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Faculty Research Fellowship Program

Salt Lake Community College’s vision is to provide transformative experiences for our students and their communities. We realize this vision by placing value in efforts to improve inclusive teaching practices, offer exceptional learning experiences, and implement new ideas and innovative practices for students. High Impact Practices (HIPs) are one of the strategies we use to achieve these values since these pedagogical techniques have positive effects on student learning, retention, and success. One of the most powerful HIPs is the use of research experiences that involve students working in collaboration with faculty members. Known in various contexts as Undergraduate Research (UR), Problem-Based Learning (PBL), and Inquiry-Based Research (IBR) faculty lead students through challenging, meaningful experiences that rely on observation, collection of discipline-specific evidence, and critical thinking to reach logical conclusions.

Despite clear benefits that strongly support our institutional goals, implementing UR as a pedagogy is particularly challenging in a community college context. The time and focus required to effectively implement UR is often in short supply when faculty must also manage the typical SLCC teaching and service obligations. Likewise, the absence of institutionalized research programs, such as those found in research universities, makes it difficult for students to readily identify UR opportunities. Recognizing these challenges, the Faculty Research Fellowship Program (FRFP) seeks to provide a mechanism to overcome some of these difficult problems and enable interested faculty members to develop a research interest or theme that contributes positively to their scholarly and professional development efforts.

Purpose

The purpose of the FRFP is to create an incentive for mid-career faculty members to engage in research activities to benefit their own professional development and student learning. The focus is on providing faculty members with an opportunity to reconnect with the scholarship of their discipline and to engage with students in new and unique ways.

It is also important to clearly state what the FRFP is not. The FRFP is not a move to adopt a university model of research. SLCC is, and will always be, an institution with teaching as its core activity. The FRFP is not the only tool or mechanism to develop a faculty career in unique and powerful ways. There are many others, and faculty members should explore the full range of professional development opportunities as they craft a plan for their future at SLCC. Personal interests and disciplinary characteristics will determine if the FRFP is appropriate and meaningful to an individual faculty member.

Eligibility

All tenured faculty members in the School of Science, Math, and Engineering are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to mid-career faculty members seeking to integrate UR as a significant part of a career development plan.

What to Expect from an FRFP Award

  • The award is for two academic years with a required summer term between.
  • Fellows will meet their load requirement by teaching between 3 and 5 Instructional Units in both Fall and Spring semester. The rest of the teaching load will be satisfied through reassignment to work on the research project. During the required summer term, a load of 6 Instructional Units will be made through reassignment to the project. Additional summer overload for teaching courses is permitted subject to the allowed limits and departmental needs. Service obligations as described in the faculty job description are unchanged by an FRFP award.
  • There will be two available Fellows’ positions in the school at a time. They will be staggered in appointment so that one Fellow is starting in the first academic year while the other is starting in the second academic year. This staggered schedule will allow the more senior Fellow to advise and assist the junior Fellow.
  • For purposes of the FRFP, overload will be limited in year 1 to no more than 4 Instructional Units. In year 2, normal overload is allowed. Fellows are to understand that the project work takes precedence over overload work. As a reminder, overload is assigned according to departmental need and is not guaranteed.
  • At the conclusion of the 2-year Fellowship, the faculty member will return to normal duties. However, in the year following the end of the Fellowship, the faculty member can request up to 3 Instructional Units of reassigned time in both Fall and Spring to continue project activities. The faculty member should plan to sustain the project as service and professional activity once this transition year completes. The transition year is not part of the FRFP award and is at the discretion of the Associate Dean and Dean depending on scheduling demands in the department. Any budgetary needs for the third transition year must be provided from the home department.
  • Fellows will receive a budget of up to $5000 per year funded in equal parts from the Provost for Academic Affairs, the Dean’s office, and the home department.
  • Past awardees can apply again 6 years after the end of a prior award. For purposes of a future re-application, the transition year is not considered to be part of the prior award.
  • Fellows will submit a short summary report of activities for each term of the award. The summary report will be 1-2 pages.Dean will review the reports and other information as needed on an ongoing basis. Lack of reasonable progress or student engagement may result in cancellation of the fellowship and a return to normal work duties.

Essential Characteristics of a Successful Application

  • Applicants will devise a research project/program in any of the STEM disciplines in our school.
  • The project could be a stand-alone endeavor, or a project incorporated as part of a course.
  • The project must incorporate one or more of the essential steps of scientific inquiry (for purposes of the FRFP, scientific inquiry is described here.)
  • This definition of scope is necessarily broad to enable faculty from all the various disciplines in the School of Science, Math, and Engineering the opportunity to participate.
  • The project must involve students in each academic term, though the exact number will vary by the nature and scope of the project.
  • The project must be jointly presented at the SME symposium by the faculty member and participating students.

Desirable Characteristics

The following are desirable characteristics to be considered in making an FRFP proposal. The individual project characteristics, scope, and budget availability will influence the way these and other similar outcomes can be achieved. However, these are hallmarks of a truly powerful proposal that could significantly impact teaching, learning, and the culture of the institution.

  • Pursue external funding for your project by developing and submitting a grant proposal in collaboration with the Office of Sponsored Projects. Fellows who pursue a grant will become part of the Research and Grant Development Program and receive a stipend. Check more information about the Research and Grant Development program.
  • Plan to publish results (i.e. Journal of Undergrad Research, the Journal of Undergraduate Education, etc., or any appropriate peer reviewed publication)
  • Plan to present at an appropriate national conference and include students where possible
  • Consider a planning year of activities in which a travel grant is used to establish collaboration or attend a conference that would support an FRFP application.

Procedure

  1. You are encouraged to work with your Associate Dean and sitting committee to develop your application. As appropriate you may wish to consider a “pre” application year in which you use professional contacts at Universities, travel grants, consultation with OSP, etc. to develop a plan.
  2. The deadline for applications for the upcoming Academic Year is March 15 with notification of an award no later than April 30.
  3. Applications for FRFP must be made in writing to the Dean’s office following the format described below:
    • A detailed description of the project background (approximately 2 pages)
    • An explanation of the research question, project outcome, or hypothesis (1 page)
    • A plan for involving students including a description of how students will be recruited, trained, and mentored (1 page).
    • A project implementation plan with the following features:
      • Research methods including appropriate controls (1-2 pages)
      • A budget justification showing how the budget is allocated over the project (1 page).
      • An anticipated timeline of activities and milestones (1 page)
      • A plan to disseminate the FRFP experience with faculty members, colleagues, students, and the wider community as appropriate. This will include plans for publication in appropriate journals and/or presentations of the work at conferences. (1 page).
  4. Email the complete application to caldwell@slcc.edu with a cc to the Associate Dean of your department/division. Please use the subject line “FRFP Application” to ensure it is properly routed.
  5. The Dean will convene a review committee to evaluate each application and make a recommendation for award. The review committee will consist of Associate Deans and a senior faculty member from each department. Written feedback will be provided to all applicants regarding strengths and weaknesses to be considered. The Dean may request that an applicant address or modify a proposal prior to receiving an award. Over time, former FRFP participants will be invited to join the review panel for future applicants.

Faculty Research Fellowship Rubric

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