SAS Faculty Working Groups are multidisciplinary bodies formed for the purpose of investigating important new areas of knowledge or new approaches to traditional disciplines. Ordinarily the activities of working groups include an ongoing seminar and colloquia with speakers from Penn and outside. The working group supports a website for the purpose of dissemination of the research of the group. Where possible, students are invited to participate in the working group's events. Working groups may complement, but should not duplicate, the efforts of existing departments, centers, programs, seminars, or colloquia.
To Apply
Please submit the following to the SAS Research Support Application page by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2024:
A SAS Faculty Working Group application--a single pdf comprising:
- a Faculty Working Group cover sheet, signed by your department chair and business office
- a proposal of no more than three pages providing a rationale for the working group, addressing questions such as: What is the area of study? What are the questions you will address? What are the implications of this work? How will it contribute to education at Penn? What would be the relationship between the working group and existing departments, centers, programs, seminars, or colloquia? What would the working group accomplish that could not be accomplished within an existing entity?
- names of faculty who will be members of the working group, with their affiliation and a one sentence description of the area of research. In keeping with the multidisciplinary emphasis of working groups, participants may include Penn faculty from outside SAS
- a budget proposal. Describe what the funds will be used for. The maximum amount of support from the Dean's Office for one year is $5,000. Application should be for one initial year of support, renewable for a second year with demonstration of the vitality of the group. Working groups should seek support from other entities, including departmental and individual faculty research funds.