Harvard TREC Center

Knowledge & Education Expansion Project (KEEP)

Notice of Availability of Funds

Year 4

Notice of Availability of Funds for Training Activities in Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC)

RFA: TREC KEEP Year 4 (funds must be used June 1, 2014 – May 31, 2015)

Application Due Date: March 30, 2015

Amount Requested: maximum of $800 per request

Send Application To: Renee Miciek,

Background:

Two missions of the TREC initiative are to provide training opportunities and to have meaningful collaborations across geographically separate sites to promote transdisciplinary research. In support of these missions, the TREC Coordination Center (CC) has established an annual TREC Knowledge & Education Expansion Project (KEEP). The KEEP funds will give TREC Trainees educational opportunities such as but not limited to:

  • Visiting other TREC Research Centers to expand their knowledge base in transdisciplinary research
  • Attending scientific conferences as a means of continuing education
  • Receiving instruction on the use of one of the TREC datasets for purposes of expanding knowledge and possible collaborative research opportunities
  • Visiting non-TREC institutions to gain specific knowledge in research techniques

Eligibility:

TREC Trainees1are eligible to apply for KEEP funds administered through the CC.

1Definition of TREC Trainees (also see Educational, Training & Outreach Manual)

1)Individuals with a degree or working towards a degree in epidemiology, biostatistics, nutrition, nursing, genetics, health and the social and behavioral sciences or related fields.

2)Each trainee is required to select a primary mentor who is a faculty member with funding related to the TREC grant or is actively involved with TREC projects and cores.

3)All TREC trainees are expected to actively participate in one of the TREC projects, cores, within-TREC projects or cross-TREC projects or has received TREC funding for within-TREC projects or cross-TREC projects.

Guidelines:

  • Training experiences and commensurate travel must be completed by May 31, 2015.
  • KEEP award recipients will be reimbursed for expenses after the training experience has occurred, up to the amount specified in the approved proposal (maximum $800 per request).
  • Applications must be submitted to the TREC Project Coordinatorat least ten weeks in advance of the training experience. For urgent consideration of an experience occurring in less than ten weeks, please contact the TREC Project Coordinator, Renee Miciek ().

Procedure:

  • Applicants must complete and sign the TREC Knowledge & Education Expansion Project (KEEP) Application.
  • Applicants must submit the completed TREC Knowledge & Education Expansion Project (KEEP) Application to the Harvard TREC Project Coordinator – Renee Miciek, for the Harvard TREC Principal Investigator’sapproval and signature.
  • After the Harvard TREC Principal Investigator has approved the application, the TREC Project Coordinator will forward the approved application to the TREC Coordination Center for final approval.
  • The TREC Coordination Center reviews the submitted applications for relevance and benefit to TREC as well as specific scientific growth to the applicant.

Approval:

The CC reviews the candidate application and determines final approval. Generally, this occurs within one week of receipt at the CC.

Notification

The next business day following the approval of the proposal, the Harvard TREC Center will notify the applicant via email regarding the status of the application (approved/not approved).

Expense Accounting & Reimbursement:

KEEP award recipients receive reimbursement for expenses after the training experience has occurred, up to $800 per request. Fund recipients areexpected to comply with the following guidelines:

1. If a traveler adds personal travel to a business trip, the traveler will be responsible for any additional costsincurred above the lowest reasonable fare available to and from the business destination.

2. Itemized paper receipts are required. Retain all original receipts related to the training experience.

3. Complete and sign the TREC KEEP Reimbursement Form (sent to KEEP award recipients via email) using theformat and guidelines specified in the form and example. A Word version of the reimbursement form can bedownloaded from the TREC secure website (see Policies & Procedures/Manual of Operations) at

4. Obtain TREC Center approval of the expenses from the TREC Center Principal Investigator.

5. Complete a W‐9 form (sent to KEEP award recipients via email). Provide your name, address, social securitynumber, and signature. This form is necessary for Hutchinson Center accounting purposes and is required forreimbursement. (Non‐US citizens, please contact TREC CC Program Assistant, Gina Widell(), for alternate documentation.)

6. Make a copy of all receipts, boarding passes, approved TREC KEEP Reimbursement Form, and completed W‐9form for your records.

7. Send the original receipts, boarding passes, approved TREC KEEP Reimbursement Form, and completed W‐9form to the CC no later than two weeks after the training experience.

  • Send to:

TREC Coordination Center (Attn: Gina Widell, TREC CC Program Assistant)

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

1100 Fairview Ave. N., M3‐A306

Seattle, WA 98109

  • Ship via Fed‐Ex to ensure package tracking.
  • Notify the CC (trec‐) to expect the package.

Upon receipt, the CC processes the reimbursement request. The CC may request clarification or further documentation from the traveler if necessary. The CC then submits the reimbursement request to FHCRC accounting. Upon receipt of the check from accounting, the CC then forwards the check to the individual named on the TREC KEEP Reimbursement Form, or to the TREC Center Program Coordinator in the event that the shipment contains checks for multiple recipients. Shipment usually occurs within 10 business days of receipt of the reimbursement request from the traveler, provided the CC does not need further clarification. The Coordination Center notifies the award recipient and Center Coordinator that the check has been shipped, providing the Fed‐Ex airbill number for tracking.

Reporting:

KEEP award recipients prepare a brief summary of the training experience within two months of completing the experience. A summary report template is provided by the CC to the award recipient for this purpose.

1. The 1‐page summary outlines knowledge and skills acquired, how they will be used in the future, the benefit to TREC, and how the KEEP experience will add value to or influence the recipient's future scientific career.

2. Send the summary to the TREC Center Principal Investigator for review (optional per TREC Center Principal Investigator discretion).

3. Send the summary to the CC via email (trec‐) for distribution to the Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee may have the KEEP award recipient share their experience with the TREC membership in the form of a presentation or poster session at a TREC Scientific Meeting, or other. If selected to present at a TREC Scientific Meeting, the award recipient will be notified.

TREC Knowledge & Education Expansion Project (KEEP) Request for Applications (May 31, 2014 – June 1, 2015)