The University of Iowa Obermann Center for Advanced Studies Invites all UI faculty to submit proposals to design and direct the Summer 2006 Research Seminar

 

• Revised guidelines  
• Increased funding  

The Obermann Center for Advanced Studies and the Office of the Vice President for Research invite all UI tenure track faculty members in all fields to submit proposals to design and direct the Center's Summer 2006 Research Seminar.   One grant of $45,000 will be awarded.

Obermann Research Seminars bring together anywhere from 8 to 15 UI and visiting scholars and researchers for 1-3 weeks for sustained interaction at the Obermann Center.   Proposed seminars may use any format, but should be designed to maximize discussion and to ultimately result in a scholarly publication or creative work.   

Our newly revised guidelines invite both tenured and tenure-track UI faculty to apply to direct a seminar, give the seminar director the choice of directly inviting the majority of seminar participants or of selecting many or all participants through a competition, and encourage seminar directors to use any format they desire.   Preference may be given to seminars that involve some UI scholars.  

Up to $45,000 -- an increase of $5,000 -- is available for director and participant stipends, speaker fees, and administrative costs.   The increment was in response to previous directors recommending funding for student research assistants, but the seminar director may use it to support any seminar expense.

The Obermann Center provides meeting rooms, offices with computers and internet connections, as well as a variety of support services, including library delivery service.   The Center will handle all administrative, financial, and housing details associated with the seminar.

The Seminar Director will work closely with the Obermann Center to develop the final plan and budget for the Seminar.

Here are some hypothetical examples of seminar proposals:  

• Four UI faculty and four scholars from other U.S. and international universities in law, sociology, and social work propose a seminar on domestic violence.
• A UI faculty member in Engineering proposes a seminar in groundwater pollution.   Other participants are selected through an international competition.  
• Three UI faculty in English and five writers from other universities propose a seminar in memoir.   

Obermann Summer Research Seminars are funded by the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, the C. Esco and Avalon L. Obermann Endowment, and the Office of the Vice President for Research.

Deadline:   Applications must be received at the Obermann Center by Tuesday April 19, 2005.   

Obermann Summer 2006 Research Seminar

GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING PROPOSALS

Please submit only one proposal.   Please write your proposal so that it will inform and engage reviewers who may not be familiar with the proposed area of scholarship.

Reviewers will use the following criteria to judge the proposals:

• the importance of the topic;
• the likelihood that the proposed seminar will significantly advance research on the topic;
• the strength of the confirmed or potential seminar participants;
• the likelihood that the seminar will lead to an important publication;
• the director's record of research or creative activity in the proposed area and the likelihood that the director(s) can attract applicants, can lead a productive seminar, and can develop a publication.

If an applicant previously received a grant from the Obermann Center, the results of that grant also may be taken into consideration.

Applications should contain all of the following material:  

A cover sheet that includes:

• the title of the proposed seminar;
• the name, title, department, office address, telephone number and e-mail address of the seminar director(s);  
• the signature of the director's departmental executive officer.  
• A narrative (3-5 pages, single-spaced) that answers these questions:
• Why is the topic important?  
• How will the seminar build on and advance scholarship on the proposed topic?   What issues are to be explored? What questions are to be answered?   
• What anticipated scholarly products will result from the seminar?
• Who are the participants?   Please state whether you wish to directly invite participants or wish to hold a competition to identify participants.   If you wish to select your own participants who will serve as a core group or as the majority of the participants, please include biosketches or brief CVs, which include rank, institution, degrees, relevant publications and grants.   If you choose to hold a competition to attract participants, please indicate the kinds of researchers who might be interested and, if applicable, identify UI faculty who might be interested in applying.   Whether you personally invite participants or hold a competition, we encourage the participation of UI faculty.  
• The director's biosketch or curriculum vitae (4 pages maximum, including degrees, appointments, relevant publications, recent internal and external grants and the projects they supported).   Please list any previous Obermann grants and circle any resulting publications or creative work.

No budget is required at this time.   The director(s) of the selected seminar will work with the Obermann Center to develop a final plan and budget.   

Interested UI faculty members are encouraged to telephone (335-4034) to discuss their ideas.  

Deadline:   Proposals must be received by Tuesday April 19, 2005.    Please submit eight copies of the application materials to:   Jay Semel, Director, Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, N103 Oakdale Hall.