Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence

Introduction to the Proposal Process

Mark Lynam, Research & Economic Development 

This session will summarize the grant cycle, introduce proposal terminology, and describe the pre-award grant process. Learn about research infrastructure available at Tennessee Tech to help you apply for and secure external research funding. 

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Grant Activation, Grant Management, and Compliance 

Gail Ligon, Business Office; Neal Hunt, Research & Economic Development

You got a grant! Now what? This session introduces the policies and procedures that govern grant spending. Build your vocabulary to understand index numbers, annual reports, import/export controls and the important rules (written and unwritten) of federal, state, local, and industry-funded research expenditures. 

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Discussion Panel: Lessons Learned as a New PI

Victoria Ayres, Agriculture; Gourab Bhattacharya, Earth Sciences; Kyle Murphy, Chemistry; Susmit Shannigrahi, Computer Science 

Hear from tenure-track faculty who’ve successfully navigated the funding landscape to secure research grants. What challenges did they face? What approach worked best? Questions welcome! 

Introduction to Budget Basics in Streamlyne

10:30 AM
Neal Hunt, Research & Economic Development 

Learn to use good faith estimates to create a simple budget in Streamlyne. This discussion will cover basic grant budget items, from indirect costs to cost sharing to subawards. Learn to build a budget during the proposal process that makes grant management easy when the project is awarded!  

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Complex Budget Showcase

11:30 AM
Mark Lynam, Research & Economic Development; Kelly Kiger, Research & Economic Development

You mastered proposal budget basics. But, what about complicated budgets? Explore a series of complex budgets in this session to learn tips and tricks for subawards, contract negotiations, budget revisions, and other budget challenges that come up during the full grant cycle. 

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Networking Lunch 

12:15 PM 

Discussion Panel: Working with a Bookkeeper

1:00 PM
Jill DeBord, Research & Economic Development; Sara Howard, Cybersecurity Education Research & Outreach Center; Karin Kopinski-Gilbert, Water Cente; and Shanae Tyree, Center for Energy Systems Research

Hear from budget bookkeepers about best practices and biggest pitfalls in managing a research budget. Explore the role of a budget bookkeeper to assist you with grant expenditures and review your fiscal responsibilities as Principal Investigator. Questions welcome! 

Research Project Management 101

10:30 AM
Rory Roberts, Mechanical Engineering 

How many projects is too many projects? Hear a first-hand account of research success and project management strategies (and challenges). Learn about the stages of planning, initiating, executing, and monitoring a project, and explore project management tools from Gantt charts to additional personnel. 

Building a Research Team: Leadership Skills and Personnel Management

11:30 AM
Thomas Timmerman, Decision Sciences & Management 

How do you build and sustain a successful research team? Explore critical leadership skills needed to recruit and retain talented students, work with collaborators and staff members, and ensure that everyone on your team feels valued and supported to conduct cutting-edge funded research.  

Networking Lunch 

12:15 PM 

Discussion Panel: Tips for Managing Multiple Awards

1:00 PM
Tania Datta, Civil Engineering; Muhammad Ismail, Computer Science; Darek Potter, STEM Center; Amy Chambers, Mathematics 

Hear from panelists who’ve successfully managed multiple sponsored projects and worked with a variety of colleagues within and beyond academia. Learn which strategies worked best as well as which strategies to avoid for project management success. Questions welcome! 

Rural Reimagined and the Tennessee Research Landscape 

10:30 AM
Michael Aikens, Research & Economic Development 

How can local and regional partnerships be leveraged to support research activity in Tennessee? Learn about the history of economic development activities in Tennessee and how such activities benefit local communities. Explore the current and future research landscape in the southeastern U.S. and discover emerging partnerships across diverse disciplines for inspiration in forming your own. 

Legislative Support for Research & Industry

11:30 AM
Terry Saltsman, Legislative Liaison 

Learn how the Governor’s budget impacts Tennessee research and how legislative funding from the state and federal level is used to advance science and technology. This session will focus on the history of legislative support for research in Tennessee, how fiscal support is allocated, and the many ways critical research topics are identified by policymakers. 

Networking Lunch

12:15 PM

Discussion Panel: Changing the World through Research and Creative Activity

1:00 PM
Colin Hill, School of Music; Kevin Liska, College of Business and iCube; Kimberly Winkle, School of Art, Craft, and Design and Appalachian Center for Craft; Melissa Geist and Jennifer Mabry, School of Nursing and Directors of ESTAR Sanos – Be Healthy

How does our research change the world? Celebrate the diversity of scholarly and creative activities that happen through Tennessee Tech-community partnerships. Hear from panelists who’ve worked hard to establish connections with local and international communities where their expertise makes a positive impact. Be inspired and identify ways that your work could do the same. Questions welcome!