Research/Project Planning

1. Research/Project Planning Matt Ronning Associate Vice Chancellor and Director Research Administration at NC State

2. Research/Project Planning • Positioning Your Work • Goals and Objectives • Building on Strength & Identifying Need • Funding Strategies • Academic Programs • Growing Your Program • Potential for Recognition/Success • Planning and Coordinating Growth • Publicity Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

3. Positioning Your Work • Global • Your knowledge domain, discipline or industry • Local • Your department, unit, college and NCState • Is there a good fit? Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

4. Goals • What is the overall goal of your research program? • Clear, simple terminology • Eg. “bipedal locomotion” “heterogeneous combustion” • Serves as a signpost - years of activity • Tied to established knowledge/research domain • Recognized experts • Well established literature Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

5. Department/University Goals • What is the relation of your work to existing activities and resources? • Convergent, parallel or divergent • What opportunities are there to build collaborative/interdisciplinary relations? • What are NCState’s goals for building expertise? Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

6. Existing Strengths • What background or track record do you possess? • Refereed publications, patents, sponsored projects • What background or track record does your Department/Unit possess? • Refereed publications, patents, sponsored projects Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

7. Strengths cont’d. • What existing resources or infrastructures are underutilized? • Identify areas of weakness • Where do you need to build strength or demonstrate expertise? • What strengths/expertise can you bring to a collaboration? Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

8. Identification of Need • Opportunities to build strength or foster growth • Industry identified needs • State or Federal needs or mandates • Special allocations or opportunities • Includes philanthropy • Distinguish long and short-term needs Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

9. Potential Funding Partners • Industry Contracts • State/Federal Grants • Private Grants or Gifts • What does each provide funding for? • Specific work product - salaries • Equipment and infrastructure • Travel, consumables, indirect costs • What does each expect in return? Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

10. Graduate Education • Are doctorates being awarded at NCState in your area? How many per year? • Will your work produce new researchers? • Is there an adequate supply of trained graduate students in your area? • Will you have enough GRAs Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

11. Graduate Education cont’d. • What is the size of the graduate faculty working in your area? • Will there be adequate flexibility to release you from teaching and other duties? Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

12. Undergraduate Education • What opportunities exist to involve undergraduates in your research? • Additional funding may be available, especially in SMET areas. Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

13. Growing Your Work • How do you achieve success? • National reputation, proven track record • How do you manage growth? • Is there a strategy for achieving realistic goals? Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

14. National Reputation NOT TODAY!!! • Start small • Define low $, short duration projects with focused objectives • Publish results • Network • Conferences, trade and professional meetings, other researchers Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

15. Proven Track Record • Best measure of potential success • Match proposals with resources available • Research your funding source(s) • What/who are they funding? • In what amounts? • Is this a growth area? • Line up and use reviewers before submitting Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

16. Strategize and Plan Growth • Establish a reasonable agenda • Team member with other PI (post-doc) • Co-PI with senior researcher - large projects • Experience with large staff/workforce • Sole PI on small projects • Small staff/workforce • PI or co-PI on large projects • Large staff workforce Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

17. Planning Growth cont’d. • Plan with your administrator • Will adequate release time, matching funds, equipment and infrastructure be available? • Develop 1 year, 3 year and 5 year projections • Know the approval hierarchies • Who needs to know what? When? • Especially important with different funding sources and strategies Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

18. Department/ Unit/ University Growth • What spaces/labs? • Is there physical space to grow your program? • What support staff? • What clerical, fiscal and other resources? What growth plans? • What GRAs? • How does growth in your research program affect growth in graduate studies? Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

19. Growth cont’d. • What research scientists? • What human resources are available? How is their time budgeted/allocated? • What is your department’s/college’s indirect distribution policy? • What portion of those funds may be re-invested in your research program? Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

20. Publicity • Do not ignore the popular press. • Can you explain the value of your work to a lay audience? • Recall your overall program goal. • Think both locally and globally. Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

21. Bottom Line(s) • Understand your work at multiple scales. • Plan - short term, mid term and long term. Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU

22. Grantseekers Ten Golden Axioms • You write proposals, you get grants • The Golden Rule Prevails: He Who Has the Gold, Rules • Always be Positive • Funding Agencies (even Federal Agencies) are Managed by People. Source Unknown

23. Grantseekers Ten Golden Axioms • If YOU Don’t Ask, YOU Don’t Get Funded • Read the Guidelines -- Before All Else Fails!! • Don’t Ask For Money -- Provide the Grantor with an Opportunity to Support Your Project Source Unknown

24. Grantseekers Ten Golden Axioms • You Need to Answer Only Six Questions: Who, Why, Where, What, When, and How Much • If you Re-submit Four Times and Still Aren’t Funded -- Get a New Idea • Be Sure to Edit Carefully Source Unknown

25. More Hints on Proposal Development • Follow Instructions • Identify Concrete Objectives • Contact the Sponsor • Discuss objectives • Discuss strategies • Be and expect cold honesty • Demonstrate Value to the Sponsor Source: NAAEE/June 11, 1993

26. More Hints on Proposal Development • Carefully evaluate the demands and effects your project will have on the institution • Don’t wait until the last minute • 5 days early at SPA • Iron out project time line before submitting the proposal Source: NAAEE/June 11, 1993

27. Make Your Proposal Appealing • Be precise • Don’t be wordy • Use plain English • Limit appendices to those required Source: NAAEE/June 11, 1993