T3: Texas A&M Triads for Transformation
November 3, 2017
Deans & Vice Presidents
Sent on behalf of Dr. Carol Fierke, Provost & Executive Vice President
Today, we are very pleased to announce the inaugural year of the T3 seed-grant program designed to accelerate opportunities for interdisciplinary research and scholarship that impact the state, nation and world. This announcement follows last week’s State of the University Address during which President Young announced a bold, ten-year $100 Million President’s Excellence Fund to support faculty. The T3 seed-grant program is the first initiative within the $100 Million President’s Excellence Fund to launch. More information on other initiatives will follow.
T3 stands for Texas A&M Triads for Transformation. A multidisciplinary seed-grant program administered by the vice president for research, T3 is designed to foster new research and scholarship by moving your very best ideas from a mere vision to proof of concept. This program will enable interdisciplinary teams of three faculty to develop long-term research and scholarship collaborations.
T3 Round One will fund up to 100 uniquely identified projects at a total of $30,000 each. Additional funds will be available to support the participation of undergraduate and graduate student researchers in the selected projects.
In an attempt to streamline the process, project ideas will be entered through a web-based interface open for others to see as submissions are made. Tenured or tenure-track faculty from at least two different colleges/schools will be invited to form three-person interdisciplinary research groups, or Triads, to accomplish the proposed project in 12-24 months.
T3 is not intended to provide faculty salaries, nor is it intended for research and scholarship collaborations that are currently or previously funded. Each faculty member may sign on to only one Triad in Round One.
The project posting period will take place from December 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018. Faculty members will then have from February 1, 2018, to February 28, 2018, to identify and invite other faculty members to form a Triad for their proposed project. After the Triads have been identified, project owners will provide short descriptions of the project and the role of each investigator, as well as a preliminary budget. Triads will report annually on outcomes such as extramural funding, recognition, and dissemination.
A drawing to fund the Triads will be held, with preference for projects that have participation by at least one assistant professor. Funded Triads will be announced by March 9, 2018.
Triads will agree to present their project at the President’s Excellence Fund Symposium planned for late September 2018.
We recommend that you start now to prepare ideas and projects for consideration. Reach out across our great university to connect with others to suggest and discuss ideas.
Please plan to attend the T3 Informational Session on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017, and a T3 Meet and Greet on Project Ideas on Friday, Jan. 19, 2018. Additional information is available at http://T3.tamu.edu.
We are excited about the availability of these funds to support you in our mission as a university to spark discovery, development and application of knowledge and ideas that serve humankind.