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Research Infrastructure/SEED Program

Announcement of Opportunity

Applications Open: October 26, 2022
Submission Deadline: December 12, 2022
Award Announcements: February 24, 2023

Research Infrastructure Announcement of Opportunity

Awards

Multi-institutional Awards: up to $15,000**
Major Awards: up to $10,000
Minor Award: up to $5,000

Faculty members in the first five years of their first tenure-track appointment and a full-time faculty member at a WSGC affiliate university or college should apply to the Early-Stage Investigator (ESI) funding program. WSGC will award one ESI applicant up to $10,000. The remaining applicants will be considered for the Research Infrastructure Program award.

*Based on availability of funds.
**Projects demonstrating collaboration between two- and four-year campuses or multiple four-year campuses will be eligible for the multi-institutional award.

Current and Past Award Winners

Purpose

The Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) Research Infrastructure Program is designed to provide support to faculty and research staff from the WSGC universities and colleges seeking to initiate a new or continue a current research program, as well as from the WSGC industrial affiliates to establish a space-related research program. The awards provide faculty and research staff support for a variety of activities related to developing space science, aerospace, and space-related research infrastructure.

Programs should do two or more of the following:

  • Emphasize new lines of space-related research.
  • Increase research capability.
  • Build research infrastructure.
  • Establish research collaborations.
  • Initiate research opportunities in line with the NASA Mission Directorates (For more information on NASA Directorates, see spacegrant.carthage.edu/about/mission/directorates).
  • Enhance research collaborations, mentorships, and other opportunities with NASA Centers.
  • Establish collaborations among faculty from liberal arts colleges with faculty from research-intensive doctoral universities, Wisconsin aerospace industries, and NASA Centers.
  • Implement research activities linking academic and industrial affiliates, including workshops, seminars, internships, data transfer, and technology transfer.

Successful proposals will combine a robust, relevant research project with a plan that fully integrates students into meaningful, high-caliber, significant research experiences from 10 weeks to a full or academic year, culminating in a presentation. Awards will be based on the proposal topic, quality, credentials of the investigator(s), the probability of success in developing space-related research infrastructure, and specific plans on how this seed funding will help to build this research program.

Proposed Projects Should

meet at least two or more of the following: 

  • Emphasize new lines of space-related research.
  • Increase research capability.
  • Build research infrastructure.
  • Establish research collaborations.
  • Initiate research opportunities in line with the NASA Mission Directorates (For more information on NASA Directorates, see carthage.edu/about/mission/directorates).
  • Enhance research collaborations, mentorships, and other opportunities with NASA Centers.
  • Establish collaborations among faculty from liberal arts colleges with faculty from research-intensive doctoral universities, Wisconsin aerospace industries, and NASA Centers.
  • Implement research activities linking academic and industrial affiliates, including workshops, seminars, internships, data transfer, and technology transfer.

Proposal Evaluation

Successful proposals will combine a robust, relevant research project with a plan that fully integrates students into meaningful, high-caliber, significant research experiences from 10 weeks to a full or academic year, culminating in a presentation. Awards will be based on the proposal topic, quality, credentials of the investigator(s), the probability of success in developing space-related research infrastructure, and specific plans on how this seed funding will help to build this research program.

Work Period

All funds should be expended prior to March 31, 2024.

To Apply:

Application Requirements:

Supporting Materials Required with Application:

Submit a proposal addressing each of the six elements listed below. Be sure to clearly identify each element within the proposal. Applicants will be asked to upload the proposal at the bottom of the application. It should not exceed 15 pages, including figures (see the Announcement of Opportunity for more details.

Award Acceptance Components:

As part of the award acceptance, awardees will be asked to attend the Annual Wisconsin Space Conference as outlined in the award agreement and submit the following documents on the WSGC application website under Manage Applications/Current Grant Cycle Applications.

  • Award Agreement Letter
  • Institution W9
  • Media Release Form
  • One-Paragraph Biography
  • PI Professional Photo
  • Quarterly Invoices/Cost-Share Report with Supporting Documentation
  • Office of Education Survey must be completed by November 15, 2023, and updated with Final Report
  • Interim Report (if period of performance is greater than 6 months)
  • Summary/Final Report (due 30 days after the project end date)
  • Present project at the Annual Wisconsin Space Conference
  • 2-3 project photos featuring faculty/students/program participants
  • Alumni Story

Questions?

Please direct questions about the Research Infrastructure Program to:

Gubbi Sudhakaran
Associate Director for Research Infrastructure
Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium
Associate Dean, College of Science and Health
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Phone: 608-785-8431
Fax: 608-785-8403
gsudhakaran@uwlax.edu

Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium
Carthage College
2001 Alford Park Drive
Kenosha, WI 53140
Phone: 262-551-6054
E-mail: spacegrant@carthage.edu

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