The Graduate College invites proposals from faculty and graduate students for 2012-2013 Focal Point projects. The full RFP is available on the Graduate College website at http://www.grad.illinois.edu/focal-point-feature.
Focal Point is an initiative that seeks to stimulate the formation of new intellectual communities made up of faculty and graduate students addressing topics that undergird important issues and problems of our time. With this initiative we hope to engage faculty and graduate students to advance knowledge in areas of critical national and human need. Whether looking at the increasing challenges in global health and engineering, global economic and social issues, or the challenges of understanding and communicating in an increasingly complex world, solutions will encompass multiple disciplines and require innovative thinking. Of particular interest are new collaborations that explore the interfaces between disparate fields of scholarship. This year there are special opportunities for collaborations that bridge international institutions and for work that addresses issues of domestic diversity.
In addition to new Focal Point proposals, we also invite Phase II proposals from previous Focal Point project teams. Phase II projects should build on previous Focal Point collaborations to reconceptualize the project framework and develop new directions for the group.
Proposal Review: Proposals will be reviewed by faculty/student panels. Final selection will be made by the Graduate College. Selection criteria will include intellectual merit, impact on graduate students and education on campus, anticipated contributions to interdisciplinarity and diversity on campus, and establishment of international networks for graduate education.
Funding: Up to $15,000 per project selected.
Duration: Projects must begin August 2012 and contain activities for two academic semesters or a 12-month period.
Proposals should be uploaded to the Graduate College website by March 26, 2012.
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