The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Research, Innovation and Technology Commercialization Division of Research, Graduate Studies & New Program Development
Keys to Research Program
The Tenure Track Faculty Research and Professional Development Program at UTRGV was established as a training course by the Division of Research, Graduate Studies & New Program Development in 2019. This activity will provide nine, three-hour workshops for tenure track faculty to build capacity for developing high impact research projects, peer review publications, and highly competitive research grant proposals, as well as to promote a culture of research compliance and ethical behavior.
The training program will be offered online.
Workshop dates and content to be covered are included in this printable brochure.
Participants will receive a certificate and a $500 research award upon successful completion of the training program (attending 8 out of 9 workshops). Attendance at 8 out of 9 workshops is mandatory in order to receive the incentives regardless of when one started attending.
Eligibility: Participant must hold a tenure or tenure track faculty position at UTRGV. By special request from the Dean's office, the Division of Research may set additional eligibility requirements.
Registration closed on September 15, 2020.
Photos from our past training program can be viewed here.
Workshop 1 : 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, September 25, 2020
- Introduction to Faculty Research and Professional Development Program;
- UTRGV Research Forms, Policies, and Guidelines;
- PIVOT – your expert in connecting scholars to funding opportunities;
- Identifying appropriate federal and state agencies or private foundations to support individual faculty research efforts; How to find the appropriate program and funding mechanism for research idea;
- Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA): understand eligibility requirements, goals, needs and procedures;
- How to initiate collaborations with your colleagues for potential help to accomplish your proposed goal.
- Recruiting students for research;
- Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) at UTRGV: submitting an Intent to Submitform and Proposal Transmittal Form (PTF).
Workshop 2: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, October 23, 2020
- Assistance and guidance in NSF proposal writing for CAREERand research grants;
- Identifying the Intellectual Merit and Broad Impacts for the individual faculty specific research programs;
- How to formulate clear research questions early in your proposal? Why is it important to gain the insights or information you are seeking?
- How to create a Compelling, Informative title for your Proposal;
- Research team and expertise needed to carry out the proposed work, your NSF CV and research background/accomplishment. Summary of the proposal;
- Introduction to Research Compliance, training on policies, procedures and responsible conduct in research.
Workshop 3: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, November 20, 2020
- Assistance and guidance in NSF proposal writing forNUE, MRI, REU/RET, SBIR/STTR programs;
- Identifying the Intellectual Merit and Broad Impacts for the individual faculty specific research programs;
- Transformative research vs. Incremental improvements of existing approaches and technologies;
- Key proposal elements: Introduction/Background, Rational/Needs, Goals & Objectives, Methodology, Preliminary data, Research/Educational Outcomes/Impact, Evaluation/Assessment; Resources & Capabilities;
- Assistance and guidance for NSF Budget and Budget Justifications preparation;
- NSF review and peer review processes;
- Training: Ethics and compliance in research, conducting research responsibly - mentor/mentee relationship, authorship.
Workshop 4: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, December 11, 2020
- Introduction of NIH programs: SCORE - SC1, SC2 SC3;
- Assistance and guidance in NIH proposal writing;
- Key elements of NIH proposal: Specific Aims, and Narrative Description,
- Background and Significance, Research Design & Methods, and Preliminary Studies;
- Abstract of the proposal;
- Assistance and guidance for NIH Budget and Budget Justifications preparation;
- Institutional Review Board (IRB): Human Subjects Protection.
Workshop 5: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, January 29, 2021
- Introduction of NIH programs: R series - Research Grants, K series - Career Development Awards, T&F series - Research Training and Fellowships, P series - Program Project/Center Grants;
- Assistance and guidance in proposal writing to NIH, key elements of NIH proposal: Specific Aims, Narrative Description (continuation);
- Background and Significance, Research Design & Methods, and Preliminary Studies (continuation);
- NIH Biographical Sketches;
- Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC): Animal research and UTRGV animal facility.
- Biosafety in the Lab and IBC/HBA Registration
Workshop 6: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, February 26, 2021
- Introduction of U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) research programs: Army Research Office, Office of Naval Research, and Air Force Office of Scientific Research;
- DOD Basic Research Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI);
- U.S. Air Force Research Lab Summer Faculty Fellowship Program;
- Assistance and guidance for peer review publications;
- Why should I protect my Work and Ideas with a patent? Material Transfer Agreements and Disclosure of New Technology;
- Training: Collaborative Research, International Travel and Export Controls.
Workshop 7: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, March 26, 2021
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities(ORAU) research funding and collaboration opportunity;
- Introduction of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) research programs: Basic Energy Sciences (BES); Biological and Environmental Research (BER); High Energy Physics (HEP); Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS);
- DOE Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR);
- DOE Laboratories and research opportunity with them;
- UTRGV library resources and access to supercomputing;
- Training: Conflicts of Interest.
Workshop 8: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, April 23, 2021
- Introduction to US Department of Education Research Grant Programs: Institute of Education Sciences;
- Career and Technical Education (CTE), The Cognition and Student Learning (CASL), The Early Learning Programs and Policies, The Education Leadership, The Education Technology Research Program, The Effective Teachers and Effective Teaching;
- STEM Education topic (curricula, programs, and assessments);
- The Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning, (assess students, social-behavioral competencies, and teacher practices);
- Commitment to sustainable practices in academics, research, operations, governance, and engagement;
- Individual faculty Research and Lab Website development;
- Training: Time & Effort reporting.
Workshop 9: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, May 7, 2021
- Introduction to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Research Grant Programs: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative;
- USDA programs: Agricultural Research Service (ARS); Economic Research Service (ERS), and The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS);
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity;
- Initiating collaborations and Summer fellowship activity;
- Training: Property Management.
For more information, contact Dr. Karen Martirosyan at karen.martirosyan@utrgv.edu or (956) 882-6736.