As a faculty member at Arkansas Tech, do you have a research idea, an academically creative idea, or professional enhancement activity that you think would be great if only you could afford it? The Professional Development Grant Fund has been established at Arkansas Tech University to enhance these kinds of endeavors through Professional Development Grants (PDG). These grants are not the same minigrants as the ones that are described on the Faculty Research page. Professional development grants may be in larger amounts than those typically awarded through the minigrant program. The projects that PDGs attempt to make possible may be larger in scope, involve more people, and cost more money than those aided by minigrants.

Activities that have a benefit primarily to students or administration are funded elsewhere. You may want to contact Academic Affairs at (479) 968-0319 for further information about funding for student research projects or administrative activities such as faculty recruitment or accreditation. The Professional Development Grants are primarily oriented towards faculty development.

We've already enumerated the three categories that can be funded under Professional Development Grants, but maybe we can illustrate a bit more. The (1) research activity would be one that fits the usual research paradigms of historical, descriptive (broad term), or experimental cause-and-effect research. These types of research are usually reported in refereed journals or a professional conferences--and we want to promote those. But we are also promoting (2) creative activities such as songs or symphonies, poetry, prose, or visual art media that might be created by some of us who have some special talent. We welcome these proposals also.  Professional Development activities (3) are those that enhance the knowledge, motivation, and intellectual renewal of faculty. Bringing in a high-level dignitary such as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency or the Secretary of Education for faculty lectures could be one possibility. The concerts by the Dallas Brass, which some of us remember from a "few" years ago, would be another example--not only were the performers excellent at what they did, but their concerts motivated music faculty and incidentally their students for a long time afterward. All three venues are equally welcome.

Some of the paperwork for the PDGs is similar to that requested for the minigrants, particularly where the venue is research involving human subjects, and in those cases the forms and procedures at http://www.atu.edu/research/human_subjects.shtml should be filled out, submitted to the University Ethics Committee, and followed. Please fill out only those parts that are needed for your type of activity (research, creative, professional enhancement).

An original proposal and six copies should be submitted to Academic Affairs in the Administration building before the deadline of the review cycle for which you are applying. Proposals are evaluated by six faculty committee members, using a rubric as well as holistically, and given a composite rank. Where there are more than enough funds to cover all of the proposals in a cycle and all seem to have positive potential benefits to faculty, the rankings may not be significant. The average or composite ranking of proposals give a starting point to the committee for further discussion. The clarity, timelines, budget, and anticipated professional benefit to faculty all help reviewers to arrive at decisions. If funds for travel are mainly what is being sought, be sure to tell where you plan to go, what the event is that you are going to, and when you plan to return. If you are applying for travel for a small group of faculty, please file one proposal for the event, name the other faculty who are also planning to go in your narrative, and show the combined costs for all of your group in that proposal. The conclusions of the Professional Development Committee go to Academic Affairs for final action.

All tenure-track or tenured Arkansas Tech University faculty are eligible to apply.  There are now three Professional Development Grant review cycles with deadlines of October 1, February 1 (2009), and April 15 (2009).  The forms listed below are required for submitting an application.

Cover Page for Grant Proposal  (Microsoft Word format)

Guidelines for Professional Development Grants (PDF format)

Sample Budget Form  (Microsoft Word Format)..

Questions? Contact any of us.