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Faculty Research Cluster Competition
Proposal Topics | Schedule & Deadlines

IESP seeks to support original, multi-disciplinary collaborative research projects through the establishment of a IESP Faculty Research Cluster Program. In its fourth year, IESP seeks to appoint up to 3 research clusters for one academic year.

The faculty research cluster is conceived as a mechanism for the recruitment and development of new research projects under the guidance of IESP within the departmental structure of the University. The appointment will consist of a mini-grant that will provide seed funding to a faculty research team wishing to jointly explore a research theme or a portfolio of research projects that will over time develop into full research proposal for external funding. IESP envisions the faculty research teams or clusters to consist of two or more researchers from different academic disciplines. All full-time tenured and tenure-track and clinical faculty at the rank of assistant professor and above are eligible to apply for this award.

IESP funding for faculty research clusters may be used for any legitimate purpose that advances the research agenda. This includes summer salary for cluster members, as a means to offset teaching duties during the academic year, or for travel necessary to fully develop the full proposal. Additionally, awarded researchers will be expected to participate in the intellectual development of the Institute in addition to jointly pursue their proposed research project. Such activities include:

Proposal Topics

For the 2005-06 academic year, IESP seeks to support multidisciplinary research/demonstration projects on topics within the following focused topics. It is expected that research proposals will form the basis for further external funding through IESP and contribute to the Institute's core research portfolio. Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of UIC researchers. Preferred project topics include:

  1. Research and support for the Great Lakes community in areas of immediate and foreseeable needs, specifically:
    1. E. coli, persistent toxics and "legacy" contamination of coastal Great Lakes waters
    2. Invasive species
    3. Water conservation
    4. Wetland and "flow regime" restoration
    5. Coastal engineering projects for environmental quality

  2. Improvements to risk assessment methodology and application
    1. Mathematical modeling.
    2. Incorporation of economic data.

  3. The regulation of ultra-fine particulate matter in urban air-sheds, pursuant to the new particulate matter regulations promulgated by the USEPA under the Clean Air Act, for example:
    1. Human health and economic impact assessment of existing air-sheds.
    2. Technology development for improved emission performance.
    3. Transportation planning to reduce miles traveled, congestion and exposure of population centers to emissions.
    4. Energy efficiency, alternative fuels and demand reduction measures.

  4. Industrial Ecology Research
    1. Life-cycle analyses of environmental technologies
    2. Design of environmentally benign, "green" materials for commercial application.

  5. The linkage of urban transportation infrastructure and environmental performance and impacts
    1. Impacts and performance of green infrastructure applications in regional transportation system plans
    2. Application of life-cycle analysis to large-scale transportation system assessments
    3. Forecasting of greenhouse gas emissions of expansion of regional transportation systems

  6. Climate Change Issues facing Illinois and the Great Lakes
    1. Economic, ecosystem, and biodiversity impacts.
    2. Mitigation technology and policy assessments.
    3. Regional adaptability forecasts.
    4. Risk analysis factors relating to infrastructure, built-environment and planning issues, such as building type, urban heat islands, ground water demand, infectious diseases, and energy system reliability scenarios.
    5. Sector impacts: agriculture, coal and automotive.

Schedule and Deadlines

Completed Applications are due by 4:00 pm, Friday, April 28, 2006. Cluster appointments will begin July 1, 2006. Applications should be no more than 5 pages in length including the attached proposal cover sheet. All applications must include signed proposal cover sheet. Completed applications and six copies of the proposal should be submitted to:

Ms. Maggie Jameson, Assistant to the Director
Institute for Environmental Science and Policy, MC 673
5th floor, SPHW
2121 W. Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60612

Questions regarding the application procedure may be directed to Daniel McGrath, Associate Director, 312-996-5723 or to dmcgrath@uic.edu.