Services
To enable advancements in interdisciplinary research at the University of Notre Dame, ND Energy provides consultation and research services to Notre Dame faculty and research associates. This includes proposal preparation and award management, access to world-class instrumentation and capabilities in materials characterization, and the development of education and outreach programs for broader impacts. In cooperation with Notre Dame Research, ND Energy staff are available to support faculty at every stage of the proposal and award process.
Proposal Preparation
- Identify FOAs/RFPs relevant to PIs core expertise.
- Assist with identifying and building internal and external collaborations.
- Provide a checklist of items to be completed in accordance with the FOA Guidelines.
- Coordinate proposal writing activity – gathering information, organizing meetings, timeline, etc.
- Write the non-technical sections of the proposal in accordance with the FOA Guidelines.
- Read the technical and non-technical sections of the proposal and suggest improvements in accordance with the FOA Guidelines.
- Read and comment on any revisions made to the proposal.
- Gather internal documents as needed, including current and pending and CVs.
- Prepare the internal budget and budget justification in accordance with the FOA Guidelines.
- Provide letters of support from ND Energy for core research facilities, broader impacts, and other related services.
- Prepare or coordinate the completion of sponsor forms.
Consultants:
Subhash L. Shinde, Associate Director, 574-631-1425, sshinde@nd.edu
Ginger Sigmon, Managing Director, 574-631-6247, gsigmon@nd.edu
Ian Lightcap, Research and Facilities Program Director, 574-631-1493, ilightca@nd.edu
Anne Berges Pillai, Education and Outreach Associate Program Director, 574-631-9106, apillai@nd.edu
Barbara Villarosa, Business and Communications Program Director, 574-631-4776, bvillaro@nd.edu
Materials Characterization Facility
- Provide state-of-the-art instrumentation with world-class characterization capabilities for general materials, surface, crystallographic, photovoltaic, and electrochemical analysis.
- Provide internal services, including free consultation (with complimentary sample analysis), individual training and group workshops, and instrument utilization grants.
- Provide external services, including materials analysis, materials analysis consulting, and sponsored materials research and development.
- Collaborate with researchers on proposal preparations and new instrumentation acquisitions.
- Consult with researchers to ensure high quality instrument performance and superb results.
Consultant: Ian Lightcap, Research and Facilities Program Director, 574-631-1493, ilightca@nd.edu
Education and Outreach Development
- Consult with faculty to assess outreach needs and opportunities within the scope of research and make suggestions for connections with existing programs.
- Develop new education and outreach programs to address specific requirements of the “broader impacts” of the research proposal.
- Write or provide descriptions of outreach opportunities for the “broader impacts” section of the proposal to include existing programs such as K-12 outreach programs, community events, laboratory tours, seminar speakers, lectureship series, conferences, and any new programs that are developed to address specific requirements of the research proposal.
- Communicate, promote, and help execute existing and new education and outreach programs, including inviting speakers for seminars, lectures, and conferences and developing promotional materials such as articles, flyers, and posters.
- Maintain a list of faculty interested in various outreach events to best match faculty interests to outreach opportunities.
Consultant: Anne Berges Pillai, Education and Outreach Associate Program Director, 574-631-9106, apillai@nd.edu
Project Management and Financial Coordination
- Manage project goals and provide operational oversight as needed.
- Manage all aspects of the grant budget, including tracking and projecting expenditures, identifying and reconciling anomalies, approving invoices, and requesting budget revisions and cost or no-cost extensions, interfacing with Notre Dame Research and Sponsored Programs Accounting.
- Coordinate the hiring process of researchers on the project with appropriate department personnel.
- Organize and coordinate group meetings to assess progress on the project.
- Assist with quarterly progress reports and production deadlines by collecting data from researchers and subcontractors, organizing materials, and preparing budget narrative and charts.
- Consult as needed with the PI and provide regular updates on budget activities and financial matters requiring attention.
Consultant: Barbara Villarosa, Business and Communications Program Director, 574-631-4776, bvillaro@nd.edu
Conference Planning and Logistics
In addition to providing financial support for events to raise awareness and advance research initiatives, ND Energy provides the following customized services to meet the needs of faculty-led events:
- Schedule planning meetings to discuss agenda, speakers, site accommodations, catering, and technical services.
- Develop shared file space on Google to retain meeting notes and other relevant documents.
- Prepare and track budget, including sponsorships, revenue and expenses.
- Create 'free' website, draft content and update with links to registration and abstract submission forms.
- Promote event, creating posters, flyers, digital ads, social media posts, and announcements, and arrange photography and videography as needed.
- Prepare conference materials, including name badges, agenda, program, abstract book, posters, slides, and swag.
- Coordinate on-campus accommodations with Experience ND and other campus services, including hotel room blocks, site locations, catering, technical services, and final invoicing.
- Provide on-site conference support, including facilitation, registration and logistics.
- Arrange off-campus, small-group events, such as exploratory or experiential learning for students, including hotel, travel, transportation, meals, site visits, cultural events, and provide on-site support as needed.
- Coordinate post-conference activities, preparing a recap or story, downloading photos and recordings, and finalizing budget details.
Consultants:
Ginger Sigmon, Managing Director, 574-631-6247, gsigmon@nd.edu
Anne Berges Pillai, Education and Outreach Associate Program Director, 574-631-9106, apillai@nd.edu
Barbara Villarosa, Business and Communications Program Director, 574-631-4776, bvillaro@nd.edu