Research Vision and Synergy - 8 page limit

The required document outlining your scientific vision and planned synergies must be submitted as a single combined PDF, even though it contains two separate parts. 

This combined document should be uploaded in both the Network Director’s application and in each individual Project application.

As a reminder, SFRN applications consist of several distinct documents that the peer review committee evaluates independently for each Center Director and each Project PI. Individual projects are reviewed by separate committees according to their scientific focus, and the full center application is subsequently evaluated during Phase II of the peer review process.

1. Summary of Proposed Program (Center/Hub) (no more than 3 pages)

Provide a very brief summary of what this proposed program has to offer. Describe current research programs related to the topic of the network and any history of successes in this research. Illustrate any events that led to the current application and other projects not included in this application that would contribute to the intellectual environment. Also describe any unique strengths in faculty, student programs or the institution that would make a flagship feasible.

2. Synergy among individual projects (no more than 5 pages)

These pages should be used for a high-level summary only. The research projects should be described in greater detail within the Project applications. A clear vision of scientific direction is expected. A Network Center/Hub should be viewed as a group of interrelated research projects, each of which is not only individually scientifically meritorious, but also complementary to the other projects and contributes to an integrating theme. Describe the rationale for the total program. Explain the strategy of achieving the objectives of the overall program and how each individual project relates to the strategy. (The peer review group must be convinced that exciting and significant research directions are being realistically planned. Keep in mind that the proposal will be reviewed by experts who can judge, collectively, all areas represented in the proposal but who may not be familiar, individually, with each area of research. This description should be concise yet explicit enough to enable experts in related areas to understand the main goal of each project.) Describe the synergies and interactions among projects and their investigators. What collaborations do you envision between investigators working on individual projects?

Combine the above documents into one PDF and upload to ProposalCentral.