All Clarkson faculty are invited to participate in the sixth annual week-long Proposal Writing Retreat June 24-28, 2024 hosted by the Institute for a Sustainable Environment (ISE) and Sponsored Research Services (SRS). The retreat mostly provides the time and space for individuals or teams to focus on writing their proposals. We also provide the opportunity to participate in research-focused “Ask the Experts” seminars (1 hr/day), peer review and feedback sessions, focused time with the retreat leaders, and meetings with campus administrators who support research activities.
If you are interested in the retreat, please register and answer a few brief questions here: https://forms.gle/bJmcJfAwXvttJDHf9.
What is it? The retreat is a week-long workshop that allows you to work without distraction and to obtain advice and feedback from experts and peers on components of your application to a federal or nonfederal sponsor. The objective is that you will have a near-submission-ready application upon completion of the retreat.
Where is it? The retreat in person in the ERC Innovation Hub (second floor of the Educational Resource Center). The individual meeting rooms will be reserved for the week. We will provide coffee and lunch service. You may also join the retreat remotely via Zoom.
Who is it for? While initially the intended audience was early career faculty, the retreat has been redesigned to accommodate all Clarkson faculty who are preparing a proposal and could benefit from the structure and resources provided during the retreat.
What is the daily schedule? Each day there will be a brief morning meeting to connect with senior leaders on campus engaged in the research enterprise, a lunch-time “Ask the Experts” seminar, and a scheduled opportunity to obtain direct feedback on your ideas or draft.
What are the “Ask the Experts” seminars? The “Ask the Experts” seminars are 1-hour meetings to dive in on topics such as:
- What makes a compelling application from a reviewer’s perspective?
- What are common ‘weaknesses’ in the research plan/approach?
- What Clarkson resources are available to me for broader impacts or educational activities?
- How do I put together a budget and budget narrative?
The speakers are experienced Clarkson researchers and proposal writing experts. The “Ask the Experts” workshops are targeted for early-career faculty who are building their research programs, but all are welcomed to join.
What are the expectations? Participants are asked to come prepared with drafts of all components for their applications “in progress”. We suggest that you dedicate yourself to the full retreat, but understand that you may have other commitments. If you cannot make the full week, please let us know your schedule ahead of time when you fill out the registration form so that we can plan accordingly.
What can you do now to prepare? If you are just getting started on your proposal, you should review the solicitation and the program’s description and prepare a 1-page concept paper (consistent with program’s requirements if stated) to confirm that your topic/approaches are good fits for the program or solicitation. If you will be working on a proposal already in progress, or one that you are resubmitting, prepare an outline for what you plan to accomplish during the retreat.
Please see attached schedule for more details.
If you have questions concerning the retreat, please contact either Andrea Ferro, Professor, CEE and Assoc. Director for Research, Institute for a Sustainable Environment (ISE), aferro@clarkson.edu or Trish Lowney, Consultant, Sponsored Research Services (SRS), tlowney@aol.com.
