Request for Proposals for Research Networking Events

The UW Office of Research is planning to sponsor a series of 3-5 research networking events in the AY24-25, with the goal of spurring new interdisciplinary collaborations on timely topics and providing networking opportunities for early career faculty.  We invite proposals on specific topics from interdisciplinary teams via the Limited Submissions process.

Proposals of up to 3 pages are due July 1, 2024 and teams will be notified by mid July.  Send proposals to limitedsubs@uw.edu.

Proposals should include:

• Description of the research topic, importance/timeliness, and the opportunities for impact
• List of departments across UW campuses that have faculty who would likely be interested in participating and relevant areas of expertise
• Proposed meeting format (e.g. lightning talks, panel discussion, breakout groups, facilitated brainstorming, speed dating) and suggested location(s)
• Names/expertise of organizing committee members
• Any constraints on scheduling

The meeting should be open to any interested faculty member and held at a time and location that facilitates participation. The meeting format should be designed to showcase different areas of expertise or resources that might be brought to bear on a research challenge. Organizers are encouraged to choose a time that allows for a closing reception (with food and beverages) to give people an opportunity to follow up on ideas that came out of the discussions in an informal context.  We strongly encourage inclusion of early career faculty in the organizing committee.

For successful proposals, the Office of Research staff will support the organizers by managing event details and covering facility rental and food costs. Within one month after the event, the organizers should submit a short report listing participants and their research expertise, summarizing discussion topics, and outlining any new opportunities that emerged, if any.  To help with assessing the impact of the networking events, the Office of Research will also follow-up with participants 2-3 months after the events. Together, the organizers’ reports and our assessment surveys will help with determining whether the Office of Research continues these kinds of events.