I[X]: The Faculty Experience

• All teams must have at least two leaders, one of whom must be an active faculty member. Graduate students, postdocs, or staff may serve as co-leaders alongside a faculty member.
• Team leaders should represent at least two distinct disciplinary perspectives from two different colleges/schools, or from two disciplinary categories within the College of Arts and Sciences. See the following FAQ for details.
• Any faculty member may submit a proposal, but only one proposal is required per project.

• Beginning with the 2023-2024 application cycle, for application purposes we will consider the disciplines from the College of Arts and Sciences that fall under “Humanities and Social Sciences” and “Math and Sciences” to be separate enough units that a partnership between two of those disciplines would satisfy the requirements of the application. See breakdown:
• Humanities and Social Sciences: Anthropology, Communication and Journalism, Economics, English, Global Languages and Cultures, History, Philosophy and Humanities, Sociology.
• Math and Sciences: Atmospheric Sciences, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Geology and Geophysics, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Oceanography, Physics and Astronomy, Statistics.
• Geography and Psychological and Brain Sciences will be considered under both categories on a case by case basis, depending on context. Please email with questions.

In addition to our general call for Innovation[X] proposals on ANY topic, we have a new opportunity this cycle. In collaboration with the Texas A&M Routh First-Generation Center, LAUNCH is looking for proposals that explore or enhance the experience of the first-generation student at Texas A&M University. A member of the Routh First-Generation Center can serve as a Team Contributor for this project. Proposals in this track will:

• examine a social problem with the commitment and support of recruiting or teaching first-generation students
• and/or show a commitment to work with a team of students where at least 50% of undergraduates are first-generation students.

• Team Leaders: Teams must have at least two (2) team leaders. These can be faculty, staff, graduate students, or postdocs, and they are typically considered to be “PI’s” on the project. They take a major leadership role in the project.
• Team Contributors: Teams CAN have contributors as well – other faculty, staff, or non-student members who will be INVOLVED in team guidance or administration, but will not be considered PI’s. Examples include external consultants, additional TAMU staff members, or advisors for particular subsets of the project.

• Projects should bridge disciplines and areas of expertise.
• Projects should be vertically integrated among levels of expertise and learning.
• Projects should address societal challenges.

1. Project information (Project name, Primary contact person, etc.)
2. Estimated budget
3. Description (Research question or Fundamental Problem, context, and proposed goals for project)
4. Team leadership and proposed composition of student team (proposed number of undergrads, graduate students, and postdocs on your student team)
5. External partners and/or locations
6. Project details (potential travel, IRB needs, timeline, etc.)
7. Collaboration plan (how team will function, milestones, format of team check-ins, frequency of team meetings, division of labor, etc.)
8. Expectations of student participation and compensation (i.e. roles that will be unpaid, paid, offer research credit, etc.)

Projects will be selected by a faculty committee drawn from across the university. Proposals will be assessed on the following criteria.

1. Interdisciplinarity: Does the project engage students and faculty across disciplines?
2. Societal Relevance: Does the project engage in the solution to a real-world problem?
3. Vertical Integration: Does the project foster collaboration across educational levels?
4. Teamwork: Does the project foster team-based work?
5. Deliverables: Does the proposal articulate clear and achievable goals within the scope of the project?

Funded proposals must follow these guidelines when selecting student team members.

1. Teams must include a multidisciplinary team of 10-15 students, comprised of undergraduate, graduate, professional/doctoral, and/or postdocs, from across the university.
2. At least 6-8 of the students must be undergraduates.
3. Students can participate on only one (1) Innovation[X] project team.
4. Students must participate in the project for both Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters, with limited exceptions.

Budgets may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Graduate student support
• Domestic and international travel support
• Special research materials
• Student travel
• Budgets may not include salary support for faculty or staff.

*The maximum amount that can be requested from Innovation[X] $20,000.

If the proposal will be part of a larger funded project, please describe other funds to be used, so that the committee better understands the scope of the project.

• Initial Proposals are accepted beginning January.
• Deadline for Faculty Proposals is end of March.
• Faculty Team Leaders will be notified by April 2023.
• Student applications will be accepted through summer.
• Student selection will occur late summer.
• Projects must begin no later than fall.