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Development Fellowships

Overview

he Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) National Laboratories Office (NLO) has developed a multi-element program to help TAMUS researchers:

  • develop collaborative ties with researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL);
  • execute TAMUS-LANL collaborative research projects; and
  • formalize long-term relationships where appropriate, for example via joint appointments.

The goal is to increase the number and depth of research[1] collaborations that benefit TAMUS, LANL, and the individuals involved.  A key strategy toward that goal is to encourage TAMUS researchers to spend time at LANL and learn about LANL missions that are supported by research in their areas of interest. Spending time at LANL, establishing relationships with its staff, and learning about its missions and key unsolved problems greatly increase the likelihood of long-term funded collaborations that benefit all parties. Elements of the program are summarized below. Details and applications for each program element are provided in separate documents.

Development Fellowships

The Development Fellowship program helps The Texas A&M University System researchers develop and deepen collaborative research partnerships with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) technical staff members (TSMs) in areas of interest to the laboratory. Texas A&M System researchers with the skills, knowledge and interest to develop long-term collaborative ties with LANL technical staff members  — and with one or more laboratory technical staff members identified who are willing and able to partner on collaborative research — are encouraged to apply. Texas A&M System researchers who already have mature collaborative partnerships with LANL technical staff members are encouraged to explore the research projects element of the Research Collaboration Program.

Faculty who spend time at LANL learning the laboratory’s missions and problem sets are more likely to develop long-term partnerships with the laboratory’s technical staff members. Development fellowships aim to help researchers achieve such partnerships. Principal-investigator eligible research faculty and staff in every A&M System component are eligible to apply, but tenure-line faculty at A&M System universities may have priority.

A typical development fellowship would fund up to 1.5 months of salary for the A&M System researcher and reimburse travel costs up to $5,000, to visit one or more LANL technical staff members for several weeks, to enable the research partners to take tangible steps toward long-term funded collaborative research. A typical deliverable would be a joint publication or joint proposal.  Applicants should propose alternate uses of approximately this level of funding, and/or alternate deliverables, if this would better support the goal of establishing a partnership that is able to secure future funding for longer-term projects.

Expenses incurred prior to application approval will not be reimbursed. The application must identify at least one LANL collaborator who has agreed to partner with the A&M System researcher to execute the proposed effort. Reviewers chosen by the A&M System’s National Laboratories Office and LANL will select applications for funding in accordance with joint A&M System-LANL priorities, subject to availability of funds. Applicants must specify what will be delivered (publication, proposal, etc.) upon completion of the proposed effort.

Applying for Development Fellowships

Applications can be submitted via email by to lanl-engage@nlo.tamus.edu by November 15th, 2019. Notification of awards will be made by December 2nd, 2019. PDF documents are preferred for the application and the A&M System applicant’s curriculum vitae. The application should be organized as follows:

  1. Applicant information – Provide information about the TAMUS researcher requesting funds, including at least:
    • Name
    • Title (e.g., Assistant professor)
    • TAMUS System Entity and Department (e.g., PVAMU Math)
    • Citizenship (e.g., US Permanent Resident)
    • Email address and phone number
    • Curriculum Vitae (PDF format)
  2. Collaborator information – Provide information about the identified LANL collaborator(s), including at least:
    • Name
    • Title (e.g., technical staff member)
    • Division and group (e.g., CCS-2)
    • Evidence that the named LANL collaborator(s) have agreed to partner with the A&M System applicant to execute the proposed effort (e.g., email from collaborator(s))
    • LANL collaborator(s) curriculum vitae or resume (PDF format)
  3. Proposed effort – Describe the proposed effort and tangible outcome (“deliverable”). Describe the research area that you and your collaborator(s) are interested in exploring over the long term.  It is best if you can show a connection to long-term LANL missions, “capability pillars,” or initiatives. The narrative should be less than three pages.
  4. Cost and timeline – Provide a cost estimate and approximate timeline, including the date by which the deliverable will be given to the A&M System’s National Laboratories Office. This can be a paragraph or two, and/or bulleted lists. A formal budget generated by research services is not required.

Questions should be directed to lanl-engage@nlo.tamus.edu.

[1] In this document the term “research” includes a broad range of research and development activities.