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CYFC Faculty Fellows Program

2010-2011

Overview

The Faculty Fellows Program is designed to support social science faculty in their development of interdisciplinary collaborations by providing time for study and training in new research areas. This mechanism does not fund research studies per se. The Fellows Program will provide $15,000 over the course of one academic year for two course releases (or equivalent for those with non-teaching appointments) to facilitate the faculty member's training activities.

Eligibility

Tenure-track faculty members in the social sciences at all career levels are eligible to apply.

Funding Availability

Up to 5 faculty fellowships will be available during the 2010-2011 Academic Year. With support from their unit head and dean, faculty may use fellowship resources during one semester to buy out of two courses or across two semesters for release of one course (or equivalent) per semester. Primary areas for faculty development activities for 2010-2011 include:

1. Developing capacity for studying the biological bases of behavior, health, and development.
2. Developing capacity for studying diverse populations from the micro to the macro level.
3. Developing capacity for studying military personnel and their families.

Application Process

Applications for Faculty Fellow support should be submitted to the Department Head with a copy sent to the Associate Dean for Research. The Department Head, in consultation with the Associate Dean, will put forward the most promising applications to the Dean. The college Deans may forward up to three proposals to the CYFC.

Timeline

• November 16, 2009: Proposals due to Department Heads
• December 7, 2009: Department Heads forward promising proposals to the Dean
• January 11, 2010: Deans forward final proposals to the CYFC

The CYFC Steering Committee will review proposals at its February 2010 meeting.

Format

The application should be no more than two single-spaced pages and should contain the following:

1. Goals for Faculty Fellow Support
2. Activity Plan
   1. Specify the area of interest.
   2. Provide the specifics of the plan for the award period, including your choice of a mentor(s)/collaborator(s) in your chosen area of study and descriptions of their qualifications.
   3. Provide a detailed description of how the plan fits into your overall career goals and plans, including how this work will culminate in an external grant proposal.
   4. Highlight any previous work that you have done that is relevant to your plan.
   5. Present a schedule for the accomplishment of your goals. This should cover the length of the proposed award (one or two semesters) and dates for accomplishment.
3. Letters of support from your unit head and mentor(s)/collaborator(s).

Review Criteria

• Merits of the proposal and qualifications and commitment of the mentor(s)/collaborator(s).
• Centrality of the goals to CYFC's target areas.
• Feasibility of accomplishing the plan in the proposed period.
• Likelihood of further research activity by the applicant in the target areas.

Progress Report

Awardees will be required to provide a progress report at the end of the funding period, highlighting progress made and the plan and timeline for an external grant proposal.

Contact

Susan McHale (x2u@psu.edu; 814-865-2663) or Keith Aronson (kra105@psu.edu; 814-865-6909)

NOTE TO DEANS: Please email final proposals to Terry Noll (tmg3@psu.edu).

Examples of Funded Fellowship Proposals

2008

• Sherry Berenbaum view proposal (.pdf document)
• Krista M. Wilkinson view proposal (.pdf document)

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