New round of grants promotes Interfaculty Collaboration

Provost Harvey V. Fineberg has announced a new round of grants under the Provost’s Fund for Interfaculty Collaboration (PFIC). These grants are designed to promote intellectual interchange among Faculty members from different schools at the University. The deadline for grant applications is Friday, April 13.

“Each year, we are very gratified to see how many faculty are interested in collaborating with their colleagues on such a wide range of topics,” said Provost Fineberg. “We are pleased to be able to help these efforts.”

Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $10,000. In the past several years, the fund has typically supported faculty “working groups.” Each group should have a designated leader and at least six faculty members from at least three different schools to meet the eligibility requirements. The Fund aims to cover expenses such as meeting costs, student assistance, and travel costs for outside experts.

The Provost’s Fund for Interfaculty Collaboration first awarded grants in January 1998. Since then, four rounds of awards have been made and more than 40 groups have been funded through the PFIC. Last year, grants funded groups covering topics as diverse as religious diversity in America post-1965; genetics; biotechnology and public policy; and water and health. Hundreds of faculty members from every school in the University have taken part in these working groups. Previously funded working groups are eligible for a renewed grant, on a showing of substantial accomplishment to date and specific plans for taking the work to a more advanced stage.

The Fund has a Web page that can be used as a resource to form working groups. Faculty who want to recruit others interested in joining their working group or to explore whether there is sufficient interest in a topic to support a working group, can post listings on the Web page (). Working groups that have already received grants are also described.

Applications must be received by April 13 for the grants that will cover the academic year 2001-02. More detailed information, including how to submit an application, is available electronically on the Provost’s Fund Web page, or by contacting the Office of the Assistant Provosts at (617) 496-5775. Questions may be sent via e-mail to sarah_wald@harvard.edu.