Researcher's Guide

The five sections listed here are the areas of broader impact noted by NSF. The strongest proposals will address each area in some manner. This paper provides examples of possible avenues for fulfilling the Broader Impacts requirement that are targeted for researchers at UT Dallas. There are contact people highlighted throughout that may be of assistance. These are not definitive and are only suggestions.

Regardless of programming or impact, there are several things to keep in mind:

• Contact your Program Manager and ask for examples of funded proposals with strong BI statements.
• Ask Program Manager if you can include BI expenses in the budget (if needed)? Otherwise, you need to detail how you will fund your plans.
• Can you leverage with other programs on campus? There are many educational activities going on for K-12, teacher education, diversity, etc.
• Your plan must have intellectual contribution from you and your team; you cannot entirely outsource this.
• Quantify what you are going to do; not vague comments about women, minorities, etc. Get the real numbers regarding minorities/women at UT Dallas, area community colleges, etc.
• The project has to fit with your research; it needs to make sense and use your research/discoveries as the base.
• Beware of designing a new university class; many reviewers may see this as a part of your job even without the grant.

Advance Discovery and Understanding While Promoting Teaching, Training, and Learning

• Mentor undergrad or graduate including their development of a poster for a professional conference.
• UT Dallas hosts several summer camps for physics, chemistry, and engineering. Work with organizers to be included for teaching, tours, and activities.
• Talk to UT Dallas Department of Science/Math Education for contacts in local school districts and programming that you could be a part of.
• UT Dallas hosts a large Summer Institute for AP teachers. Fields include chemistry, biology, physics, and math. Talk to Dr. Scherry Johnson about possible participation. Impact AP teachers from around north Texas.
• Consider developing a video game (www.nobelprize.org/educational.games can give you ideas). Can you partner with ATEC? Possible student project? Detail distribution plan.
• Work with UTeach Dallas students on how to use research topics in their teaching for grades 4-12. Contact Bill Neal at UT Dallas.

Broader Participation in Underrepresented Groups (this is highly important to many reviewers)

• Involve students from Academic Bridge Program (Dean George Fair) or STARRS (Dr. Simeon Ntafos). Could be mentoring or lab assistants.
• Provide lab tour and presentation for ABP or STARRS in the summer before they begin at UT Dallas.
• Work with UT Dallas Office of Diversity regarding activities on campus that target underrepresented students. Contact Rosie Peterson, Director of Institutional Initiatives.
• Be a guest lecturer for area community colleges. With multiple sites in both Dallas and Plano will be able to speak to multiple groups to broaden impact.

Enhance Infrastructure for Research and Education

• If significant equipment or lab finish out is included, how can it be used by the larger community/university/area universities?
• Develop teaching media for an existing class at UT Dallas. Something to enhance the course.
• Work with GEMS and Dr. Thom Chesney in developing teaching material for target classes or GEMS tutoring programs (calculus and chemistry in 2009).

Broad Dissemination to Enhance Science and Technological Understanding

• Write an article for a lay publication to be submitted for publication. Talk to UT Dallas Office of Communications and ask for your school’s Communications Liaison.
• Write op-ed piece for multiple newspapers/publications related to research and its role in community.
• Possible display or activity at Dallas Museum of Nature and Science or local library. Work with Ken Berry of SEEC at UT Dallas.
• Interview on local radio program such as Think on KERA. Talk to UT Dallas Office of Communications and ask for your school’s Communication Liaison.  

Benefits to Society

• This is very specific to your research.
• Demonstrate links between discovery and societal benefit with specific examples and applications.
• Is your research a part of a larger national initiative?