Research Experience & Mentoring (REM) - Informational Webinar October 22nd, 2021 EMERGING FRONTIERS IN RESEARCH
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Office of Emerging Frontiers and
Multidisciplinary Activities (EFMA)
EMERGING FRONTIERS IN RESEARCH &
INNOVATION
Research Experience &
Mentoring (REM)
Informational Webinar
October 22nd, 2021
REM PROGRAM INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR:
A supplemental funding opportunity
for grantees with Active EFRI, ERC, or IUCRC Awards
Webinar
October 22nd, 2021
Welcome & Introductions Sohi Rastegar Dana Denick Head, EFMA REM Program Coordinator Senior Advisor Associate Program Director Directorate for Engineering Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) Alias J. Smith Prakash Balan REM Program Manager REM Program Coordinator Associate Program Director, EFMA Program Director Directorate for Engineering Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP)
Purpose of this Webinar ■ Provide an overview of the Research Experience and Mentoring (REM) Program ■ Inform EFRI, ERC, and IUCRC research teams with active awards about the goals of the FY-22 REM Dear Colleague Letter (NSF 21-121) ■ Respond to questions from potential applicants
REM Supplements
■ REM is a supplementary funding opportunity for
active EFRI, ERC, and IUCRC awards
■ Motivation: Authentic research experiences +
structured mentoring are known to translate to EFRI REM University of Washington
increased Engagement, Confidence, Retention,
and Persistence in STEM
■ Opportunity: Up to $110K in supplemental
funding for one year (summer & academic year)
for six or more Research Participants (RPs)
EFRI REM UNC Charlotte
REM funding aims to both:
1. Enhance current EFRI/ERC/IUCRC projects
with new ideas and talents
2. Provide meaningful STEM-related mentored
research experience to research participants
from underrepresented communities
EFRI REM UC Boulder
What activities does the REM supplement cover? ■ 6 - 10 week paid summer research experiences for 6+ Research Participants (RPs) ■ Technical and lab training sessions for the RPs (to prepare them for their summer research experience) ■ Mentorship training for researchers and affiliated graduate students or postdocs ■ Structured mentoring activities for the RPs during the summer and throughout the academic year ■ Professional development activities for the RPs during the summer and throughout the year (Participation of RPs in research team meetings and topic-related conferences or workshops, guidance for RPs in co-authoring publications and/or posters) ■ Participation in the annual ERN Conference and/or REM grantees meeting in Washington, DC
Who can be a Research Participant (RP)? PIs may select participants at various stages of STEM development, keeping in mind that broadening participation is a goal of the program. Selected RPs should be people who may not otherwise become engaged in a research project: High-school Students and/or Teachers, Community-college Students and/or Professors, and Undergraduates with a focus on underserved communities, including: ■ Underrepresented minorities (African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders); ■ Women; ■ Veterans enrolled in post-secondary education; and ■ Persons with disabilities
Applying for REM Funding
■ Via the supplemental request function in Fastlane, submitted by the lead
PI/Institution’s Sponsored Projects Office. Information about requesting
supplemental support is contained in the NSF Proposal and Award
Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
■ In addition to the PAPPG requirements for supplemental support, the
following materials must be submitted to apply for REM supplemental
funding:
– Project Summary
– Project Description
– Recruitment Plan
– Research Participant Mentoring Plan
– Evaluation Plan
– Budget, including a budget justification. Maximum annual amount
requested (including indirect costs) is $110,000. No tuition.
– Maximum length of project description: 15 pages
– Please read the FY22 REM DCL (NSF 21-121) for details
REM Proposal Evaluation
REM supplemental proposals are evaluated
by a panel of external reviewers
NSB-Approved Merit Review Criteria:
– Intellectual Merit – nature of the research
experiences, technical activities
– Broader Impacts – involvement of the RPs,
outreach activities, mentoring/professional
development activities
Some suggestions:
Recruitment: Establish collaborations or partnerships with local, site-specific
centers or schools:
Inner-city or other high-needs K-12 schools
Community colleges that serve underrepresented populations
Four-year colleges that serve underrepresented populations
Outreach offices at your institution
Community centers, YMCA, etc.
Student & Professional Associations
Mentoring: Seek mentoring and/or mentor training materials online or via your
outreach or faculty development office. Perhaps there are mentoring sessions
being offered on-campus. (REM funds can be used for these training sessions).
Examples:
– Center for Improvement for Mentored Experiences in Research
(CIMER)
– NIH National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN)
– Mentoring Catalyst Program – mentoringcatalyst.org
Provides mentor training to REM mentorsREM MENTORING CATALYST The REM Mentoring Catalyst 2.0 initiative is designed to build a REM mentoring community comprised of current and future science and engineering mentors. The overarching mission is to catalyze a programmatic change that positively impacts the mentors and the student/teacher mentees in view of the importance of faculty mentoring. The Catalyst Program has three main goals: • Provide meaningful and effective training of REM faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral mentors to impact the overall research experiences of their mentees. • Build an online community and web portal for REM mentors to share ideas and provide support for real-time mentoring issues. • Strengthen mentoring relationships between faculty mentors and their graduate and post-doctoral mentees. • NSF Award #s: 1551283, 1551323, 2040078, 2040103
Support for REM
Applicants and Active
REM Programs
One of the main goals of the Mentoring Catalyst Program is
to help provide support for REM program applicants and
active programs:
• Promoting the importance of Mentor Training
• Empowering EFRIs, ERCs, and IUCRCs to practice
mentoring best practices
• Catalyzing and strengthening the REM communityImportant Dates & Information REM proposal deadline: November 17, 2021 Decisions Expected: End of January 2022 15 awards funded in FY21 Each award is limited to $110,000 and one-year duration REM Grantees Meeting and/or Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference - Held in February of each year
Your Questions
How is the REM supplement different from an REU or
RET?
─ A broader range of participants is allowed
─ Combinations of people at different STEM
developmental stages are allowed/encouraged
─ Structured mentoring is required
─ Final presentations are expected
─ Year-long structured mentoring and professional
development activities
─ Evaluations of success in broadening participation and
success in inspiring STEM engagement are required.Your Questions My EFRI/ERC/IUCRC award is in its final year. Can I apply for supplemental funding? ─ Yes. Based on the merits of your proposed plan, we are likely to offer a "no-cost extension" of the grant to allow you to participate, enhance your research, and open your lab to those who could benefit from the experience.
Your Questions May I sponsor a student in my lab if the person comes from my EFRI, ERC, IUCRC Co-PI’s institution? ─ Yes. You may target any US citizen/permanent resident.
Your Questions Do we need to host all the participants in our lab? ─ Not necessarily. Collaboration is encouraged. If your Co-PIs host some of the participants, the participants don’t have to be in the same geographical location. However, please plan for all RPs to participate in team building exercises throughout the year. Issues of budget management, etc., are the responsibility of the PI or Co-PI applying for the supplemental funding.
Your Questions Do we really have to have SIX research participants? ─ The TARGET is six, supported Research Participants. (Several current grantees have managed to support more.) We will look to the budget justification and the merits of your proposed plans and will still look favorably on an exciting, creative proposal with fewer research participants. Good justification must be given for proposals with less than 6 research participants.
Your Questions How extensive should the proposal be? ─ Of course, a full application for supplemental funding is required, BUT the critical components in this case are the project description, recruiting plan, mentoring plan, evaluation plan, and budget/budget justification.
Your Questions Could this funding be used to support minority/underrepresented graduate students? ─ Yes, Graduate students may serve as mentors to the RPs and assist in lab/technical/professional training activities – as well as attend the REM grantees meeting. However, if they are already being funded out of the EFRI/ERC/IUCRC award – then additional REM funding cannot be requested.
Your Questions If I’ve previously received a REM supplement may I submit for a continuation? ─ Yes, but it wouldn’t be a continuation. You will need to submit a new proposal and it will have to compete for the supplement. We encourage current or past REM awardees to submit proposals each year.
Your Questions I have a small amount of money left over from a non-EFRI, ERC, or IUCRC grant. Could I use those funds to purchase materials and/or provide a housing allowance for REM RPs? ─ If it is not a violation of the terms of the other contract, we see no conflict. Still, it would be best to disclose your intentions in the application for supplemental funding. The existence of these funds will not directly affect the review of the proposal.
Your Questions If my Co-PIs and I want to submit applications for REM supplements, should we do so separately or coordinated through one of us? ─ Your proposal should be a coordinated effort but the application must be submitted through the lead institution with a sub-award made to the collaborating institution.
Your Questions What IDC rate(s) should be charged on this project? ─ Same as for original EFRI/ERC/IUCRC grant
Your Questions
Do we have to name an external evaluator in our proposal?
─ No. The information that is wanted by NSF can be
measured internally (leverage institutional resources).
You may choose to use someone within your
university who is skilled in evaluation.
Was research accelerated/enhanced?
What statistics on underrepresented groups can
you provide?
Were the research participants inspired to adjust
their STEM career trajectories?
What evidence can you provide?Your Questions Would it be viewed positively, negatively, or neutrally if some research participants continue for a second year? ─ Probably neutrally. However, you need to make a case that it is empowering in some way; allows for longitudinal study or helps with the transitions of new participants.
Your Questions May I propose bringing in two high school teachers and four high-school juniors as research participants? Could we propose hosting a professor from a Minority-serving institution and provide support for an undergraduate working jointly with her and the EFRI/ERC/IUCRC researchers? ─ Yes. Absolutely. Such plans would provide for multi-level, multi-directional mentoring.
Your Questions Would reviewers look unfavorably on an existing program that changes the target RP population? ─ Not necessarily, It depends on how well the proposal describes the decision-making behind any program changes.
Q&A
You can also read
