PSD Opportunity Fund (Call for Proposals)
Eligibility: PSD faculty, Academic Staff and Graduate Students
Deadlines: April 3rd and October 1st annually
Range of awards: $500 - $2500
A primary goal of the Physical Sciences Division is to promote a thriving and supportive intellectual community where all faculty, academic staff and graduate students may realize their full career potential. Ensuring equality of opportunity includes the creation of methods to address needs facing our colleagues that may impose barriers to the pursuit of academic excellence. It will also involve the cooperation of men and women throughout our division to address and raise awareness of the factors that may sustain longstanding patterns of under-representation within our academic ranks.
The PSD Dean’s Office has created a fund that will support special needs and initiatives that will enhance the retention, recruitment and advancement of women in physical science disciplines. While the majority of this funding will be awarded twice annually, a contingency fund will be established to provide limited support to urgent and special opportunities that arise throughout the course of the year. Awards will range from $500 - $2500. Proposals may be submitted by individuals as well as by groups from PSD departments and research institutes. They will be reviewed by the PSD Dean and the Women in the Physical Sciences Committee.
Requests should be for activities and expenses that would not usually be covered by a department or a grant. Below are some examples of items that could be funded:
- Subsidy for child care in order to attend scientific meetings, participate in off-site data collection, etc.
- Expenses for seminar speakers to address topics that may be of special interest and not currently covered by the department.
- Travel expenses to enable men or women to educate themselves, and, in turn, the PSD community, on issues pertaining to women in science.
- Meetings or symposia organized by a department or divisional group that does not receive central or other external funding that will promote awareness among PSD faculty, academic staff and graduate students of women in science issues.
- Activities that may enhance the life of women in science.
Submission Requirements: One page description of need and its potential impact on the advancement of women in the physical sciences. Please also include relevant contact information for the applicant(s). In addition, on a separate page, please submit a budget with specific line items requested. Submit proposals to Shelia Hohmann, PSD Associate Dean by email: shohmann@uchicago.edu.
Download the application form [PDF]
