Community-Based Research
Alvernia University and its many partners will from time to time make available research opportunities for students and faculty. The Center for Ethics and Leadership (CEL) is particularly interested in promoting community-based research (CBR) that empowers our community partners to address important societal needs Please contact Dr. Spencer S. Stober, Director of the Center for Ethics and Leadership, if you or your organization is interested in sponsoring a project. Dr. Stober will assist in preparation of a request for proposal (RFP) for advertisement on this page. This page will also highlight completed projects.
RFP-1 (Request for Proposal): Carpenter Scholars (2010-2011)
Carpenter Technology Corporation (Reading, PA) has committed funds for a Carpenter Scholars Program to support community-based research addressing important societal needs. This first RFP is general in nature and calls for community-based research projects to address important societal needs in our region. Collaborative projects that engage both faculty and students (graduate and/or undergraduate) will be given preference. Alvernia’s Holleran Center for Community Engagement along with the Center for Ethics and Leadership will manage this program. Questions and proposals should be submitted to the Holleran Center at 610-790-1925 or via email. Questions may also be directed to Dr. Spencer S. Stober, Director of the Center for Ethics and Leadership, at 610-796-8249 or via email.Applications should include:
A thorough overview of the proposed project, and while proposal formats may vary, the Carpenter Fellowship Committee (CFC) will consider the following when reviewing proposals for funding:
- Why is this work necessary?
- Is the proposal supported by a review of the literature and other resources (e.g., community letters of support, etc.)?
- What procedures and methods will be used?
- What is the anticipated timeline for this project? The project timeline must clearly articulate phases of the project with budget requirements for each phase (e.g., preparation, implementation, and conclusion).
- What are the resource requirements (a budget)? Funding may cover project expenses, course-release time for faculty, and stipends for both faculty and students.
- What are the anticipated outcomes? Anticipated outcomes for each phase of the project should be clearly presented in the proposal to serve as benchmarks for the release of funds by the CFC (e.g., activities, presentations, publications, and other outcomes). All projects must result in a peer-reviewed product and/or publication.
- Has the project been cleared by the appropriate Institutional Review Boards?
- What are the ethical and social implications at the local, national, or global levels?
- What steps have been taken with the community to make this project sustainable?
- All project participants (including community stakeholders) should be listed along with CVs and a description of their role in the project.
Application Procedure:
The first application deadline is August 15, 2010. Proposals should be submitted in electronic format to ethics.leadership@alvernia.edu and the holleran.center@alvernia.edu, and a signed hard-copy mailed to the Holleran Center (540 Upland Avenue, Reading, PA 19611). The Holleran Center will compile proposals for review by the Carpenter Fellowship Committee (CFC) with the first round of decisions communicated to applicants by September 15, 2010. Successful applicants will receive a letter of commitment to fund their project along with an outcome reporting schedule required for the release of funds. Unsuccessful applicants will be provided with feedback to increase their chances of success for future submissions. Alvernia will host a forum at which time research results are presented and discussed.