Interdisciplinary Teaching Seed Grants

| Interdisciplinary Teaching Seed Grant Awardees 2009-2010 |

Interdisciplinary Teaching Grant Program

2010-2011 GUIDELINES

Purpose

The purpose of the Interdisciplinary Teaching Grant program is to foster new interdisciplinary teaching collaborations and course development that will produce innovative perspectives that both merge disciplines and advance new paradigms of thought.

General Information

Interdisciplinary Teaching Grants are designed to support development of new undergraduate or graduate courses, taught by faculty members from clearly different disciplines.

Preference will be given to faculty who have not previously taught together, and to faculty collaborating across different colleges.

Collaborating departments must agree to schedule these courses during the 2010-2011 academic year, as indicated in the Chairs' supporting letters.

Proposed courses should be designed to attract a minimum of 30 students, with the potential to become permanent courses. *Note that a second year of funding may be available, based on a second competitive proposal.

All University of Utah faculty are eligible for this funding program.

Members of the Proposal Review Committee are ineligible for funding.

Seed grant awards are for $4000 per P.I., to be used for course buy-out ($3000) and a faculty research account ($1000). Maximum awards will fund up to three P.I.'s.

SCH productivity funding will be awarded at a rate of 150%. Distribution will be determined by the number of departments involved in the course (for example, 75% per department for two participating departments, or 50% per department for each of three participating departments).

Courses with a significant service-learning component may qualify for a TA funded by the Bennion Center.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted in electronic format via the website. However, if you have trouble with the online submission process, electronic proposals can be emailed to Lorelei.Sells@utah.edu and must be in PDF format.

Application Instructions

General Information

1.     Proposal narrative should be no more than four (4) pages double spaced

2.     Times New Roman 12 point font

3.     Titles, page headings, and page numbers are required

4.     Appendices/attachments do not count toward the page limitation

NOTE: Letters of Support from Chairs should be faxed directly to Lorelei Sells at 801.585.5190 [OR] sent as PDF attachments via email to Lorelei.Sells@utah.edu. Please reference the proposal title in the fax cover document or email subject line.

Applications should be organized as follows:

1. Grant Application Cover Sheet: Note this is part of the online application process.

2. Project Abstract: 250-word statement of project scope, relevance and intended outcomes.

3. Proposal Narrative: (not to exceed four (4) pages double spaced) This should include a course description, rationale, purpose, anticipated development timeline, and progress indicators. The proposal should address how this course presents an interdisciplinary perspective. It should also include any anticipated external funding strategies to sustain the project following the seed grant phase.

4. Participating Faculty Biographical Information: Provide a brief (one page) biography/vita for each key faculty member involved in the project.

5. Proposed Syllabus: As detailed as possible.

6. Letters of Commitment: Attach letters of support from the Chair of each participating department. Specifically, the Chair must state the department’s commitment to scheduling the proposed course during the 2010-2011 academic year.

Grant Submission Deadline: October 2, 2009.

Award announcements will be made by November 20, 2009.

Funds for this program will be released July 1, 2010.

Grant Administration

Successful applicants will be expected to:

1. Acknowledge funding by the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies in any subsequent publication of the results of the research supported by the grant.

2. Submit IRB approval (when applicable) prior to funds being distributed.

3. Include the following question in the on-line course evaluation for students: “How has this class contributed to your understanding of Interdisciplinarity” and include the student responses in the final course summary report.

4. Submit one page course summary (detail when taught, number of students, value statement for course and future plans) by June 1, 2011.

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