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FAQs

Writing an IGERT Proposal

Principal Investigators (PIs), Co-PIs and Faculty Participants


Eligibility Requirements
  1. Are scientists and/or engineers employed at national labs or research institution eligible to be IGERT PIs?
    The IGERT solicitation states that the PI must be on the faculty of a Ph.D. granting institution. People at research institutes, national labs, etc. who do not have faculty appointments cannot be IGERT PIs. Of course, they can be participants who are listed on the first page of the project description. Note that Ph.D. granting institutions typically have policies about who can serve as a PI beyond any policies set by the IGERT program.

  2. Are untenured faculty members or faculty members with limited research appointments eligible to apply as a PI on an IGERT proposal? Are they typically successful?
    If the faculty member and institution meet the requirements as outlined in the solicitation for eligibility, they may apply. Please check the eligibility guidelines from your own institution regarding who may submit a proposal. Reviewers often look for research and administrative leadership credentials and experience as a successful doctoral advisor, when looking at the PI and Co-PIs. Faculty without tenure may not have had such experience with graduate education. Also questions may arise concerning longevity in position for the 5 year duration of the IGERT for untenured faculty. Changes in leadership could cause disruption and displacement for students and thus could be a potential concern for the trainees. Further, the ability for the trainees to have the funding required to complete their training - as IGERT does not customarily support trainees for the entire duration of their graduate education - can also be problematic if the faculty have little track record in gaining external funding.

  3. Are faculty members of medical schools eligible to become an IGERT PI?
    The IGERT solicitation does not preclude faculty members at medical schools from being the PI nor does it preclude home departments in the College of Medicine. However, the IGERT mission is to train U.S. Ph.D. graduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and not in the clinical sciences, humanities, etc. The NSF does not fund M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. students. Grants with main emphases on disease and clinical problems would more appropriately go to the NIH.

  4. Are faculty members from a foreign institution eligible to be an IGERT Co-PI?
    In general the same rules of eligibility that apply to IGERT PIs also apply to Co-PIs and thus faculty from foreign institutions would not be eligible. You may list such persons as participants and include them in whatever other leadership roles you wish in the text.

  5. Can someone be a PI or Co-PI on more than one (1) IGERT proposal?
    As stated in the solicitation, an individual may be a PI or Co-PI on only one (1) IGERT proposal at a time. An individual may be listed as a project participant on the first page of the project description in the full proposal on more than one IGERT.

  6. Can a PI, Co-PI or faculty participant on an active IGERT award be a PI, Co-PI or faculty participant on a new IGERT submission?
    An active IGERT PI may be included as a Co-PI or faculty participant on a new IGERT proposal. An active IGERT Co-PI may be included as a PI, Co-PI or faculty participant on a new IGERT proposal. Faculty participants on an active IGERT may be included as a PI, Co-PI or faculty participant on a new IGERT proposal. Panels look very hard at such overlaps in the context of the level of impact of a new award.


Listing PIs, Co-PIs and Participants
  1. How many PIs and Co-PIs are allowed on the proposal?
    Per the solicitation, there is only one (1) PI and up to four (4) Co-PIs per IGERT proposal.

  2. How are project participants distinct from Co-PIs?
    Co-PIs share the responsibility of program management and leadership with the PI. Faculty members or non-faculty participants (e.g., industry or government) who will make significant contributions, regardless of their ranks within their universities, whether or not they will have graduate students or their respective disciplines, may be added as project participants.

  3. If partnerships with other institutions are proposed (with or without sub-awards) does someone from each institution need to be a Co-PI on the IGERT proposal?
    No.

  4. Should the PI and co-PIs be listed again under the faculty participants list?
    Yes.

  5. Should the list of participants be the same as the faculty members who will be serving as major professors for the trainees?
    As IGERT is about trainees, this list should be faculty or appropriate personnel with whom trainees will interact for the work of the IGERT. This can include internships, educational components, evaluation and assessment of the program or international experiences, as examples.

  6. How many biographical sketches total may be provided?
    A total of 20 biosketches inclusive of the PI and Co-PIs may be included with the full proposal. If funded international activities are proposed, up to 5 additional collaborators from the international institutions may be included in the list and biosketches.

  7. Does each PI, Co-PI, and project participant on our proposal need to include a conflict of interest form?
    No conflict of interest forms are required on IGERT proposals.

  8. Should external advisory committee members be listed as faculty participants on the proposal?
    External advisory committee members can be listed as faculty participants or they can be listed under the assessment plan portion of the full proposal. No information on evaluation, assessment or the external advisory committee is required on the letter of intent.