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ECI Working Group Proposals

Fall 2008

Funded Working Groups

Funding is available through ECI for approximately four working groups during the 2008-2009 academic year. The purpose of ECI funded working groups is to develop new interdisciplinary courses, publications or proposals and to increase the level of interdisciplinary collaboration at Brown and between Brown and other affiliated institutions.

A second funding opportunity for small grants (less than $2500) will be announced soon.

Discussion at ECI's annual retreat will form the basis of some working group proposals, but does not guarantee funding.  We strongly encourage additional proposals. Working groups may take any of several formats, including, but not limited to:

  • Graduate seminars
  • Winter break or spring break intensives
  • Regular discussion groups
  • Weekend workshops

Successful proposals will meet three key criteria:

  • Lay out a plan for devloping new research concepts, collaborations or teaching approaches
  • Include faculty and concepts from at least two departments or institutions
  • Clearly state a specific intended outcome such as a
    • Funding proposal (if possible, cite a specific RFP)
    • New course proposal
    • Publication (state target journals, if possible)

A complete proposal will consist of:

  • 2-3 page narrative describing the proposed project, its novelty and relevance, background information adequate to permit evaluation by faculty from disparate departments, and the proposed outcome, work plan and timeline.
  • List of participants. A majority of listed faculty should be affiliated with ECI or be willing to become ECI affiliates.
  • Budget: Maximum $15,000. Allowable budget items include summer salary for faculty, funding for grad assistants, travel for outside collaborators or experts, sample costs for pilot data, geographic or other data sets.

Proposals must be submitted to bonnie_horta@brown.edu no later than midnight December 15. The review committee will consist of the ECI director, plus one faculty member each from Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Geological Sciences, and Sociology.