Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grant Program
The Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grant Program has been offered several times. If it is offered again in FY2009, it will be announced on ORDA's home page and to departments. Application materials for FY2008 have been left posted so that researchers can get a general sense of proposal requirements; any future application materials, however, would be updated. Note that funding priorities, number of awards, and maximum grant amounts may change from year to year in this program.
Overview
This competitive, peer-reviewed program provides initial support for new, long-term programs of collaborative interdisciplinary research that will have strong potential to attract external funding. Proposals should involve multiple colleges, centers, and/or SIU campuses. Proposals from existing interdisciplinary programs or centers must represent new initiatives and target external funding opportunities that existing programs cannot access.
Proposals for this program are reviewed by one or more ad hoc advisory committees selected by the Vice Chancellor for Research and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research. External reviews may be solicited.
Awardees must submit a proposal related to their interdisciplinary seed grant topic to an external funding source no more than 6 months after the award period ends.
Applicants must be full-time faculty members on continuing appointment who have not received funding through the Faculty Seed Grant Program within the last 24 months. Staff at the rank of Scientist or Researcher can be co-principal investigator (co-PI), but not lead PI.
For FY2008, proposals were accepted for review in five priority areas:
- materials research
- biotechnology (including human health and nutrition)
- neuroscience/cognitive science
- energy
- Delta Region studies
In FY2008, grants provided up to $30,000 per year for up to two years ($60,000 maximum). Budget items could include equipment, commodities, contractual services, travel, graduate assistantship (one per year), and student worker wages. Summer salary for principal investigators could be requested up to a total of $7,000 per year (note: this was a total, not per PI).
Application
FY2008 Application Packet. The FY2008 application packet is being left posted for general information purposes only. The application will be updated if this program is offered again in FY2009. The application includes proposal guidelines, a cover sheet, and a budget form. It is a fillable PDF file, meaning that the cover sheet and the budget form can be filled out onscreen using Adobe Acrobat 4.0 or higher.
Instructions for fillable PDF: If you have Adobe Acrobat 4.0 or higher, you can save the document to your hard drive (hold down SHIFT while clicking on the link), fill it out onscreen, then print it. You can also fill the form out using the free Adobe Reader software, although you will not be able to save the filled-out information on your hard drive. If you cannot access PDF files, you can obtain the form from your department or from ORDA (call 453-4540).
Completed applications cannot be submitted electronically. Please bring or send to the Office of Research Development and Administration, Woody Hall C-206, mailcode 4709. Forms also may be obtained by calling ORDA at 453-4540.
Final Report for Funded Projects
- Final Report Cover Page (fillable PDF)
A final report is due to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Dean within six months of the end of the grant. Final report guidelines are on page 8 of the application package.
Awards
2007
"Collaboration Among Chemists and Biotechnologists for Low-Cost Production of Biodiesel"
—Yong Gao, Chemistry & Biochemistry
—David Lightfoot, Plant, Soil, & Agricultural Systems
2006
"Wear and Biocompatibility of Nitride-Based Nanocomposite Coatings for Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement"
—Samir Aouadi, Physics
—Peter Filip, Mechanical Engineering/Center for Advanced Friction Studies
—Gordon Allan, Surgery/Orthopedics
—Manish Paliwal, Surgery/Orthopedics
"Development of a Hydrologic Monitoring Network and Experimental Design for the Middle Mississippi River Field Station"
—Matt Whiles, Zoology/Fisheries Center
—Sara Baer, Plant Biology
—Loretta Battaglia, Plant Biology
—Eric Hellgren, Zoology/Wildlife Lab