Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Network

Proposal Development and Evaluation Workshop for the

National Science Foundation (NSF)Õs Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program

Hilton Atlanta Airport ¥ 1031 Virginia Avenue ¥ Atlanta, GA  ¥ Tel: 404/767-9000

November 12-13, 2010

 

AGENDA

 

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12                                                                 Sinclair Room

 

AM

  8:30      Registration and Continental Breakfast

 

  9:00      Opening Session

               Welcome, Purpose, and Introductions

                     Shirley McBay, President, QEM Network

 

  9:30      -Overview of the National Science Foundation (NSF)

               -Review of Purpose of NSFÕs Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program

                     Craig Henderson, Staff Associate, Office of Integrative Activities

                           National Science Foundation

 

10:15      Coffee Break

 

10:30      Weaknesses in Non-funded MRI Proposals and

               Strengths of Funded MRI Proposals

                     Craig Henderson, National Science Foundation

 

11:00      Criteria Used in the Evaluation of NSF and MRI Proposals

                     Costello Brown, Former Dean of Graduate Studies and

                           Research and (Retired) Professor of Chemistry

                           California State University-Los Angeles, and QEM Consultant

 

11:30      Establishing the Need for Major Research Instrumentation

                     Edward Thomas, Professor, Department of Physics

                           Auburn University, and QEM Consultant

 

Noon/PM

12:00      Luncheon Plenary Session

               Ethics in Research/The Responsible Conduct of Research

                     Garrick Louis, Associate Professor

                           Department of Systems and Information Engineering

                           University of Virginia, and QEM Consultant

 

  1:30      Preparation of MRI Proposal Narrative and Budget

                     Fitzgerald Bramwell, Associate Provost

                           Howard University, and QEM Consultant

 

  2:15      Discipline-focused Breakout Groups  (See Group Assignment Sheet in Packet)

 

               Session Focus: Equipment to be Purchased and How it is to be Used

                     (Three-minute presentations per individual/institutional team)

 

                     -Biological Sciences

                           Arthur Grider, Associate Professor, Department of Foods and Nutrition

                                 University of Georgia, and QEM Consultant

                           Casonya Johnson, Associate Professor, Department of Biology

                                 Georgia State University, and QEM Consultant

 

                     -Chemistry

                           Fitzgerald Bramwell, QEM Consultant

                           Costello Brown, QEM Consultant

 

                     -Engineering

                           Arturo Bronson, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

                                 University of Texas at El Paso, and QEM Consultant

                           Jeanine Cook, Associate Professor

                                 Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

                                 New Mexico State University, and QEM Consultant

                           Garrick Louis, QEM Consultant

 

                     -Physics and Computer and Information Science and Engineering

                           Brian Blake, Professor and Associate Dean for Research

                                 College of Engineering, University of Notre Dame, and QEM Consultant

                           Edward Thomas, QEM Consultant

 

  3:45      Coffee Break

 

  4:00      Recent Experiences in Submitting Proposals in the MRI Program Competition

                     Elham (Ellie) Fini, Assistant Professor

                           Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

                           North Carolina A&T State University, and FY 2010 MRI Grantee

                     Edward Thomas, QEM Consultant

 

  5:00      Discipline-focused Breakout Groups continue in same Locations

               Session Focus: Broader Impacts of Proposed Use of Equipment

 

  6:00      Working Dinner 

               Achieving Promotion and Tenure

                     Brian Blake, QEM Consultant

 

               Overnight Assignment:  Participants revise their one-page project summaries

 


SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13                                                        Sinclair Room

 

AM

  8:30      Continental Breakfast

 

  9:00      Involving Undergraduate Students in Research

                     Arturo Bronson, QEM Consultant

                     Casonya Johnson, QEM Consultant

 

  9:30      Integrating Research into Teaching

                     Jeanine Cook, QEM Consultant

                     Arthur Grider, QEM Consultant

 

10:00      Break

 

10:15      Discipline-focused Breakout Groups Resume

               Session Focus: Discussion of Revised Project Summaries

 

Noon/PM

12:00      Luncheon Plenary Session  

               Closing Comments from NSF Staff, QEM Consultants, and QEM Staff

 

  1:30      Use of NSFÕs FastLane for Submitting Proposals/Required Reports

                     Evelyn Baisey-Thomas, Computer and Information Specialist ..... (part 2)

                           Office of Information and Resource Management, NSF (retired), and

                           QEM Consultant

 

  3:30      Adjournment