Sciences and Mathematics

Typical Timeline

Call for proposals: Early February
Deadline: Late March/Early April
Award notifications: Late April

Scope

RIMS Awards will fund the following budget items:

• Purchase of equipment or supplies related to a specific research project.
• Stipends for students to participate in research projects during the academic year or summer.
• Pay for page charges and other publication costs.
• Expenses associated with data collection on a specific project.
• Student travel expenses related to a research project conducted with the faculty member.
• Supplies or other costs involved in designing a high-impact experience for students.
• Supplies or other costs involved in designing and studying an area of concern in a course, pedagogical approach, curriculum design, etc. related to student success.
• Creating bridges with area schools and community organizations.
• Collaborations between academic affairs, student affairs, and/or undergraduate services (e.g., student organizations, residence life, service learning, tutoring).
• Interdisciplinary research projects. 

Exclusions:

• RIMS does not fund release time (AWA) to pursue a scholarly project.
• RIMS does not fund summer salary for the faculty.
• Support for faculty travel for non-data collection purposes (e.g., conference participation, poster presentation, etc.) is not eligible. (Faculty are encouraged to contact the department chair for available faculty development funds.)
• Cost for hosting guest speakers.
• RIMS does not fund the following: local travel (within 50 miles of WCU), purchase of equipment that does not directly support a specific research project, department seminars, and materials or supplies used for classroom instruction.
• Proposal duplication is not allowed. 

Example of Past RFP

• Sample RIMS RFP
• Sample RIMS Budget Sheet 

*** Applicants are responsible for following the most recent RFP when submitting proposals as guidelines and submissions processes may have changed. The CSM Dean’s Office is not responsible for proposals submitted using outdated processes or for proposals which do not follow the most current guidelines. 

Select Funded Proposals

AY 2022-2023

• L. Brumley, "Leveraging Federal Data to Meet Student Dissertation Needs." $3,995.
• K. Kolasinski, "Controlling the Surface Chemistry of Porous Silicon for Biomedical Applications." $4,000.
• S. McQueen, "Let’s Talk About It: Cultivating Dialogue and Expression in the Classroom." $2,850.
• S. Pfeil, "Is NMM, an important probe of G-Quadruplex DNA, a dimer in solution?" $3,997.

Typical Timeline

Call for proposals: Early September
Deadline: Mid October
Award notifications: Late October

Scope

The following is a list of activities that are eligible for funding. This list is meant to spark your thinking; it is not meant to be exhaustive or limiting:

i. Faculty professional development funds to design a high-impact learning experience for students.

ii. Faculty professional development funds to study/analyze an area of concern in a course, pedagogical approach, curriculum design, etc. related to student success.

iii. Stipends for students to participate in research projects or internships during the academic year or summer.

iv. Funds for equipment, supplies, or other materials* for a research or creative project that involves students and/or community partners.

v. Creating bridges with community organizations, including K-12 schools and community colleges.

vi. Collaborations between academic affairs, student affairs, and/or undergraduate services (e.g., student organizations, residence life, service learning, tutoring).

*These items may also be eligible for tech fee funds, so priority will be given to proposals for items not typically covered by tech fee funding. Tech fee applications are accepted through the CSM Dean’s Office every spring.

Select Funded Proposals

AY 2022-2023

• L. Brumley & S. Grassetti, “Applied Community-based Clinical Experiences through Service Learning in Schools (Project ACCESS).” $3,999.
• L. Cui, "Closing the Gender Gap in Computer Science." $4,000.
• M. Fork, "Place-based research on environmental change: A Goose Creek research internship to increase research access, STEM identity, and career readiness." $4,000.
• P. Loedel, "European Union Simulation Program." $3,987.

Typical Timeline

Call for proposals: Spring semester
Deadline: Spring semester
Award notifications: Summer

Scope

The following is a list of activities that are eligible for funding. This list is meant to spark your thinking; it is not meant to be exhaustive or limiting:

• Faculty professional development funds to design a high-impact learning experience for students.
• Faculty professional development funds to study/analyze an area of concern in a course, pedagogical approach, curriculum design, etc. related to student success.
• Stipends for students to participate in research projects or internships during the academic year or summer.
• Funds for equipment, supplies, or other materials* for a research or creative project that involves students and/or community partners.
• Creating bridges with community organizations, including K-12 schools and community colleges.
• Collaborations between academic affairs, student affairs, and/or undergraduate services (e.g., student organizations, residence life, service learning, tutoring).

Priority will be given to projects or activities that serve WCU students, especially underrepresented students of color and other historically underserved populations, including potentially underserved populations like transfer students, non-traditional students, international students, veterans, etc.

Tech Fee Example of Past Application

• Sample Tech Fee Application

*** Applicants are responsible for following the most recent RFP when submitting proposals as guidelines and submissions processes may have changed. The CSM Dean’s Office is not responsible for proposals submitted using outdated processes or for proposals which do not follow the most current guidelines.

Typical Timeline

Call for proposals: Mid August
Deadline: Late September
Award notifications: Mid October

Example of Past RFP

• Sample RAWA RFP
• Sample RAWA Scoring Rubric

*** Applicants are responsible for following the most recent RFP when submitting proposals as guidelines and submissions processes may have changed. The CSM Dean’s Office is not responsible for proposals submitted using outdated processes or for proposals which do not follow the most current guidelines.

Select Funded Proposals

AY 2022-2023

• S. Buskirk, “A Comprehensive Investigation into the Development of Alcohol Tolerance by Bacterial Pathogens.”
• Y. Kim, “Development of Porpoise Detection System based on Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence (AI).”
• T. Kwiatkowski, “Electronic Cigarette-Derived Phthalates Impact on Male Gonadal Tissues”
• S. McQueen, “Us Too: Republican Women’s Groups and the Struggle to Support Women Candidates.”

Typical Timeline

Call for proposals: Mid August
Deadline: Late September
Award notifications: Mid October