TTU – CATIE Research Exchange Program Application Guidelines

Specific requests for proposals submissions from researchers of Texas Tech University

Announcement available at TTU-CATIE homepage.

Texas Tech University (TTU), and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) signed a Letter of Intent on September 1, 2023, aiming to implement scientific and technological cooperation between researchers from Texas Tech University and from CATIE in Costa Rica

Eligibility from Texas Tech University side

Eligibility to submit proposals and participate in exchange activities within the scope of this Call:

• All tenure and non-tenure track faculty and research professors from Texas Tech University are eligible to participate in this call for proposals.
• Faculty awarded funding in the previous cycle are not eligible for funding under the current cycle. Preference will be given to first time applicants to the TTU-CATIE program.

Note: The proposals must aim to respect the principle of reciprocity with regard to academic qualifications of those who will take part in the exchange activities;

Fields of knowledge

This Call for Proposals invites research proposals in the following fields: Livestock and Environmental Management, Agroforestry and Genetic Improvement of Coffee and Cacao, Forests and Biodiversity in Productive Landscapes, Agrobiodiversity and Food Security, Watersheds and Water and Soils Security, Climate adaptation and mitigation, Environmental Economics and Sustainable Agribusinesses.

Duration of the project for the exchange of researchers

The duration of each project is 12 months.

Submissions accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Timeline/Order of Events

Expressions of Interest

Interested faculty members will email Expressions of Interest to Michael Johnson.  Faculty members will need to include:

1. Please explain how your specific research field of interest aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (https://sdgs.un.org/goals), and CATIE's research priorities. Please provide concrete examples - limit 250 words.
2. Please discuss potential research activities, rationale for the location(s), and how the project will build research capacity for the PIs. - limit 250 words.

Funding principles

1. CATIE will provide travel funding of up to the equivalent of US $5,000 (five thousand dollars) per proposal and Texas Tech University will provide travel funding of up to US $5,000 (five thousand dollars) per proposal, for the duration of the grant to cover research-related mobility expenses.
2. CATIE and Texas Tech University will fund 1-2 approved proposals per year.

Proposal characteristics for Texas Tech University researchers:

The proposal shall be composed of:

1. A Research Project having a maximum of five (5) pages of scientific content, written in English jointly by the Principal Investigator at CATIE and the Principal Investigator at TTU. The Research Project must include the following items:
   1. A substantive description of the exchange activities, emphasizing their relevance. The proposal must state clearly how the exchange activities to be carried out by each team will contribute to the ongoing research project funded by CATIE and to the research being carried by the partner researcher at TTU;
   2. Detailed travel schedule of the exchange missions to be carried out by the partner team at CATIE and the CATIE team at TTU;
   3. A description of each candidate’s contribution to the mission, explaining their expertise to carry out the foreseen activities;
   4. Performance indicators for the planned activities, indicating the expected results;
   5. Foreseen actions that will add to the impact of the exchange for TTU and for CATIE, e.g. by means of seminars, short courses etc.;
   6. Description of how the Principal Investigators at CATIE and TTU intend to prepare a joint research project, resulting from the exchange activities developed from the proposal submitted in this Call, to be submitted to research funding agencies accessible in their regions in order to create a medium-long-term collaboration (up to one page). Please include the RFP link when possible
2. The following additional documents required by Texas Tech University:
   1. CV Summaries (5 page maximum) of the Principal Investigators from TTU and CATIE
   2. Letters of Support from both TTU and CATIE center director or department heads

Submission of proposals to Texas Tech University

Submissions can only be accepted by email to Mr. Michael Johnson, Associate Director for International Grants Administration and Partnerships, Office of the Provost, International Affairs, Michael.johnson@ttu.edu.

Result of the analysis

The results will be announced on CATIE and Texas Tech University web portals and by means of a communication to the interested PIs.

Contract for selected projects by Texas Tech University

10.1 Selected proposals will subject to the conditions set forth in TTU operating policies (OP), including but not limited to OP 74.02 , OP 74.04 , OP 74.09 , and OP 74.10. For other questions related to research contracts, please contact Amy Cook, Assistant Vice President for Research, Texas Tech University, ors@ttu.edu.

Grant cancellation

CATIE or Texas Tech University may cancel funding if, during the grant timeframe, a significant event justifies its cancellation in the assessment of the Joint Steering Committee, without prejudice of any other appropriate actions.

Information about this Call at Texas Tech University

All questions related to this Call for Proposals must be directed to Mr. Michael Johnson, Associate Director for International Grants Administration and Partnerships, Office of the Provost, International Affairs, Michael.johnson@ttu.edu.