Faculty Recognition & Funding Opportunities – October 1, 2016
RECOGNITION
Leah Isseroff Bendavid, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, received an allocation on the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE). Leah’s allocation supports two projects that seek to improve the materials used in two fields of solar energy technologies – photocatalytic fuel production and hybrid organic-inorganic photovoltaics. The first examines the photocatalytic potential of a novel two-dimensional CdS/graphene bilayer nanocomposite, using density functional theory to investigate its interfacial properties, identify mechanisms of photocatalytic enhancement, and explore performance optimization through doping. The second project studies methods to enhance the efficiency of the ZnO/P3HT hybrid solar cell, using density functional theory to explicate the individual and combined impacts of doping and interfacial modification on photovoltaic properties. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), XSEDE is a single virtual system that scientists can use to interactively share computing resources, data, and expertise.
Joanna DiPasquale, Head of Digital Scholarship and Technology Services, and Laura Streett, College Archivist, are collaborators on an ambitious project spearheaded by Bryn Mawr College and funded by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). College Women: Documenting the Student Experience at the Seven Sisters Colleges brings together—for the first time online—digitized letters, diaries, scrapbooks, and photographs of women who attended the seven partner institutions: Barnard, Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Vassar, Wellesley and Radcliffe (now the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University). Launched in 2015, the site is in its pilot phase, featuring about 300 documents, and the NEH funding will expand its content, making it a richer resource for new research and teaching in women’s history.
Tracey Holland, Visiting Assistant Professor of Education, Interim Director of International Programs and Faculty Director of the Vassar English Language Learner Outreach Program, received a grant from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to host a screening of A Daring Journey: From Immigration to Education, a film by Dorothy Fadiman and Owen Tomlins that follows the stories of people who risked their lives to cross the border from Mexico to the United States. The grant will also sponsor a panel discussion of the film’s themes and their relevance to the lives of young immigrants in the Hudson Valley, and an essay contest for high school students on the subject of education and immigration.
Nancy Ide, Professor of Computer Science, is co-editor (with James Pustejovsky of Brandeis University) of The Handbook of Linguistic Annotation, newly published by Springer. Across its 1,360 pages this handbook offers a thorough treatment of linguistic annotation, an increasingly important activity in the field of computational linguistics that is fundamental to the development of language models for natural language processing applications.
Ronald Patkus, Associate Director of the Libraries for Special Collections and Adjunct Associate Professor of History, is collaborating with Bethany Hicok of Westminster College in planning and executing a three-week National Endowment for the Humanities-sponsored Summer Seminar for college and university faculty on poet Elizabeth Bishop ’34 (1911-1979). Vassar’s extensive Bishop collection, and a newly uncovered trove of her papers, will be part of the seminar Elizabeth Bishop and the Literary Archive, which Vassar will host in 2017.
Keri Van Camp, Manager of the Vassar Farm & Ecological Preserve and Field Station, in partnership with Teatown Lake Reservation in nearby Ossining, New York, received funding from Land Trust Alliance to support crucial weather station installations and upgrades for the Environmental Monitoring and Management Alliance (EMMA), a regionally-coordinated environmental monitoring network that studies large-scale and long-term environmental changes and phenomena in the region. Launched in 2013 through a Conservation Catalyst grant provided by Land Trust Alliance, EMMA is an important facet of the College’s new Environmental Cooperative at Vassar Barns.
***INTRAMURAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES***
OCTOBER 24 Faculty Committee on Research Twice a year, the Committee on Research awards funds for all phases of faculty research. The committee considers projects at any stage of development, and encourages applications where initial funding holds promise for continuing funding from extramural sources as well as research that falls outside the purview of typical external funders. In awarding research funds, the committee takes into account the likelihood of the project resulting in a finished product: the publication of a scholarly article or book, or the successful completion of a work of art, the mounting of an art exhibition or a dramatic production. All faculty members, whether tenured, on tenure-track, on more limited contracts, or emeriti, are eligible to apply. Support for summer research is only available to faculty continuing in the fall. When funds are limited and it is not possible to fund all eligible projects, the Committee will give priority to applications from those who are tenured or on tenure-track, and to those who have not recently received support from this committee or other sources. Applications for the Fall 2016 cycle are due by 5PM on Monday, October 24. For more details and application instructions, please see http://pages.vassar.edu/researchcommittee/
Completed applications should be submitted via email to researchcommittee@vassar.edu. If you have any questions about eligibility or the application process, please consult the Chair, Kathleen Susman, (kasusman@vassar.edu) or the Director of Grants Administration, Amanda Thornton, (amthornton@vassar.edu).
OCTOBER 28 The Frances D. Fergusson Faculty Technology Exploration Fund was created to encourage faculty members to explore the ways in which technology can enhance their teaching or research. Such technologies can include both computer software and peripheral devices. Requests for funds will be reviewed by the Committee on Academic Technologies (CAT), with input from the Dean of the Faculty and the Chief Information Officer (CIO). Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2016 round of grants. Please note that all applications must be submitted by Friday, October 28. Applications should include a brief statement of the need for the technology, how it would be used, the potential impact, and the expected cost. Each application must be reviewed by the appropriate Academic Computing Services (ACS) liaison before the application is submitted. To apply, and for more details about the application process, please see the Frances D. Fergusson Faculty Technology Exploration Fund website.
*** ATTENTION ASIA SCHOLARS ***
ASIANetwork, the consortium of some 160 North American colleges, strives to strengthen the role of Asian Studies within the framework of liberal arts education to help prepare succeeding generations of undergraduates for a world in which Asian societies play prominent roles in an ever more interdependent world. Deadlines are upcoming for several ASIANetwork opportunities:
November 30 Post-Doctoral Teaching Fellows - ASIANetwork will provide $40,000 to each of the selected colleges as partial support for the hiring of a teaching fellow and an additional $1,000 stipend to the fellow’s mentor: http://www.asianetwork.org/programs/postdoc/
December 1 Student-Faculty Fellows Program - ASIANetwork will provide up to $45,000 to support a project that includes a summer trip to Asia for 1 or 2 faculty members and 4 to 6 students. Open to all academic disciplines: http://www.asianetwork.org/programs/freeman-student-faculty-program/
December 9 Faculty Enhancement Program - ASIANetwork will provide a three-week summer faculty development trip to Asia: Indonesia 2017: http://www.asianetwork.org/programs/faculty-enhancement-program/
See also the D.Kim Foundation and Asian Cultural Council opportunities, below.
SOME UPCOMING DEADLINES FOR EXTERNAL FUNDING
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATHEMATICS
OCTOBER 25 NIH Academic Research Enhancement Awards (AREA) support meritorious research at undergraduate degree-granting colleges and universities in order to expose students to research and help to strengthen the research environment of awardee institutions. Projects may last up to three years, and direct costs are not to exceed $300,000. AREA grants are renewable, and preliminary data are not required. For complete eligibility and instructions, please visit NIH online at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/area.htm
New to NIH? Check out this video overview of the NIH grants process!
Plus: NIH Podcast: Drafting your vertebrate animal section for the NIH proposal
NOVEMBER 7 The Simons Foundation is accepting Letters of Interest for its Simons Early Career Investigator in Marine Microbial Ecology and Evolution Awards. Microbes inhabit and sustain all habitats on Earth. In the oceans, microbes capture solar energy, catalyze biogeochemical transformations of important elements, produce and consume greenhouse gases, and provide the base of the food web. The purpose of the program is to help launch the careers of outstanding investigators who use quantitative approaches to advance our understanding of marine microbial ecology and evolution. Investigators with backgrounds in different fields or with an interest in modeling or theory are encouraged to apply. Grants will be for $180,000 a year for a period of three years. Appropriate expenses include salary support for the investigator and postdoctoral and graduate research assistants, travel, equipment, supplies, and other research expenses. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree and have carried out research in an independent position (tenure-track or equivalent) for at least a year and no more than eight years (start date between November 2008 and November 2015) at a U.S. or Canadian institution. Letters of Interest must be received no later than November 7, 2016. Upon review, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal by February 22, 2017.
For details, please visit the Simons Foundation online here.
DECEMBER 1 The D. Kim Foundation for the History of Science and Technology in East Asia provides fellowships and grants to support graduate students and young scholars who are working in the history of science and technology in modern East Asia, regardless of their nationality, origins, or gender. Comparative studies of East Asia and the West as well as studies in related fields (mathematics, medicine and public health) are also welcome. English is the official language of the Foundation. All application materials (including sample chapters, papers, and essays) should be written in English. For details and instructions, please see http://dkimfoundation.org/wp1/fellowships/
JANUARY 11, 2017 National Science Foundation (NSF) Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) serves to increase access to shared scientific and engineering instruments for research and research training in institutions of higher education. The MRI program assists with the acquisition or development of a shared research instrument that is, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs. Instrument acquisition or development proposals that request funds from NSF in the range $100,000-$4 million may be accepted from any MRI-eligible organization. Proposals that request funds from NSF less than $100,000 may also be accepted from any MRI-eligible organization for the disciplines of mathematics or social, behavioral and economic sciences and from non-Ph.D.-granting institutions of higher education for all NSF-supported disciplines. See the full solicitation online: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15504/nsf15504.htm
Many other NSF funding opportunities are available. See the list and links here!
Rolling The Simons Foundation invites Letters of Intent for its new Targeted Grants in Mathematics and Physical Sciences program, intended to support high-risk projects of exceptional promise and scientific importance on a case-by-case basis. For projects with principal investigators at different institutions, the LOI should be submitted by the lead PI and his/her institution. Applicants will be notified within two months of the submission of the LOI. See the Simons Foundation website for complete program guidelines and application instructions: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/funding/funding-opportunities/mathematics-physical-sciences/targeted-grants-in-mps/
Rolling The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation believes that a carefully reasoned and systematic understanding of the forces of nature and society, when applied inventively and wisely, can lead to a better world for all. The Foundation makes grants to support original research and broad-based education related to science, technology, and economic performance; and to improve the quality of American life. The Foundation is unique in its focus on science, technology, and economic institutions. It believes the scholars and practitioners who work in these fields are chief drivers of the nation’s health and prosperity. In each grant program, the Foundation seeks proposals for original projects led by outstanding individuals or teams.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is interested in projects that it expects will result in a strong benefit to society, and for which funding from the private sector, the government, or other foundations is not widely available. For areas of interest and application instructions, visit the Sloan Foundation online: http://www.sloan.org/major-program-areas/?L=0%3FcHash%3D3abefb807773927e5a962594e662c143
SOME UPCOMING DEADLINES FOR EXTERNAL FUNDING
ARTS, HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
NOVEMBER 1 American Academy in Rome Invites Applications for its Rome Prize, awarded annually to emerging artists and scholars in the early or middle stages of their careers who exemplify the highest standard of excellence in arts and humanities scholarship. Fellows are chosen from the disciplines of architecture, design, historic preservation and conservation, landscape architecture, literature, musical composition, visual arts, ancient studies, medieval studies, Renaissance and Early Modern studies, and Modern Italian studies. Each Rome Prize winner is provided with a stipend, meals, a bedroom with private bath, and a study or studio. (Those with children under the age of 18 live in partially subsidized apartments nearby.) Winners of six-month and eleven-month fellowships receive stipends of $16,000 and $28,000, respectively. Visit the American Academy in Rome website for complete program guidelines, eligibility requirements and application instructions: http://www.aarome.org/apply
NOVEMBER 15 The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is accepting applications for the third year of an initiative supporting research and teaching in Buddhist studies. Working with Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation, ACLS offers an articulated set of fellowship and grant competitions designed to expand the understanding and interpretation of Buddhist thought in scholarship and society, strengthen international networks of Buddhist studies, and increase the visibility of innovative currents in those studies. Starting this year, the foundation will offer a new set of research fellowships for PhDs at any stage of their careers: The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Research Fellowships in Buddhist Studies will provide a stipend of up to $70,000, intended to allow fellows up to nine months to devote full time to the proposed project. Applicants must identify a significant scholarly product (monograph, series of journal articles, etc.) that will result from the fellowship. For complete program guidelines, application instructions, and information on related opportunities, visit ACLS online at http://www.acls.org/programs/buddhist-studies/
DECEMBER 1 Asian Cultural Council (ACC) invites proposals from individuals “exhibiting an abiding passion” and interest in cultural exchange between the United States and the countries of Asia, as well as among the countries in Asia. Each year, ACC funds about a hundred established masters as well as tomorrow's rising stars in fields such as archeology, architecture (design, theory, and history), art history, arts administration, arts criticism, choreography, composition, conceptual art, conservation, crafts, dance, design (noncommercial), filmmaking, installation art, literature, museology, music, new media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, theater, video art, video conservation, and work that defies categorization. Citizens and permanent residents of the United States are eligible to apply for a grant supporting research, study, and creative work. In Asia, ACC grants are open to citizens and permanent residents of countries located east of (and including) Afghanistan and south of Mongolia. Oceania is not applicable. There is no specific amount given for individual fellowships or organizational projects. As grants vary in length of duration (from a month to a year), amounts vary accordingly. Visit the ACC website for programs guidelines, information about previous recipients, and application procedure: http://www.asianculturalcouncil.org/apply-now/individual-guidelines
DECEMBER 7 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is accepting applications to its Scholarly Editions and Translations grants program. Grants will be awarded to support the preparation of editions and translations of pre-existing texts and documents that are currently inaccessible or available in inadequate editions. The grants are intended to support full- or part-time activities for a minimum of one year, up to a maximum of three years. Projects must be undertaken by a team of at least one editor or translator and one other staff member. Grants typically support editions and translations of significant literary, philosophical, and historical materials, but other types of work such as musical notation are also eligible. Applicants should be able to demonstrate familiarity with the best practices recommended by the Association for Documentary Editing or the Modern Language Association Committee on Scholarly Editions. Translation projects also should explain the approach adopted for the particular work to be translated. Visit the NEH website for complete program guidelines, an FAQ, information about past recipients, and application instructions: http://www.neh.gov/grants/research/scholarly-editions-and-translations-grants
JANUARY 11, 2017 NEH Digital Humanities Advancement Grants (DHAG) support digital projects throughout their lifecycles, from early start-up phases through implementation and long-term sustainability. Experimentation, reuse, and extensibility are hallmarks of this grant category, leading to innovative work that can scale to enhance research, teaching, and public programming in the humanities. This program combines the former Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants and Digital Humanities Implementation Grants programs; the combined program is offered twice per year. Proposals are welcome for digital initiatives in any area of the humanities. Through a special partnership, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) anticipates providing additional funding to this program to encourage innovative collaborations between museum or library professionals and humanities professionals to advance preservation of, access to, use of, and engagement with digital collections and services. Through this partnership, IMLS and NEH may jointly fund some DHAG projects that involve collaborations with museums and/or libraries. For full guidelines, visit NEH online at https://www.neh.gov/grants/odh/digital-humanities-advancement-grants
Many NEH funding opportunities are now open! Check out the list at https://www.neh.gov/grants
Questions about funding for research and scholarship? Contact us:
Judith Dollenmayer (5376, judollenmayer), Associate Director, Corporate, Foundation & Government Relations
Katherine Hite (7661, kahite), Professor of Political Science & Faculty Director of Research Development
Gary Hohenberger (7092, gahohenberger), Director, Corporate, Foundation & Government Relations
Lori McElduff (5490, lomcelduff), Grants Office Specialist
Patricia Pritchard (5893, papritchard), Director, Grants Accounting
Amanda Thornton (5309, amthornton), Director of Grants Administration
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