previously rejected proposal. Individual proposals will be accepted; however, priority will be given to early and mid-career researchers who propose to work in cross-disciplinary collaboration with one or more senior investigators with a track record of sponsored research. Up to $20,000 may be requested for a 12, 15, or 18-month project period. Funds may be used to support out of pocket research expenses, publication fees, summer support for students, or to provide small-scale matching funds for departmental acquisition of research instrumentation required to support the proposed work. Funds cannot be used to support or supplement faculty salaries or for travel to meetings and conferences.

II. Interdisciplinary Innovations Grants

Interdisciplinary Innovations Grants will provide support for bold, new efforts that seek to expand cross-college, cross-disciplinary research capacity that can be sustained following central investment. Recipient teams are expected to propose activities that will culminate in submission of one or more nationally competitive center or other large-scale ($1 million or more) grant proposals by the end of the project period. Up to $350,000 may be requested for a 24 or 30-month project, with funds used to support out-of-pocket research expenses, publication fees, summer support for students, salary and benefits for staff scientist(s) and/or post doc(s), matching funds ($50k maximum) for research instruments or technical infrastructure, expenses associated with project specific travel to meet with external collaborators or host collaborator meetings on campus. Funds cannot be used to support or supplement faculty salaries or for travel to conventional academic meetings or conferences. In addition, teams selected for funding will be required to participate in a series of four planned team science workshops and to work closely with a Research Development Director throughout the project period. A core team that includes a minimum of 5 University of Memphis faculty representing at least 3 different disciplines/perspectives is required. External collaborators will likely be involved; however, University funding may only be used to support the activities of University of Memphis personnel.