WORKING GROUPS

WORKING GROUPS APPLICATION PROCESS

Working Group applications will be evaluated on the extent to which they:

  • address an important and outstanding question in marine science,
  • are “risky” endeavors but with a reasonable chance of success,
  • reflect LUMCON’s scientific mission to advance research, conservation, education, and outreach and addresses fundamental questions by working across barriers of institution and discipline,
  • provide evidence that sufficient data, tools, and knowledge are available to tackle the question,
  • incorporate diverse group of scientists that go beyond existing collaborations and include multiple disciplines and emerging scientists including graduate students, and
  • generate products that typically fall into (but are not restricted to) three broad categories: synthetic papers and reviews, databases allowing others to build on your foundation, curriculum materials, grants, software or mathematical tools that solve a major analytical problem.

LUMCON will not support collection of new data or field research through these working groups, but encourages the mining of existing databases and datasets.  LUMCON is committed to making data, databases, software and other products that are developed as part of LUMCON activities available to the broader scientific community.

Meetings will be held at the DeFelice Marine Center in Cocodrie, Louisiana. Support includes meeting facilities, lodging, and board. No salary support is provided, and no overhead is allowed. Awardees do not receive an actual budget; LUMCON will handle the budgetary needs for all meeting expenses.

BEFORE YOU APPLY

Applicants may contact Craig McClain, Executive Director, or Brian Roberts, Associate Director of Science, for feedback on project ideas.

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

Proposals for working groups are short, not to exceed 5 single-spaced (12-pt type) pages (excluding CVs and references).

Proposals should be organized as follows:

  1. Title (80 characters max)
  2. Short Title (25 characters max)
  3. Name and contact information for Project Leader, and any Co-Leaders. Project Leader must be from a Louisiana University or College.
  4. Technical Summary (250 words max)
  5. Public Summary (250 words max) – written for the public and visible on the LUMCON web site.
  6. Introduction and Goals – A statement of the outstanding question in marine science being addressed and a concise review of the concept and the literature to place the project in context.
  7. Proposed Activities – This should include a clear statement of specific data (include citations or urls) and analytical tools that will be required for the project. You must demonstrate that, if you propose to construct a database, you can obtain the relevant data from existing literature. Letters of support are required from the proprietor of datasets, analytical tools, or software not publically available or not owned by the applicant. The proposal should also include a clear statement on how synthesis will occur.
  8. Participating Fields and Partial List of Proposed Participants-LUMCON encourages groups that go beyond existing collaborations and that include multiple disciplines, emerging scientists including graduate students, and international linkages. Named individuals should be committed to participating in the project if funded. Not all participants need to be specified in advance; if unspecified, the type of expertise needed should be indicated. For each participant please include explicit information about career stage, discipline, institution, and institutional location. A supplementary table (not included in the 5 page limit) may be appended for this purpose. Note that at least 25% of the participants must be from Louisiana. 
  9. Rationale for LUMCON support – Why can this activity be most effectively conducted through LUMCON? Demonstrate that this group of scientists has not met previously. Note preference will be given to groups that can provide additional funding to cover travel expenses for participants.
  10. Proposed Timetable – include Start Date (month and year), number of meetings, and length of each meeting
  11. Outcomes – Proposals should include a clear statement about the expected outcomes of the meeting, including anticipated deliverables.
  12. Short CV of Project Leaders (2 pages for each). Do not include talks, society memberships, or papers in preparation.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Proposals will be accepted in digital format only as a single pdf file including all required components. Graphics should be embedded directly into the proposal document. Note that proposals should be submitted as a single pdf file including all of the components listed above, including CVs. Proposals are submitted electronically by email to Craig McClain, Executive Director, and Brian Roberts, Associate Director of Science.