Funding-Limited Submission – Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Travel Grants Program; June 1, 2011

 

The Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), http://www.orau.org/, is a university consortium leveraging the scientific strength of major research institutions to advance science and education by partnering with national laboratories, government agencies, and private industry. ORAU manages the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education for the U.S. Department of Energy. The ORAU Consortium is comprised of 98 Ph.D.-granting sponsoring institutions, including the University of Kentucky, 19 associate institutions, and 6 branch campuses (http://www.orau.org/university-partnerships/members.aspx).

 

Travel funds of up to $800 can be requested by a faculty member from an ORAU sponsoring or associate institution or branch campus. Each ORAU Institution is limited to two requests in FY 2011 and the funds will need to be expended by September 30, 2011. Visits can be to collaborate with researchers at ORNL, Y-12, ORAU laboratories or work sites, or another ORAU institution. The request must comply with federal travel expenditure guidelines.

 

Criteria for decisions to award travel grants include:

• Potential engagement of others, especially students   
• Probability of a long-term collaboration
• New collaboration (proposed partners have no strong current ties)
• Well-defined outcome(s), such as a proposal to an identified opportunity, a white paper in anticipation of future funding, or a publication as a result of data collected during the visit

 

This program is not intended to support travel to work with current collaborations or to interact with potential collaborators at locations other than their laboratories, such as conferences. The grants may only be used to cover either travel expenses (train, plane, bus or other) or accommodation expenses. Other travel-related expenses, such as food, will not be reimbursed.  Applications must be submitted BEFORE the travel takes place (no grants will be awarded after the fact).

 

Reporting - Within 30 days of the trip, grant recipients will need to send a one-page summary of the outcomes of the trip, including any presentations made, visits with students, other benefits, and plans anticipated outcomes.

 

Because the ORAU allows member organizations to submit only two travel requests, the University of Kentucky has established an internal selection process.  Individuals interested in submitting to this program are to submit the following material electronically to the Office of the Vice President for Research at vpr@email.uky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Wednesday, June 1, 2011:

 

(1)   Name and department of the faculty member requesting travel funds

(2)   Proposed visit – specify location, potential partner to be visited, purpose/objective of the visit, history of contact between the two parties, and anticipated outcome of the travel

(3)   Total funding requested

 

The Vice President for Research will appoint a committee to review this information and make recommendations as to the University’s submissions.  The individuals selected will be notified and given the appropriate password to submit the proposal online to ORAU.

 

Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (mailto:alevan4@email.uky.edu. or 257-1663).