Innovation[X] Faculty Experience
The School of Innovation’s Innovation[X] Program provides grants that allow multidisciplinary teams of faculty, undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs to work together to address complex real-world challenges. Faculty may apply for grants of up to $20,000 to facilitate year-long projects. The number of grants to be awarded depends on funding and application levels. Funding for the coming cycle begins September 1, 2020.
The Innovation[X] Program is an opportunity to engage a broad array of students in a transformative learning project and explore translating research into actions that will have an impact on the community, nation, and the world. Teams must consist of an interdisciplinary set of faculty members and a multidisciplinary team of 10-20 students, both undergraduate and graduate, from across the university. Proposals should demonstrate a team-based approach to a complex problem and include meaningful deliverables. These may include, but are not limited to, published reports, curated exhibits, workable data sets to motivate further research, marketable goods or services, or impactful solutions to community challenges. Projects may engage external partners such as private companies, government agencies, NGOs, school districts, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Faculty Eligibility
- All teams must have 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; preferably from two different departments.
- Any faculty member may submit a proposal, but only one proposal is required per project.
Project Eligibility Criteria
- Projects should bridge disciplines and areas of expertise.
- Projects should be vertically integrated among levels of expertise and learning.
- Projects should address societal challenges.
Proposal Elements
- Project information (Project name, Primary contact person, etc.)
- Estimated budget
- Description (Research question or Fundamental Problem, context, and proposed goals for project)
- Team leadership and proposed composition of student team (proposed number of undergrads, graduate students, and postdocs on your student team)
- External partners and/or locations
- Project details (potential travel, IRB needs, timeline, etc.)
- Collaboration plan (how team will function, milestones, format of team check-ins, frequency of team meetings, division of labor, etc.)
Project Selection Criteria
Projects will be selected by a faculty committee drawn from across the university. Proposals will be assessed on the following criteria.
- Interdisciplinarity: Does the project engage students and faculty across disciplines?
- Societal Relevance: Does the project engage in the solution to a real-world problem?
- Vertical Integration: Does the project foster collaboration across educational levels?
- Teamwork: Does the project foster team-based work?
- Deliverables: Does the proposal articulate clear and achievable goals within the scope of the project?
Budget Guidelines
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.
Project Timing: 2020-2021
- Initial Proposals will be accepted through 11:59 pm on our new extended deadline, January 21, 2020.
- Faculty Team Leaders will be notified by early March 2020.
- Student applications will be accepted through July 27, 2020.
- Student selection will occur late Summer 2020.
- Projects must begin no later than Fall 2020.
Interested in joining our Innovation[X] Faculty Community?
We hope to announce our next call for Innovation[X] faculty proposals in the spring of 2021.
For questions or to discuss potential project ideas and teams, please contact Associate Dean Bob Shandley or Assistant Director Emily Finbow at innovationx@tamu.edu.
