TIMELINE

The Office of Research gave these tentative dates:

RISE (Research Investments in Science and Engineering)

• Request for applications — early February
• Deadline — April 2
• Funding decisions — By July 2

IFHA (Interdisciplinary Frontiers in the Humanities and Arts)

• Request for applications — March
• Deadline — July 2
• Funding decisions — By Sept. 4

Read the official announcement on the Office of Research website.

New support for graduate students, too

By Andy Fell

The Office of Research has launched a new program to spur interdisciplinary research teams in science, engineering, arts and the humanities with grants of up to $1 million over three years.

The aim is to provide UC Davis faculty with “seed money” to help establish projects that can compete for major funding from government, private industry, philanthropic foundations and other external sources.

“The goal of our new Interdisciplinary Frontiers Program is to identify and support innovative projects across the campus that can benefit and enrich our lives, in areas ranging from health, agriculture, energy and the environment, to the arts and culture,”  Vice Chancellor Harris Lewin said.

“I see this program helping us to reach our campus goal of $1 billion a year in research funding, while reflecting our core values as a comprehensive land-grant university.”

The Interdisciplinary Frontiers Program includes two subprograms:

• RISE — Research Investments in Science and Engineering
• IFHA — Interdisciplinary Frontiers in the Humanities and Arts

Lewin said successful proposals would be those that promise the greatest potential for scientific and social impact, and that provide opportunities for interdisciplinary training for undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. RISE Project leaders also will be encouraged to develop partnerships with the corporate sector, and become self-supporting through external funding within three years. In the long-term, the new program is expected to stimulate economic development and jobs in our region.

A panel of external peer experts, each chaired by a UC Davis faculty member, will review the proposals in the two subprograms. The panels will then make funding recommendations to Lewin and Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph Hexter.

Available grants will range from $100,000 to $1 million over three years, with the possibility of additional funding to renovate facilities. The program is funded entirely by indirect costs recovered from grants awarded to UC Davis under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“stimulus” funds). Chancellor Linda P. B. Katehi set aside those funds for reinvestment in campus research.