HERSHEY, Pa. -- A new program to promote research collaborations and fund team research projects kicks off on Feb. 26.
PSU Pathway to Partnership (P3) was created to increase the number and diversity of teams that would be competitive for large externally funded research program grants such as NIH Program Project or Center Awards or similar collaborative mechanisms from other agencies or organizations. The program has three stages spanning almost two years with up to $300,000 available to each funded project in the third stage.
“We have high hopes that this program will help identify the next generation of innovative and ground breaking research here at Penn State College of Medicine,” said Sheila Vrana, vice dean for research and graduate studies.
The idea and framework for the program came from Unified Campus Research Team. P3 is modeled loosely after a program at University of Michigan that also incentivizes diverse groups of at least three faculty to come together in one project.
“The challenge of team science is that bringing researchers together in new ways, especially across disciplines, takes time, patience and skills that most researchers either do not have or struggle to mobilize when they are already running at full speed,” said Dr. Sarah Bronson, director, Research Development and Interdisciplinary Research. “However, teams, potentially innovative and interdisciplinary, can realize increased productivity and impact once they reach a certain stage.”
The P3 kickoff will take place from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at the University Conference Center on the Penn State Hershey campus. The day will feature a panel discussion on team science successes and challenges; networking opportunities, a talk by Dr. Rosemarie Filart, a former NIH program officer who will discuss best practices for team proposal development, an announcement of the RFA for stage 1, and a reception.
To register, click here.
P3 is sponsored by Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the Office of the Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and the Unified Campus Research Team.