AU Research

Previous Webinars

Concept Development
Competitive grant proposals require compelling ideas and strong project design. Hanover delved into the mechanics of developing a strong hypothesis, and good objectives and aims to support or refute your hypothesis. Hanover discussed the anatomy of a concept paper and other ways to frame your research project concepts to potential funders.

---

If You Have Rescued Data 

If you have already downloaded government data as part of a rescue effort, please contact us at savethedata@american.edu  

Important: Please do not manipulate or work directly from the rescued data—instead, use a copy for active research purposes to maintain data integrity. 

We are in the process of working with OIT to secure temporary storage to ensure data preservation. There are many actors and institutions who are engaged in similar emergency efforts. We will assess which datasets are unique and work towards migrating them to a publicly accessible archive. We are also exploring potential partnerships to strengthen these efforts. 

If You Are Currently Engaged in Data Rescue Efforts  

Given the rapidly evolving nature of this situation, if you rely on government data for your research, we encourage you to download it now in case it becomes unavailable.  

Important: Please ensure you save metadata along with the data, as missing metadata may render your work unusable. 

If you wish to contribute to broader data rescue efforts through the Internet Archive, please refer to these resources:  

Archive Team: Overview of Projects https://wiki.archiveteam.org/index.php/Main_Page 

Guide to Running Archive Team Warrior https://wiki.archiveteam.org/index.php/ArchiveTeam_Warrior

If You are Searching for Missing Government Data 

If you are looking for datasets that have already vanished from government websites, please visit our list of trusted repositories: https://subjectguides.library.american.edu/data_rescue. This site is regularly being updated. If you know of additional resources not listed, please email them to savethedata@american.edu  

If You are Using Government Data in Your Courses 

If you are using government data in your classes, please notify us as soon as possible at savethedata@american.edu with details on the datasets you rely on. This will help us prioritize efforts to secure and preserve this information for instructional use.  

We appreciate your collaboration in these critical efforts. Please reach out with any questions or concerns. 

Contact: savethedata@american.edu 

• Principal Investigator (PI) Handbook
• Pre-Award Checklist
• NVivo is available through AU’s CTRL. You can email CTRL to request installation on any AU owned computer.
• AU Effort Reporting FAQ
• AU Effort Certification Job Aide

Call for Applications: 2025 Methods Training in Economic Evaluation

Training Dates: Monday, June 2 – Friday, June 6

Location: University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA

Overview

The IES Methods Training in Economic Evaluation: Cost-Effectiveness and Benefit-Cost Analysis, is a week-long course for education researchers. The training is designed to provide a strong foundation in methods of cost analysis, allowing researchers to apply these methods in their own research. Participants will develop a strong foundation in methods of cost-effectiveness and benefit-cost analysis.

The leadership team for the course includes Dr. Brooks Bowden (Penn GSE), Dr. Clive Belfield (Queens College, CUNY), Dr. Rob Shand (American University), and Dr. Viviana Rodriguez (University of Texas, San Antonio). The course may also include invited presentations from other faculty members or practitioners nationally.

Funding for this 5-day course is provided by the Institute of Education Sciences, and there is no fee for participants. The program will also provide lodging support for participants at a hotel near the University of Pennsylvania campus. However, participants are responsible for their travel and meals.

Applications – Apply by February 21 at 11:59PM, EST

Eligibility

The 2025 training will serve 25 trainees. Participants will be selected based on several criteria:

• Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in social sciences or field related to education, or a master's degree with significant experience.
• Following IES requirements, applicants must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents.
• Participants must establish that they have a clear and intended application of the CEA/BCA method.
• Preference will be given to researchers engaged in or committed to performing an evaluation of a particular education reform.
• Basic economics training can be helpful, but this is not a requirement for participation and the spirit of the program encourages broad participation across the education sciences.

Applications are available online. Questions? Email cbcse@gse.upenn.edu

 

Stranahan Foundation

• The Stranahan Foundation’s Early Childhood Education grantmaking program focuses on increasing access to high-quality early care and education for young children (birth to five), especially those from low-income families, by investing in developing and retaining a high-quality, thriving early educator workforce.

Application Deadline: March 21, 2025 / Due to SOE: March 7, 2025

Panmure House Prize

• The Panmure House Prize is an annual award of $75,000 (US) for research that explores the relationship between long-term thinking and radical innovation. The prize is awarded to emerging leaders in academia and enables research that embodies Adam Smith's own approach to rigorous empiricism and long-term, inter-disciplinary thinking.

Application Deadline: April 17, 2025 / Due to SOE: April 3, 2025

• Undergraduate Research Funding Opportunities

• Student Research Awards

The library is giving several student research awards this year. The deadline to apply is March 31.

• Office of Sponsored Awards and Research Administration (OSARA)
  The Office of Sponsored Awards and Research Administration (OSARA) assists the AU community navigate the lifecycle of the grant.
• Implementation Guidance from National Science and Technology Council
• Pre-Award Helpful Information
• Forms and Templates
• Understanding NSPM-33

NSPM-33 stands for National Security Presidential Memorandum 33. It is a federal directive aimed at protecting U.S. federally funded research from foreign interference, misappropriation, and other security risks

Glossary of terms about grants administration.

AO
Administrative Official

IDC
Indirect Costs

IDFRA
Internally Designated Faculty Research Account

IRB
Institutional Review Board

LOI
Letter of Intent

MTDC
Modified Total Direct Cost

MOA
Memorandum of Agreement

NICRA
Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

NSF
National Science Foundation

OSARA
Office of Sponsored Awards and Research Administration

PI
Principal Investigator

RFP
Request for Proposals

SOW
Scope of Work
Statement of Work

TDC
Total Direct Cost

I received a Stop-Work Order. What should I do?
Email OSARA and the SOE Research Team (Carolyn Parker, Sepi Davoudzadeh, Monica Konschnik). Follow the guidance set by OSARA.

I have not received a Stop-Work Order yet and want to know what to do. 
Continue working as normal. Follow the guidance set by OSARA. If you do receive a Stop-Work order, follow the directions above.

I have identified a funding opportunity. What do I do now?
Email the Pre-Awards Coordinator to schedule a meeting to talk about the process and the details of the funding opportunity. Be sure to reach out as soon as you can in order to provide enough time to prepare the budget and other documentation and to allow for the proper review and approval process. SOE requires communication to the Pre-Awards Coordinator at least ten (10) days prior to the sponsor’s deadline.

Does my proposal need internal approval?
All requests for grant funding that include a budget as a requirement to be managed by AU will require SOE and AU approval prior to submission.

What are the standard proposal documents?
Most sponsors require a proposal narrative, budget, and budget justification, but every proposal is different and additional documentation may be required. The Pre-Awards Coordinator will work with you to develop the budget and budget justification and will prepare any additional documents needed.

Does my proposal require IRB approval?
Please see the IRB Determination Tool.