Research

UTRC Faculty Development Minigrants

The University Transportation Research Center wants to stimulate innovative and imaginative research by junior faculty in new and emerging areas related to transportation. The UTRC will fund untenured faculty members in the development of a research working paper in their area of interest. The topic of the paper can involve any area of transportation including engineering, policy, economics, planning, travel behavior, sociology, management, law, and technology. Only one proposal per faculty member will be accepted.

Researchers interested in the program should write a one page description of an emerging transportation topic on which they would like to write a working paper plus a brief biographical sketch. The paper, when finished, should be of peer review journal quality.

The selected proposals will receive up to $5000 to be used for costs for developing the working paper and may include student support, data collection, or summer salary or supplies. No portion of these funds may be used for overhead expenses. No matching funds are required.

The working papers which are completed within a year will be independently peer-reviewed and ranked. The author of the best paper will be eligible to receive a substantial grant to serve as Principal Investigator for a full-scale study on the topic.

How to Apply

Prepare a 1-page description of the proposed working paper, including how it will make a contribution to the academic literature, the transportation needs in the region and meet the mission of UTRC. Email the proposal to Ellen Thorson. Applications must be received by December 15, 2008.

This program is open to untenured Assistant and Associate Professors at UTRC member institutions. Previous recipients of these minigrants are eligible to apply if they have completed the paper sponsored by their previous grant. However, priority for funding will be given to first-time applicants.