COTTRELL COLLEGE SCIENCE AWARDS (Single Investigator)

Complete Program Guidelines

Support of significant research that contributes to the advancement of science and to the professional and scholarly development of faculty at undergraduate institutions along with their students

Introduction
 The Cottrell College Science Awards support research in astronomy, chemistry, physics and closely related fields that significantly overlap with research in these three disciplines at public and private, predominantly undergraduate colleges. The projects proposed are judged on the basis of scientific originality, significance, feasibility, overlap with the three core disciplines and the ability of the institutional environment to sustain the activity. The involvement of undergraduate students in the research is expected, and is an important factor in most awards. After review by the Foundation staff and outside referees, the composite proposal material is evaluated by an advisory committee of scientists drawn from the academic community. Awards are made to the institution on behalf of the individual investigator following approval by the Foundation's Board of Directors.

Objectives
The overarching goal of the Cottrell College Science Award program is providing “seed” funding for significant research that will enhance the professional and scholarly development of beginning faculty at predominantly undergraduate institutions, along with their students. We expect that our funding will help early career faculty establish sustainable programs of research. The program is sharply focused on faculty at the start of their first permanent academic appointment. Faculty are expected to explore new areas of science, to make new discoveries that contribute to their discipline, and to initiate new research programs that can be sustained by other extramural funding sources, as well as with institutional support. Successful programs are not summer research projects, but rather, those undertaken with continuity throughout the academic year. A key element in all such research programs is that they involve undergraduate students in meaningful ways, and thereby raise the quality of undergraduate education. Research Corporation continues to have a strong interest in stimulating research at institutions where little or none has existed, so long as the institutional environment is conducive to the activity.

Eligibility
Institutional Requirements
Applications will be accepted from faculty members at public and private institutions of higher education in the United States. The applicant’s home department must offer at least the baccalaureate, but not doctoral, degrees in the applicant’s discipline. The institutional environment and support for research are important considerations in evaluating the potential of the proposal.

Faculty Requirements
The principal investigator must have a faculty appointment in a department of astronomy, chemistry or physics, or, if from another department, propose research that significantly overlaps with research in one of these three disciplines. At the time of application the applicant must be within the first three years of her (his) first tenure track appointment.

Eligibility is determined in a two-stage process. A brief online quiz is used to confirm the institutional and applicant eligibility. A two-page pre-proposal is used to determine whether the proposed research meets program guidelines for significant overlap with the core disciplines of astronomy, chemistry and physics, and has reasonable prospects of sustaining peer review on originality and significance. All pre-proposals will be evaluated internally by Research Corporation’s scientific staff.


While the program is intended primarily to assist early career faculty often seeking their first external funding, applicants may hold other grants when multiple sources of support are clearly needed for full effectiveness. There will, however, be cases in which funds sufficient for the research are received during the evaluation period. In such cases, a proposal to Research Corporation should be withdrawn. Such cases should always be discussed with a Program Officer.

Budgets
Cottrell College Science Awards provide for only those direct expenses necessary for the conduct of the proposed research and within the five budgetary categories described below. An institutional matching contribution to the project of at least 20% of the funding requested from Research Corporation is expected. While these awards are designed to provide primarily summer support, continuation of the research throughout the academic year is expected. Budgets should be tailored to individual circumstances. Awards are approved for two years with a single, one-year extension possible to expend remaining funds. The total funding requested from Research Corporation must be between $25,000 and $45,000.

What is Funded

The institutional portion of FICA and Medicare on faculty and student stipends (up to 7.65 %) may be included in the budget.

What is Not Funded: Any items other than those that are specifically included in the five budget categories listed above, for example:

Institutional Matching Funds:
An institutional matching contribution to the project of at least 20% of the funding requested from Research Corporation is expected. The matching funds may be provided in any combination of the five allowed budget categories (equipment, supplies, student stipends, faculty stipends, travel to conduct research) that are allowed for Research Corporation funds. Start-up funds may not be used as matching funds nor may funds from other grants or awards to the college or applicant. Institutional support in other categories (i.e., fringe benefits, academic year time release, equipment maintenance, student housing, etc.) may be listed on the budget page under “Additional Support.”

Applications
The application process is initiated by completion of the online eligibility quiz. If the applicant and institution meet the program requirements, the applicant is invited to submit a two-page pre-proposal that will be used to determine the conformance of the proposed research to program guidelines. The pre-proposal is due 60 days in advance of the proposal target date and is required for all applicants to the single-investigator program. Pre-proposals for the May 15, 2008, target date are due on March 17, 2008. Pre-proposals will be reviewed by the foundation’s scientific staff. All applicants will be notified of our decision to invite or not invite a full proposal by electronic mail on the same date, and approximately six weeks prior to the application target date. For the May 15, 2008, target date we anticipate notifying applicants of the decision on their pre-proposal on or around April 1, 2008. Staff decisions on the pre-proposals are final with no appeal or feedback possible. Full proposals are submitted for external review as well as being reviewed by the foundation’s staff and Advisory Committee before being recommended to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, as described below.

Multiple proposals from a single investigator will not be accepted, nor are multi-investigator applications accepted in this program. There is however, no limit on the number of proposals submitted from the same institution.

The target date for a proposal to be considered at the spring meeting of our Advisory Committee is November 15, and May 15 for a proposal to be reviewed at the fall meeting. Both applicant and institution should ensure that a proposal conforms to program guidelines, and that applications are submitted on the recently issued and unmodified forms provided by Research Corporation. In preparing the proposal use 10 point Arial font or larger; applications using a smaller font will not be processed.

Proposal Evaluation
The prime criterion in evaluation is the potential of a proposed research project to add to fundamental scientific knowledge in the three core disciplines, or in research areas with a significant overlap with the core disciplines. While a project may include a substantial equipment-building phase, involve the generation of large amounts of data or suggest development of new research technology, it will be evaluated primarily on scientific significance, originality and feasibility. The potential for developing the research project into a viable program capable of attracting future support from other agencies is also very important. The commitment of the college to support faculty research and the overall environment for research at that institution will be considered in reaching a decision. Other factors that will be considered include the extent of student participation and the contribution of the research toward strengthening the college's science programs.

Applications that conform to guidelines are reviewed by Foundation staff and by external reviewers expert in the field of the proposed research, selected in part from names submitted by the applicant. The proposal, including reviewer letters and staff comments, is evaluated by the Foundation's Advisory Committee, which makes the recommendations on funding. After favorable action on committee recommendations by Research Corporation’s Board of Directors, successful applicants and their institutions are notified of awards. Payments are made in January for applications received at the previous May target and in July for applications received at the previous November target. Since the awards are based upon developing both faculty and institutional capacity for research, funds that cannot be used by the principal investigator in a manner consistent with the proposed plan of research must be returned to the foundation. The Cottrell College Science Award program may be revised at any time.

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