Textiles Research Development Travel Fund

The Research Development Travel Fund is designed to support faculty travel for the purpose of developing new funding opportunities that align with the Wilson College Strategic Plan.  Examples of eligible travels include, but are not limited to visiting federal government agencies, attending proposal development workshops, meeting with potential research partners, etc.  Due to limited financial resources, the Travel Fund currently does not support trips to attend regular research conferences which are normally covered by ledger-5 accounts.

Eligibility

Applications may be submitted by any Wilson College tenure-track or tenured faculty member eligible to submit a proposal to an external funding agency.  A maximum of one award per person per fiscal year is permitted.

Award Amount

Awards can be up to $1,500 per trip.  The total fund available is limited, and hence awards are not guaranteed. Faculty are encouraged to request funding as soon as they know they will visit a government agency or meet with a potential research partner.

Application Procedure

Applications for the Travel Fund should be submitted to the Associate Dean for Research prior to the travel.  Applications for retroactive trips will not be processed.  Applicants should complete the Wilson College Research Development Travel Fund Application Form and include the following materials:

  1. A brief justification on how the trip will benefit the development of research opportunities for the faculty.
  2. A list of expected expenses (e.g., registration fee, mileage or airfare, accommodations, meals) must be provided.

Review Process and Criteria

Applications will be reviewed by the Wilson College Research Committee. The Research Committee will make recommendations to the Associate Dean for Research and a decision will be finalized.  Award notifications will be sent to the applicants immediately after travel funds have been approved.  The selection will be made based on the following criteria:

  • Priority is given to applicants who do not have other sources of funding for travel. Applicants should utilize their release time and/or returned F&A first before requesting the Research Development Travel Fund.
  • Significance of the trip. The applicants must provide justification on how the trip will benefit the development of new research opportunities.
  • Departmental support, demonstrated through cost sharing from the applicant’s department. Cost sharing is not mandatory, but is highly encouraged.
  • Additional grant support, e.g., faculty’s own grants or start-up funds.

Reporting Requirements

A brief report must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Research within 30 days after the return of the trip.  The report should include any new funding opportunity developed during the trip, and the name(s) of key contacts made.

Non-compliant applicants may not be allowed to submit future requests to the Research Opportunity Seed Fund.

Questions regarding this solicitation may be directed to:

Xiangwu Zhang
Associate Dean for Research
(919) 515-6547
xzhang13@ncsu.edu