Dear All,
The 2010 RFP for the University Transportation Center for Alabama (UTCA) is attached.
Pre-proposals are due by noon on September 29. The pre-proposal is only 2 pages, and the success rate has been quite good.
The UTCA Annual Research Plan is also attached. It provides a list of priority topics that are most important to the future of transportation in Alabama and the nation. Submitting a pre-proposal that relate to one of these topics is certainly a plus in the evaluation and selection process.
A major change in the UTCA research project evaluation has taken place. Preference will be given to the research team that has leveraged UTCA prior funding and to the team that has published refereed journal papers based on prior UTCA research funding. UTCA is now required to support the US DOT National Transportation Research Plan with main focus on "congestion mitigation." About 50% of the funds will be spent on topics supporting this area. Also, multi-year projects will be allowed in projects addressing the high-priority research area and the $50K budget upper limit will be waived for such projects. Teaming among faculty across the 3 UA campuses to develop expertise in a specific area related to the theme will be highly encouraged and considered heavily in the evaluation process.
Please note that the UTCA is also encouraging Research Initiation Grants to assist young faculty members in starting their research careers or to assist faculty members who are initiating transportation research activities for the first time. These grants typically have a smaller budget, but they are relatively easy to obtain.
2010Annual Research Plan
2010RFP Preprossal
I will be glad to provide assistance should you need help in developing your pre-proposal.
Fouad
__________________________________
Fouad H. Fouad, Ph.D., P.E.
Professor and Chair
Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering
Hoehn Engineering Building
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama 35294
Tel: 205 934 8430
Fax: 205 934 9855
email: ffouad@uab.edu
http://www.eng.uab.edu/cee