CSUPERB Workshop Research Funding from DoD Collaboration and integration of research and training - a personal experience Howard Xu, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Microbiology Cal State L.A. 323-343-2188; hxu3@calstatela.edu
DoD Funding Opportunities • Primarily from our university Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) • Timing of PA or RFA difficult to predict • Several types of funding opportunities: – Infrastructure Support Program for HBCU/MI – Program for HBCU/MI – Research and Educational Program for HBCU/MI – BAA for Basic and Applied Scientific Research – Defense University Res Instrumentation Prog
DoD Funding Opportunities • Application packages can be downloaded from grants.gov website • Recent years, for some grant opportunities, each institution is limited to the number of applications it can submit (normally only two or three) • Over the years, I made multiple attempts (five) submitting DoD grant applications in response to various types of programs • Only successful once
Lessons Learned • Proposed project must align well with the mission of DoD and with research interests of the agencies (Army, Airforce, etc.) – Contact agency program manager for your matched research interest and get his or her opinion about if what you propose is appropriate – Email first to arrange a phone appointment • Innovative ideas that are supported by preliminary results
Lessons Learned • Unless you are a highly accomplished investigator with sustained productivity, it is beneficial to retain seasoned investigators as collaborators for your proposed project – Preferably scientists you have had interactions before; – Collaborators can provide critical expertise complementing PI’s – It would be best if one of the collaborators is from a national lab or military lab – Describe synergy of your team
Lessons Learned • Describe additional impacts of proposed research. – Will the outcomes of proposed project (equipment acquired, techniques established) promote or update curriculum? propose a plan to how this will occur – Will the outcomes of proposed project (equipment acquired, techniques established) facilitate other faculty’s research? How? Letters of support from other faculty would be required.
Lessons Learned • If student training is a required component, the following are suggested: – Summer internship at R1 institution or national lab should be proposed to broaden students’ experience and perspective; – Preferably hosted by your collaborators; – Need letters of support from host lab investigators; – Propose to establish a student organization (a club) which can promote and disseminate DoD’s mission and attract additional students into STEM fields (future DoD workforce)
Lessons Learned • If student support is allowed, you should have a reasonable and detailed outreach and recruitment plans. – Work with “feeder” schools (community colleges or high schools) – Letters of support from administrators or faculty of other schools would be required
Lessons Learned • You should consider establishment of an External Advisory Board which can provide your helpful advices (strengthening your application) – In research – Student training – Letters of support are needed again
Lessons Learned • Propose an evaluation plan how your proposed activities can be assessed and improved – Retain an experienced professional evaluator – Budget funds to cover his or her service – Letter of support is required
Lessons Learned • Reasonable budget – If you propose an activity, there should be a budget line item to cover it – Try to secure your chair or dean’s commitment to cover extended warranty for your requested equipment, which shows you have institutional support and you have plans to sustain operations of equipment beyond funding periods
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