What are Leap Lab Renovation Grants?
The goal of the NSF ADVANCE program is to “increase the representation and advancement of women in academic science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, thereby contributing to the development of a more diverse science and engineering workforce.”  The Leap Lab Renovation Grant is intended to help female STEM faculty to improve lab infrastructure to advance their research programs.  Funds are available for lab renovation only, not for equipment or instrumentation. 

Who can apply for a Leap Lab Renovation Grant?
Assistant, Associate, and not-yet-tenured Professor ranks of NDSU women faculty in STEM disciplines may apply.  Priority will be given to Assistant Professors who have recently received a third year review.  Associate Professors will be given priority status if two years past their promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor and have at least two years before they intend to apply for promotion to Professor.   Priority will also be given to those who were hired at Associate Professor rank and have at least two years before they intend to apply for promotion to Professor.  Associate Professors who previously received a Leap Lab Renovation Grant at the Assistant Professor rank are eligible to apply, but will not fall into the priority category.

Who is considered to be in a STEM discipline?
NDSU Advance FORWARD proposes to increase advancement of women faculty in core STEM disciplines, including the biological sciences, agricultural sciences, computer sciences, earth sciences, mathematical sciences, physical sciences, psychology, sociology and engineering.  The National Science Foundation's classification of STEM degree programs can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/nsf08321/pdf/nsf08321.pdf, and serves as a guide as to which disciplines fall under STEM by NSF standards.  Classification as STEM can be ambiguous; therefore the onus is on the applicant to clearly describe how her research area is categorized as STEM.  Proposals that are not clearly STEM in nature will not be considered. 

Application Deadline for 2014-15 Academic Year: April 24, 2015

Leap Lab Renovation Grant Program Call for Applications for 2015-16 Academic Year
Leap Lab Renovation Grant Program Application Form for 2015-16 Academic Year
Leap Lab Renovation Grant Program Internal Reviewer Form for 2015-16 Academic Year
Leap Lab Renovation Grant Program External Reviewer Form for 2015-16 Academic Year
NDSU Budget Form

List of awardees

2014-2015

• Kasey Maddock Carlin, Animal Sciences

2013-2014

• Stephanie Day, Geosciences
• Abby Wick, Soil Science

Fall 2012

• Gillam, Erin, Biological Sciences
• Reed, Wendy, Biological Sciences

Fall 2011

• Svetlana Kilina, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Erika Offerdahl, Chemistry and Biochemistr
• Senay Simsek,  plant sciences
• Kim Vonnahme, animal sciences

Summer 2010

• Birgit Pruess, Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences
  • Co-PIs: Penelope Gibbs, Margaret Khaitsa, Jane Schuh
• Sangita Sinha, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Annie Tangpong, Mechanical Engineering
• Yechun Wang, Mechanical Engineering

Acknowledging Support from NDSU Advance FORWARD

All scholarship resulting from funding programs must acknowledge support from the NDSU ADVANCE FORWARD program sponsored by the National Science Foundation, HRD-0811239. Awardees can use the following acknowledgment statement:

This research (in part) was supported by National Science Foundation Grant # HRD-0811239 to the NDSU Advance FORWARD program.