Conference and Workshop Development Fund

This call for proposals is now closed.

Proposal timeline:

  • Proposals are due on or before October 1, 2024
  • Awards announced in November 2024

Fund information:

Rice University’s Conference and Workshop Development Fund fosters the development of conferences and workshops that enhance the reputation and quality of scholarship across the University.

Faculty are encouraged to engage the various University institutes such as the Baker Institute, the Synthetic Biology Institute, the Ken Kennedy Institute, the Humanities Research Center, the Kinder Institute, Rice Space Institute, and the Smalley-Curl Institute, among others where appropriate.

Proposals that engage broadly across campus and that can include many constituencies such as graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged. There is an expectation for events to be inclusive with participants from diverse backgrounds.

Awards are funded up to a maximum of $50,000 for an international conference and $10,000 for a more-focused disciplinary workshop.

No Conference and Workshop Development funds may be used for faculty salary, subcontracts, purchase of research equipment, or reducing teaching responsibilities. Proposals with other additional funding sources may be viewed favorably. To support new conference topics, awards for repeat conference requests may receive reduced funding. There is an expectation that events are to be held at Rice University in most cases to further our reputation as a center for scholarly discussion.

Eligibility:

Full-time and research faculty members at Rice are eligible to apply. Proposals may be submitted individually or by a group of faculty. Please inform your department chair that you have applied.

Review process:

The review of proposals will be carried out by the Vice President of Research. Under special circumstances, proposals can be submitted off-cycle for emerging topics.

Selection criteria:

Proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  1. The quality, significance, and potential impact of the project;
  2. The contribution the project makes particularly in the following:
    • Raise Rice’s research and scholarship profile;
    • Promote Rice’s interdisciplinary activity;
    • Engage Rice’s various institutes, as appropriate;
    • Raise Rice's global visibility;
    • Engage with diverse external constituencies (e.g., Rice students, Rice alumni, the city of Houston, or others).
    • Attract external support (federal, industry, international and philanthropic)
    • Bringing the world to Rice

How to apply:

Proposals must be submitted using this webform by October 1, 2024 at 11:59pm.

Proposals must include the following in a single PDF document:

  1. A conference/workshop description that includes topics, potential speakers and a tentative schedule (no more than two pages (in 12-point type), including figures);
  2. A single-page budget indicating how the requested funds will be expended (as well as the identification of other funding resources supporting the request);
  3. A curriculum vitae for each applicant of no more than three pages per CV.

Award information:

A mid-year review is required with progress made. A Final Report (briefing on conference outcomes) is required following the event along with the financials for the conference.