CNS Pathways Grants Program

The College of Natural Science (CNS) Pathways Grants Program is an internal funding mechanism open to all CNS tenured, tenure-track, and professional track faculty who want to introduce new teaching methods in their own undergraduate courses or expand their contribution to the undergraduate education mission beyond their own courses. This program will support projects that align with the CNS strategic plan and have the potential to improve the college’s ability to offer excellent and equitable experiences for our undergraduate students.

Successful applications are likely to contribute to clear pathways for students to succeed in their degrees and prepare for their first steps post-graduation. These pathways may include, but are not limited to:

• motivating students to engage and persist in challenging educational programs, such as by encouraging students’ feelings of belonging and ability to think like scientists and mathematicians,
• providing disciplinary and professional skill development, including modern laboratory methods, problem-solving and data analysis, among others,
• providing experiences in which students can practice skills and demonstrate achievement, such as participating in authentic research or internships and connecting assessment with competencies,
• creating opportunities for students to communicate about their experiences and growth, including reflection assignments or portfolios,
• supporting faculty and other members of teaching teams to adapt and implement equitable teaching methods that improve students’ experiences and increase students’ learning 

Eligibility

Applicants should meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Applicants must be CNS tenure-track, tenured, or professional track faculty members at the time of award.
• Faculty may submit only one application per funding cycle to the Dean’s Teaching Fellowship track and one to the Collaborative Education Award track.
• Faculty can receive only one Dean's Teaching Fellowship in their career. 
• Faculty must commit to participating in the Pathways community during the funding period and may continue in the community after funding ends.

Summary of Tracks

The Pathways Grants program comprises three award tracks: the Dean’s Teaching Fellowship, the Collaborative Education Award, and the Transformative Alliance Award.

The two-year Dean’s Teaching Fellowship is intended to support CNS faculty who propose to implement and assess the effectiveness of promising innovations in undergraduate education. The projects may be limited to the applicants’ own courses. The fellowship will be awarded to up to five CNS faculty each year. Fellows will receive a $5000 stipend each year for two years, additional funding as needed up to $5000 over the two-years for project activities and support from the Pathways community.

The Collaborative Education Award is intended to support groups who will work together to coordinate different sections of the same course, align the disciplinary content and skills between consecutive courses in degree plans, or cooperate across departments to offer cohesive experiences to students engaged in study across the college. Collaborative awards may also support work on projects that are not centered on courses. The award will support three or more group projects in each award cycle, depending on budget requested. Applicants will submit a timeline, not to exceed three years, and a budget not to exceed $50000. Collaborative Education Awardees will also receive support from the Pathways community.

The Transformative Alliance Award is intended to surface higher-risk ideas that may require a longer timeline, more substantial funding, or additional resources and expertise, but that have potential to truly transform the STEM educational landscape in CNS or more broadly. Selected ideas will be further developed in conversation with CNS leadership

Timeline

Submission window opens: February 20, 2023

Submission deadline: March 24, 2023

Announcement of awardees: late May 2023

Anticipated award start date: September 1, 2023

Post-Award Requirements

Awardees will consult with the Office of STEM Education Excellence on project details and administration in summer 2023. Participation in Pathways community activities requires no more than two hours per month in the long terms. Community activities may include project presentations by awardees with time for feedback, invited speakers, professional development, or other activities suggested by community participants. Awardees will be required to submit brief annual progress reports and a final report within two (2) months of the end of the award. Awardees may also be asked to describe results of Pathways Grant-funded work at future CNS events, such as at Teaching Discovery Days, at an Advisory Council meeting, or in a CNS communication.

Application Instructions

Step 1: Fill out the relevant parts of the Pathways Grants Template. 

Step 2: Discuss proposals with your Department Chair before submission. Obtain signatures when applicable (requests for course releases must be approved by the Chair before proposal submission).

Step3: Submit the completed template as one PDF file in this FORM. The file name should be in the format: YourLastnameFirstInitial_Track_Year.

Allowable Expenses

The following categories of expense may be included in the budget. Ensure budget requests are directly related to the proposed project.

• Faculty stipends (up to $11K per year)
• Course releases (with department approval)
• Graduate student stipends and tuition (for work on the proposed project)
• Student employee wages
• Consultation fees/Honoraria
• Materials & supplies
• Equipment
• Professional development fees
• Travel for collaborations or acquisition of new skills/knowledge (up to $2K per award)
• Entertainment (food and non-alcoholic beverages) (up to $1K per award)

Additional information about award administration will be provided at the time of award.

Selection Process and Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed and scored based on criteria outlined in selection rubrics that are aligned with questions found in the application materials. Each application will be scored by three selection committee members. The average scores and reviewer comments will be discussed in the committee, and the committee will then recommend awardees. Applications will also be reviewed in the department(s) impacted by the proposed work and statements from the department Chairs will be appended to the submitted proposals. Both the review committee’s recommendations and the Chairs statements will be considered by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and the Director of the Office of STEM Education Excellence in consultation with additional college leaders before final awardees are selected and announced.

Contact Information

The Office of STEM Education Excellence will hold two remote information sessions to summarize the Pathways program for CNS faculty and answer questions. The information sessions will be held on:

• Monday, February 27^th at 2 p.m.: https://utexas.zoom.us/j/91928885265
• Thursday, March 9^th at 10 a.m.: https://utexas.zoom.us/j/99772366615

Additional questions about the Pathways program and proposal preparation and submission should be directed to the CNS Office of STEM Education Excellence: stemx@cns.utexas.edu.