Research/Project Planning
Matt Ronning
Associate Vice Chancellor and Director
Research Administration at NC State
Research/Project Planning
Positioning Your Work
Goals and Objectives
Building on Strength & Identifying Need
Funding Strategies
Academic Programs
Growing Your Program
Potential for Recognition/Success
Planning and Coordinating Growth
Publicity
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Positioning Your Work
Global
Your knowledge domain, discipline or
industry
Local
Your department, unit, college and NCState
Is there a good fit?
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Goals
What is the overall goal of your research
program?
Clear, simple terminology
– Eg. “bipedal locomotion” “heterogeneous combustion”
– Serves as a signpost - years of activity
Tied to established knowledge/research domain
– Recognized experts
– Well established literature
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Department/University Goals
What is the relation of your work to
existing activities and resources?
Convergent, parallel or divergent
What opportunities are there to build
collaborative/interdisciplinary relations?
What are NCState’s goals for building
expertise?
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Existing Strengths
What background or track record do you
possess?
Refereed publications, patents, sponsored
projects
What background or track record does
your Department/Unit possess?
Refereed publications, patents, sponsored
projects
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Strengths cont’d.
What existing resources or
infrastructures are underutilized?
Identify areas of weakness
Wheredo you need to build strength or
demonstrate expertise?
What strengths/expertise can you bring
to a collaboration?
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Identification of Need
Opportunities to build strength or foster
growth
Industry identified needs
State or Federal needs or mandates
Special allocations or opportunities
– Includes philanthropy
Distinguish long and short-term needs
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Potential Funding Partners
Industry Contracts
State/Federal Grants
Private Grants or Gifts
What does each provide funding for?
– Specific work product - salaries
– Equipment and infrastructure
– Travel, consumables, indirect costs
What does each expect in return?
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Graduate Education
Are doctorates being awarded at
NCState in your area? How many per
year?
Will your work produce new researchers?
Is there an adequate supply of trained
graduate students in your area?
Will you have enough GRAs
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Graduate Education cont’d.
What is the size of the graduate faculty
working in your area?
Willthere be adequate flexibility to release
you from teaching and other duties?
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Undergraduate Education
What opportunities exist to involve
undergraduates in your research?
Additional funding may be available,
especially in SMET areas.
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Growing Your Work
How do you achieve success?
National reputation, proven track record
How do you manage growth?
Isthere a strategy for achieving realistic
goals?
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
National Reputation
NOT TODAY!!!
Start small
Definelow $, short duration projects with
focused objectives
Publish results
Network
Conferences, trade and professional
meetings, other researchers
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Proven Track Record
Best measure of potential success
Match proposals with resources available
Research your funding source(s)
What/who are they funding?
In what amounts?
Is this a growth area?
Line up and use reviewers before submitting
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Strategize and Plan Growth
Establish a reasonable agenda
Team member with other PI (post-doc)
Co-PI with senior researcher - large
projects
– Experience with large staff/workforce
Sole PI on small projects
– Small staff/workforce
PI or co-PI on large projects
– Large staff workforce
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Planning Growth cont’d.
Plan with your administrator
Willadequate release time, matching funds,
equipment and infrastructure be available?
Develop 1 year, 3 year and 5 year
projections
Know the approval hierarchies
Who needs to know what? When?
Especially important with different funding
sources and strategies
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Department/ Unit/ University Growth
What spaces/labs?
Is there physical space to grow your program?
What support staff?
What clerical, fiscal and other resources? What
growth plans?
What GRAs?
How does growth in your research program affect
growth in graduate studies?
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Growth cont’d.
What research scientists?
What human resources are available? How
is their time budgeted/allocated?
What is your department’s/college’s
indirect distribution policy?
What portion of those funds may be re-
invested in your research program?
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Publicity
Do not ignore the popular press.
Can you explain the value of your work to a
lay audience?
Recall your overall program goal.
Think both locally and globally.
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Bottom Line(s)
Understand your work at multiple scales.
Plan - short term, mid term and long
term.
Adapted from a presentation by the late Charles Calvo of MSU
Grantseekers Ten Golden Axioms
You write proposals, you get grants
The Golden Rule Prevails: He Who Has
the Gold, Rules
Always be Positive
Funding Agencies (even Federal
Agencies) are Managed by People.
Source Unknown
Grantseekers Ten Golden Axioms
If YOU Don’t Ask, YOU Don’t Get
Funded
Read the Guidelines -- Before All Else
Fails!!
Don’t Ask For Money -- Provide the
Grantor with an Opportunity to Support
Your Project
Source Unknown
Grantseekers Ten Golden Axioms
You Need to Answer Only Six
Questions: Who, Why, Where, What,
When, and How Much
If you Re-submit Four Times and Still
Aren’t Funded -- Get a New Idea
Be Sure to Edit Carefully
Source Unknown
More Hints on Proposal Development
Follow Instructions
Identify Concrete Objectives
Contact the Sponsor
Discuss objectives
Discuss strategies
Be and expect cold honesty
Demonstrate Value to the Sponsor
Source: NAAEE/June 11, 1993
More Hints on Proposal Development
Carefully evaluate the demands and
effects your project will have on the
institution
Don’t wait until the last minute
5 days early at SPA
Iron out project time line before
submitting the proposal
Source: NAAEE/June 11, 1993
Make Your Proposal Appealing
Be precise
Don’t be wordy
Use plain English
Limit appendices to those required
Source: NAAEE/June 11, 1993