Kansas Researcher Organizes Multi-State Proposal Development Workshop
In early October, University of Kansas engineer Justin Hutchison joined researchers from three states for a workshop aimed at developing a National Science Foundation Focused EPSCoR Collaborations (FEC) proposal.
Held October 2-3 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the workshop convened researchers from the University of Kansas (KU), Oklahoma State University (OSU), and the University of Kentucky (UK). Participants worked collaboratively to develop a shared scientific vision, define project leadership and research thrusts, and establish a roadmap for proposal development.
The workshop itself was the brainchild of Hutchison and two longtime colleagues from graduate school who are now faculty members at OSU and UK.
"What I found most helpful was the chance to share proposal ideas and expertise," Hutchison said. "It also created new collaborative opportunities between established faculty members and newer assistant professors."
The two-day agenda focused on defining a central research question to advance stormwater systems, leveraging tools and techniques created by the ARISE project and the Kansas Data Science Consortium. In addition to structured planning sessions and brainstorming activities, participants delivered lightning talks about potential contributions to the proposed project.
Kansas participants included three faculty from KU’s School of Engineering, including Associate Professor Hutchison, Assistant Professor Nishit Shetty, and Harold A. and Donna R. Phelps Chair's Council Associate Professor Joshua Roundy, along with Assistant Research Professor Will Duncan who specializes in data science. The five researchers from Oklahoma and two from Kentucky contributed expertise spanning engineering, environmental science, agriculture, water resources, and data science.
By the conclusion of the workshop, the team had identified a shared project vision, established a proposal structure, and assigned writing responsibilities, positioning the group to continue developing a competitive, multi-state NSF EPSCoR FEC proposal.
An ARISE Research and Education Innovation Award helped make the workshop possible by funding travel for University of Kansas researchers to participate. ARISE is a major statewide research initiative supported by the National Science Foundation's Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) under award OIA-2148878 and the Kansas Board of Regents. Additional workshop support was provided through an NSF CHIRP project at Oklahoma State University.
Supporting activities such as this workshop helps faculty build new research partnerships, strengthen regional research capacity, and pursue large-scale funding opportunities that address complex scientific challenges.