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Research Development LAUNCH PAD

LAUNCH PAD Spring 2023 workshops

Research Development LAUNCH PAD – Learning About, Understanding, and Navigating Competitive Honors and ProposADevelopment

LAUNCH PAD is a workshop series focused on helping early career faculty create a strong foundation to compete for external funding and recognition in research, scholarship, and/or creative activities. The series is also appropriate for research scientists, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and other faculty who would like to improve their existing skills and knowledge. Attendees will learn about resources, strategy, and skill development across a broad range of proposal development topics. Each session includes a presentation and Q&A with Research Development staff and/or other subject matter experts.

LAUNCH PAD continues on the first Tuesday of every month from 3:30p -5:00p.

January 3, 2023: Incorporating Convergence into Your Research (ZOOM)
Complex teams are often needed to solve today’s complex challenges. Learn the best practices for working in teams where potential is realized and synergy is possible. This session will provide a basic understanding of new concepts and practical tips to apply in your own research, whether leading a team or participating as a valuable member. 

 

February 7, 2023: Finding Competitiveness in Supplementary Documents (ZOOM)
Supplementary documents (biographical sketch, current and pending support, data management plan, facilities, etc.) are often an afterthought in the proposal development process, leaving missed opportunities for bolstering a project’s overall competitiveness. Beyond the page-limited technical narrative, supplementary documents offer additional opportunities to strategically influence reviewers and funders. This workshop will discuss how these documents play an important role in supporting the credibility of a proposal and provide tips for holistically crafting more competitive supplementary documents to make your proposal stand out from the rest. 

 

March 7, 2023: Audacious Budgets for Big Ideas (ZOOM)
This budget strategy presentation will discuss how to ask for—and get—the funding you need to accomplish big goals, including how to create a budget that credibly supports a project’s scope of work, how to leverage existing investments, and when and how to make a pitch for additional resources. This session does not include the financial details of budget development (e.g., determining tuition costs, indirect cost rates, effort commitments, etc.).  

 

April 4, 2023: Broadening Participation Strategies to Support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Your Proposal (ZOOM)
Increasing the participation of traditionally underrepresented populations is crucial for innovations in research and teaching. This workshop will share resources, guidance, and examples to create effective broadening participation plans that address the marginalization of people based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, disability status, socioeconomic status, gender, and/or sexual orientation, with the ultimate goal to create systemic changes that encourage diversity and inclusivity.  

 

May 2, 2023: Writing a Compelling and Responsive Proposal (ZOOM)
Cut through the clutter and create a proposal that reviewers will actually enjoy reading. Learn how to address the sponsors’ interests and use the power of rhetoric and graphics to sell your idea. This session will explain how proposal writing differs from academic writing and provide a valuable set of tips and tools to take your proposal writing to the next competitive level. 

 

June 6, 2023: Proposal Post-Mortems and Pivots (ZOOM)
Unfortunately, sometimes great ideas don’t get funded. This session will discuss how to maintain your momentum and enthusiasm, analyze reviewers’ comments, decide whether or not to resubmit, and how to rework your proposal for different funders and/or funding opportunities.