Submitting Your VFP Research Proposal

The Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) offers faculty a unique chance to collaborate with experts at DOE laboratories, leading to new scientific discoveries and capabilities relevant to DOE missions. This experience helps faculty develop skills that benefit their home institutions and strengthen the national STEM workforce.

A key part of your VFP application is a collaborative research project proposal. This proposal must be co-written by you (the faculty applicant) and a staff member from the DOE host laboratory, who will both serve as the project's lead researchers (co-Principal Investigators).

• Mandatory Submission: All VFP faculty applicants must submit this co-written research proposal by the application deadline.
• Format: Your proposal must be uploaded as a PDF file (.pdf) through the VFP online application system.
• Detailed Guidelines: Below are the requirements for formatting, content, submission, and evaluation of VFP proposals.
• For a printable version: [VFP Research Collaboration Proposal Guidance] | [VFP Teaching Initiative Track Proposal Guidance]

Proposal Format Requirements

Your proposal PDF should adhere to the specifications indicated in the table below:

Required Proposal Elements

Your proposal must include the following sections:

1. Cover Page (One-page limit)

This page must contain:

• Proposal Title and Abstract: A clear title for your project and an abstract (maximum 250 words) summarizing the scientific topic or problem, your approach, and the expected scientific results and impact.
• Experimental Team: A table listing the name, institution, email address, and role of every participant (including any students) in your project. You may also briefly mention their relevant previous work.
• Scientific Facilities: Briefly state if you plan to use any scientific user facilities. Also, mention if your proposed work depends on successfully gaining access to such a facility.

2. Proposal Body (Six-page limit, not including references)

This section should highlight the innovation and excitement of your research ideas. It must include:

• Background:
• Explain the context of your proposal by relating it to existing work at the host laboratory and elsewhere, including any preliminary studies.
• Describe how your proposal offers an innovative approach and advances the current state of knowledge in the field.
• Include:
• One to three references to key publications that describe the current state of the art.
• Any connections between your proposed research and current or future activities at the national laboratory.
• Any related Office of Science projects that led to or are connected with your proposal.
• Identify the gaps in current knowledge that your research aims to address.
• Hypotheses, Research Objectives, and Goals:
• Clearly state your main hypothesis.
• Define your research goals concisely and explain how achieving these goals will help validate your hypothesis and fill gaps in scientific understanding.
• Research Approach and Expected Results:
• Provide a detailed description of the scientific methods you will use.
• Explain the reasoning behind your chosen approach, the design of your activities, and the specific methods you will employ.
• Clearly state the expected scientific and technical results.
• Emphasize how your project will advance the current state of the art.
• While precise milestones can be challenging in innovative research, describe specific scientific accomplishments you anticipate during the project.
• Key Deliverables: List the main outcomes you expect to achieve. Clearly state the scientific and technical impact of these deliverables.
• References Cited: This section is not included in the six-page limit for the proposal body.

3. Curricula Vitae (CVs)

• Limit: Maximum of three pages per investigator. CVs are not part of the six-page limit for the proposal body.
• Requirement: A CV must be submitted for both the faculty applicant and the national laboratory co-investigator.
• Purpose: The CVs demonstrate that the researchers have the necessary talent and experience for the proposed work.
• Content: Vitae should include lists of:
• Recent publications relevant to the proposal's subject.
• Current projects the investigator is involved in.
• Recent collaborators.
• Privacy Reminder: Before uploading, you must remove (blank out, black out, or make illegible) any Social Security numbers and/or dates of birth (month, day, and year). Applications containing this Personally Identifiable Information (PII) will be deemed non-compliant and will not be forwarded for review.

Proposal Submission

• Proposals must be submitted by uploading PDF files into the VFP online application system.

Proposal Review Process

All eligible proposals will be evaluated by independent merit reviewers. To be considered, an applicant must meet all eligibility criteria and submit a complete application package with all required materials. Only the materials submitted through the electronic system will be used for review.

The merit review process evaluates proposals based on three criteria, listed in order of importance:

1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit (Most Important): This assesses the project's quality, its relevance to DOE missions, its potential influence on scientific fields, the likelihood of achieving valuable results, and its innovation and originality.
2. Appropriateness of Method or Approach: This evaluates the logic and feasibility of the research methods, and the overall soundness of how the research will be conducted.
3. Competency of Personnel and Adequacy of Resources: This examines the background, past performance, and potential of the investigators, as well as the suitability of the research environment and facilities for the proposed work.