Fifteen UNL faculty members have been selected for the 2011 Research Development Fellows Program, an initiative to help pre-tenure faculty successfully compete for grants.
The Office of Research and Economic Development established the year-long program in 2009 to provide practical information and experience that pre-tenure faculty need to successfully compete for grants. The program helps fellows enhance their proposal development skills and prepare a complete proposal.
"Investment in bright, early career faculty helps provide the necessary tools and resources to create the innovative, interdisciplinary research of tomorrow," said Kimberly Andrews Espy, associate vice chancellor for research, who leads this initiative.
Thirty-three pre-tenure faculty applied for the 2011 program. A Dec. 3 kick-off event featured presentations from Espy and the Office of Proposal Development.
The 2011 Research Development Fellows are: Carrick Detweiler, Computer Science and Engineering; Eric Dodds, Chemistry; Harkamal Walia, Agronomy and Horticulture; Jiantao Guo, Chemistry; Edward Harris, Biochemistry; Courtney Hillebrecht, Political Science; Julie Honaker, Special Education and Communication Disorders; Soo-Young Hong, Child, Youth and Family Studies; Diego Riveros Iregui, School of Natural Resources; Srivatsan Kidambi, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Nicholas Miller, Entomology; Nicole Buan Murphy, Biochemistry; Timothy Nelson, Psychology; Devin Rose, Food Science and Technology; and Stacey Smith, Biological Sciences
The program's three main components are mentoring, learning sessions and consultations. Each participant is paired with a senior faculty mentor who has a strong track record of securing grants. The new fellows are finalizing their mentoring arrangements. Formal and informal learning sessions help fellows plan and write effective grant proposals, build budgets and understand the proposal review process.
Individual consultations with Office of Research and Economic Development staff provide advice and expertise as fellows develop grant proposals. The office provides an external peer review of final proposals and sponsors travel for fellows to visit federal program officers in Washington, D.C.
- Ashley Washburn, Research