Purpose of the Program:

• The Regional Campus Research Development Program (RDP) provides regional faculty with a series of development activities designed to advance their research plans. At the end of the program, it is expected that faculty will be more competitive for extramural funding.

RDP recipients are expected to:

• Participate in on-campus workshops.
• Develop a mentoring relationship with a faculty member at Ohio University and/or at another institution.
• Conduct an agency visitation.
• Participate in peer reviews of OURC or Baker award proposals.
• Submit at least one proposal for external support.

Eligibility:

• All tenure-track regional campus faculty members are eligible. Applicants are limited to one (1) award. Priority will be given to early-career faculty, defined as new or established faculty who are beginning to engage in independent research, scholarship, or creative activity, and to seek external funding.

Program:

• It is anticipated that up to ten (10) faculty members from the regional campuses will participate in each cycle of the program.

Requirements:

1. Participate in Workshops [schedule and location to be determined]
   • Workshops will be aimed towards developing the skills required to successfully design a research plan and seek funding for a research or creative/scholarly activity project. Workshops will be scheduled January through March. Travel expenses will be paid by the recipient's regional campus following the Ohio University Travel Reimbursement Policy 41.121. Topics for workshops will include:
     • Technical writing, which will include an initial group presentation and one-on-one session during the preparation of the external proposal.
     • Ohio University internal awards programs.
     • Identification of external funding sources.
     • Preparation for sponsor visits.
     • Research ethics.
     • OURC or Baker proposal reviews to gain experience in proposal critique.
2. Develop Mentoring Relationship
   • Recipients must develop a relationship with a mentor before preparing a research plan. The prospective faculty mentor should have sufficient experience in the field of the recipient to guide the development of the recipient's research plan and external proposal, and the process of seeking external funding. Mentors can be faculty members at Ohio University or at another institution of higher learning.
3. Prepare Research Plan
   • Recipients must develop a research plan to conduct research or creative/scholarly activities. The plan will include the proposed methodology, timelines, budget, and expected outcomes, including venue for presentation.
4. Conduct Preliminary Research
   • Recipients will receive up to $3,000 and will be eligible to receive a one (1) course load reduction for one (1) quarter to complete the proposed research or creative/scholarly activities. The proposed research or creative/scholarly activities can only be initiated after completion and approval of the research plan and must be completed by January of the following year, unless an exception is granted.
5. Conduct Sponsor Visit
   • During the course of the program, recipients should identify, with input from their mentors, possible funding agencies. Upon identification of a suitable solicitation, faculty members will receive up to $450 to visit the funding agency program manager to discuss the recipient's plan for submission of a proposal.
6. Submit Proposal for External Support
   • Recipients must submit at least one proposal for external support. The proposal should be of sufficient scope to allow the recipient to conduct meaningful research or creative/scholarly activities. Upon submission of the proposal, faculty may be eligible for up to $1,500 from Research Challenge funds. The proposal must be submitted no later than 18 months after acceptance into the program.
7. Reporting Requirements
   • A final report that describes any significant outcomes, including conference papers and other publications, exhibitions, or performance reviews, must be submitted to the Assistant Vice President, Ohio University, 129 Haning Hall, Athens, OH 45701-2979, Phone: 740-597-1554, E-mail: willanw@ohio.edu within two years after acceptance into the program.

Application Procedures:

Submit eight (8) complete copies of the application by no later than 4:00 P.M. on the deadline date. The application must be prepared in type that is clear and legible, and of 12-point font (approximately 1/8 inch in height for capital letters). There must be no more that six lines of text/space within a vertical inch. Margins should measure approximately one inch (1") on all sides.

Submit the Application to:

Application Sections

Applications that do not conform to these requirements will be returned and not considered by the committee.

1. Cover page
2. Discussion, maximum length - 4 double spaced typewritten page
3. Glossary/Definition of Terms (if appropriate)
4. Bibliography
5. Biographical information, 3 pages maximum

I. Cover Page

1. Name of Applicant and academic title.
2. Campus address, phone number, and E-mail.
3. Signatures of Applicant and regional campus dean.

II. Discussion

• This section should not exceed four typewritten, double-spaced pages. The language should be easily accessible to an educated lay reader; avoid discipline-specific language as much as possible. An appropriate format for this section is:
  1. Preliminary Studies of Applicant. Provide an account of the applicant's previous and ongoing research or creative/scholarly activities. Differentiate between thesis/dissertation and independent research or creative/scholarly activities. For applicants who have been actively involved in research or creative/scholarly activities, explain how you will benefit from this program.
  2. Proposed Research. Describe as precisely as possible what are the specific aims and methodology of the proposed research or creative/scholarly activity. Include the benefits and/or significance of the research to the discipline.
  3. Collaborations: Describe any ongoing collaborations among researchers at Ohio University or with colleagues in other organizations.
• Confidentiality: If the application discloses ideas, practices, or processes for which patent protection will be or is being sought, the word "Confidential" should be placed at the top and bottom of each page that contains such information. Also, the following statement should be placed on the cover sheet immediately above the signature section.

• "The data contained in this proposal is confidential and proprietary and shall not be duplicated, used, or disclosed in whole or in part for any purpose other than to evaluate the proposal without the written permission of the author. Permission is hereby granted to the Ohio University Research Committee to evaluate this proposal in accordance with its normal procedures, which may include evaluation by evaluators both within and outside the University with the understanding that written agreement not to disclose the information shall not be required of or obtained from any such evaluators. This restriction does not limit the right of any such evaluators to use information contained in this proposal if it is obtainable from another source without restriction."

III. Glossary or Definition of Terms (If appropriate)

• Some disciplines use acronyms and/or terms that can be unfamiliar or unusual to a informed layperson. A short glossary or set of definitions can be helpful for reference purposes. An applicant is not required to include a glossary but may consider it for ease of reading and enhancement of comprehension. The glossary should not exceed one page.

IV. Bibliography

• A bibliography should be presented whenever appropriate for the proposed activity. A carefully selected bibliography can strengthen an application by indicating to the reviewer that the applicant is aware of significant and current literature in the field.

V. Biographical Information

• Name, highest academic degree, position at the University, experience, publications and accomplishments of the applicant should be provided in this section. The application will not be considered unless biographical information is provided. The vita should be limited to a maximum of three pages. Under the Publications heading, list only papers that have been published, are in press, or have been submitted for publication and are under consideration by the publisher. Papers presented, as well as abstracts, should be listed under a Paper Presented heading, not under Publications.
• List all previous research awards, including Ohio University internal awards (OURC, Baker, etc.). Include sponsor, title or project, date of award, and dollar amount. List all proposals submitted to outside agencies for this or any other research project within the past three years. Please provide a brief description of support received from college and department sources (not the university) including all start-up funds (from any source), college project support, etc., within the last three years.

Contact

Questions and other correspondence should be directed to the Assistant Vice President.