HASS FLASH GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT Fall 2014
HUMANITIES, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES FLASH GRANT PROGRAM
The Dean’s Office is pleased to announce the third year of the HASS FLASH GRANT Program. HASS FLASH GRANTS are designed to support modes of scholarship or projects in the humanities, arts and social sciences that are not typically supported by other programs at Rensselaer. Modes of scholarship may include artistic production and performance, archival work, research on cultural production, or ethnographic fieldwork. Projects may range from convening HASS Research Roundtables to enable internal and external scholars to explore new research foci, to costs associated with production and performances, to publication support or publication subvention. FLASH grants funds may not be used to purchase equipment.
We encourage applications from HASS faculty seeking to engage insightfully with the Rensselaer Institute for Data Exploration and Applications (IDEA); the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS); and/or the Center for Cognition, Communication, and Culture (CCC). The Center is focused on the intersection and interdependency of cognition, communication, and culture in the context of contemporary research, technology, and society. This encouragement is not meant to preclude proposals from HASS faculty whose research is not engaged with IDEA, CBIS, or CCC.
HASS FLASH grant application review is competitive based on the following criteria: (1) Potential for broad social and cultural impact; (2) Alignment with and contribution to the overall mission of HASS and the CCC; and (3) Plans for further development or iteration of the project. Awards range from $500-$5,000. Applicants must complete a thorough, documented search for external support before applying. Assistance with searches is available.
Applications should be submitted to Dean Button, Director of Program Development by Sept. 15, 2014 for consideration in the Fall round. Each application must contain the following:
- Cover Page that includes proposer’s name, academic department, rank and years at rank; Title of the Project; amount of funding requested; signature of relevant Department Head; and a 1-2 paragraph Executive Summary;
- Project Description (maximum 5 pages) describing the project; addressing review criteria; including a statement of future research or creative intent; and laying out qualitative or quantitative metrics for documenting overall success or completion;
- Budget in spreadsheet format;
- Budget Justification that includes evidence of an exhaustive search for external funding;
- 2-page Curriculum Vita.
This program is exclusively for full-time tenure and tenure-track faculty and professors of practice in the School of Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences. Preference will be given to research not typically supported by Office for Research programs. Faculty who receive funds from the Office for Research may not apply to the HASS FLASH GRANT Program in the same fiscal year. Faculty who receive FLASH GRANT funding may not apply for additional FLASH GRANT funding in the same fiscal year. Questions regarding eligibility should be addressed to the Director of Program Development. Non-tenure track faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students are ineligible.
The Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research administers the HASS FLASH GRANT program with advisement from the Faculty Research Committee, a review committee consisting of one faculty member from each department appointed by the School’s Executive Committee. The Faculty Research Committee is supported by the Director of Program Development and chaired (ex-officio) by the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies or the designee of the Dean. Recommendations are advisory to the Dean, who will make the awards.
Faculty who receive an award must account for all expenses according to Institute and School standard practices and policies. The faculty member must submit a written assessment or status report of the funded project to the Director of Program Development no later than June 1 of the fiscal year that the award was granted. The purpose of the written assessment is to evaluate the effectiveness of the HASS FLASH GRANT Program and provide information on ways to improve the program.