The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is offering faculty and students at Minority Serving Institutions an opportunity to participate in a ten-week summer research team experience at university-based DHS Centers of Excellence as part of its DHS Summer Research Program for Minority Serving Institutions. At the end of the summer, faculty participants are encouraged to apply for up to $50,000 in follow-on funding to continue the research collaboration at their home academic institutions during the following academic year.

 

More information, including eligibility guidelines and applications forms, can be found at http://www.orau.gov/dhseducation/faculty/index.html

 

Faculty from all science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines are encouraged to apply, including faculty in agricultural sciences, biological/life sciences, computer and information sciences, engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, psychology, and social sciences.

 

While preference is shown to early career faculty, past participants have included both early and later career faculty. The program provides early career faculty with research and funding opportunities that can be advantageous when applying for tenure. The program also provides later career faculty with opportunities to apply their well-developed skill sets to homeland security research problems of vital interest to the nation.

 

Past faculty and student participants have enjoyed the summer research experience, conducted meaningful research, and made new professional connections, many of which have led to fruitful and ongoing research collaborations and additional funding opportunities. Below please find profiles of some of our former participants.

 

Please note the upcoming faculty application deadline of January 7, 2013. The faculty application solicits information about faculty research interests and is designed to take little time to complete.

 

Completed faculty applications and CVs are forwarded to DHS Centers of interest to the faculty to determine if there is a good fit between faculty research interests and those of the Center. If a good fit can be found, the faculty receives assistance from the Center in developing a research proposal. The faculty then selects one or two students to apply the program as part of the summer research team. Team applications are reviewed by DHS and the Centers, with award winners announced beginning in early March.

 

Please call or email Program Manager Patti Obenour with any questions aboutthe application process, the summer research experience, the follow-on funding opportunity at the end of the summer, and/or any other aspect of the program. Patti can be reached at (865) 574-1447, DHSed@orau.org or patti.obenour@orau.org.