University of Maryland

Research Interest Groups

Research Interest Groups Logo/Graphic

Expectations, Processes, and Support

Faculty members in the College are invited to propose interest groups focused on an emerging or critical topic. Interest groups may have an education or outreach aspect, but research and scholarship is expected to be the primary focus of their efforts. Interest groups should involve 5 or more faculty members, at least 2 of whom are full-time with a primary appointment in INFO and at least 1 of whom is an INFO affiliate faculty member or non-INFO faculty inside or outside of UMD.

GOALS

  • Foster significant interactions and community within the College, UMD, and beyond [1]
  • Catalyze collaborative research, develop proposals, and publish work on critical topics [2]
  • Establish presence in critical research areas within the University and beyond [3]

Interest Groups

  • Proposed by faculty
  • Focused on an emerging or critical topic
  • Research and scholarship is the primary purpose
  • Involves 5 or more faculty members
    • AT LEAST 2 full-time with a primary appointment in INFO
    • AT LEAST 1 an INFO affiliate faculty member or non-INFO faculty.

 

Activities
  • Regular group meetings and collaborative activities
    • Paper development workshops
    • Practice talks
    • Work-in-progress presentations and discussions
  • 3+ Collaborative projects
    • Developing collaborative funding proposals
    • Co-authoring research papers
    • Joint development of graduate or undergraduate courses
  • 4+ Public events/year
    • Formal presentation of research and scholarship
    • Topical workshops and seminars
    • Planning/research agenda-setting workshops
  • Up-to-date web presence/mailing list/social media
INFO College will provide:

To support the formation and operation of interest groups, the College will provide:

  • Up to $5k/year for expenses
  • Up to 5 hrs/week of admin support
  • IT infrastructure for web and social media presence

This support is in addition to the general business and research support provided by the College for all full-time faculty.  Receiving this support does not preclude groups from making special proposals and requests for additional funding to pursue exceptional opportunities and activities.

Request to Establish

To form an interest group, faculty submit a Request to Establish that describes:

  • Name of group and of the contact person
  • Purpose/focus of the group and how it would support the College’s mission
  • Who is involved and their roles/responsibilities (vis-a-vis meetings, events, and projects)
  • Regular meetings planned, their frequency and purpose
  • Collaborative projects to be undertaken
  • Events planned
  • Proposed budget, staffing needs, and potential funding sources
Important Dates - Proposal Applications:

To form an interest group, faculty submit a Request to Establish that describes:

  • January 15th
  • April 15th
  • September 15th

NEXT DEADLINE: September 15, 2024

Submission Process for Interest Groups (Click Here)

 

If there are any questions, please contact the Research Team.