Program Description:
Driven by an unwavering commitment to student success, STEM-NET is transforming the CSU system into a preeminent champion of inclusive access to research and learning experiences that equip diverse STEM students for thriving careers in STEM-related fields. By empowering CSU STEM leaders in pedagogy, research, and grant-writing, STEM-NET ensures the continued success of both students and faculty.
STEM-NET strategically invests in research areas that increase the potential to garner externally sponsored grants and awards to support student retention and graduation and strengthen the STEM workforce in California. The transition towards interdisciplinary collaboration is manifold. It emanates from within the scientific community as research progresses and new scientific problems emerge that are not a single disciplinary perspective. In the last decade, numerous funding programs (e.g., NSF) have been launched across the United States, designed to stimulate interdisciplinary collaboration in cognitive neuroscience, behavioral economics, and mathematical anthropology. Several of these programs seek to catalyze and support the integration of the social sciences, humanities, or arts as key participants in interdisciplinary research. One way to accomplish this goal is to provide SEED funding to faculty cohorts to increase the number of externally funded projects across the CSU.
As noted in the 2004 National Academies report, "Interdisciplinary research is a mode of research by teams or individuals that integrates information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts, and/or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge to advance fundamental understanding or to solve problems whose solutions are beyond the scope of a single discipline or area of research practice."
The STEM-NET Faculty Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research SEED Grant Program aims to support and encourage the development of interdisciplinary research and scholarship collaborations by faculty members in STEM and the social sciences, humanities, and arts.STEM-NET SEED grants will fund activities that support the submission of large external grants, aligned with STEM-NET’s mission and vision.
The STEM-NET Steering Committee is seeking nominations from Campus Provosts for these grants. In subsequent years, the nature and amounts of available funding will depend on the direction taken by the Executive Director in conjunction with the Steering Committee.
Eligibility:
- The program is open to tenured/tenure-track (T/TT) CSU faculty and full- and part-time lecturers.
- At least one faculty member in the social sciences, humanities, or arts (not in an evaluation role) must be included in the faculty team.
- There is a limit of one application per CSU campus.
- Project plans and budgets should be directly linked to the data collection efforts required for the future submission or resubmission of research grant applications that are external to the California State University (CSU) system.
- Funding is to launch new projects and is not to be used to supplement ongoing funded programs.
- Research projects must involve CSU students in a significant way.
Budget Restrictions:
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Faculty salary budgets up to three (3) semester units (AWTU) ($2,489/unit) per faculty member. Only during the academic year or the summer.
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No faculty overload or travel funds allowed.
- Student Salaries should adhere to the salary policies of the Human Resources (HR) departments.
- Requests for travel funds are not allowed in this program.
- No IDC or fringe benefits are allowed.
Funding:
- Maximum Award Amount: $25,000
Project Duration:
2024-25 Faculty Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research SEED Awardees
2023-24 Faculty Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research SEED Awardees
2022-23 Faculty Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research SEED Awardees