Keck Foundation Proposal

This document is a set of ideas and talking points under consideration as the basis of a proposal to the W.M. Keck Foundation. The plan is to refine this and then give it to Doug so that he can have a preliminary conversation with Keck's program director (is it still Maria Pellegrini?)

Our current thinking is to build a tightly integrated set of projects which both span the natural science disciplines and are held together by a strong common thread.

• Important attributes of our proposal:
  • Student/faculty research and curriculum development. The problem areas we will consider can manifest both research and learning modules. This allows us to "re-use" both our human and equipment investments and further strengthen the ties between scientific discovery and teaching.
  • Wet lab work and computationally based aspects. The problems we consider will be amenable to both laboratory and computational research methods. It's widely acknowledged that computational research is an important new direction for basic scientific understanding in a wide range of disciplines. By working the same problem from both perspectives students will gain a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and learn about the relationship between the different research methodologies.
  • Locally rooted. The expression "think globally, act locally" is as true for scientists as it is anyone. One aspect of this is to choose a thread and projects that build on our local expertise. Another important aspect is working in our local environment; be it back campus, a reservoir, or a farmer's fields. Working locally would also make it much easier to do long-term data collection and monitoring. Local research projects are much easier to integrate into the curriculum and to maintain year-round.
  • Interdisiplinary. Within the sciences at Earlham this is a given, we want to learn how we got here and figure-out how to spread the word. All of the threads and projects we are considering would offer the ability for most, if not all, of the science division departments to participate in meaningful ways.

• Ideas we have considered as "threads" that would run through the curriculum and our research in a variety of departments and classes:
  • Pesticides
  • Metals
  • Proteins, DNA, or another biomolecule

• Outcomes
  • Research projects and curriculum modules for a variety of introductory and upper-level classes.
  • For science majors, a better understanding of computational research methods, model development and verification, and interdisciplinary science research.

• Questions
  • Are pesticides the best choice of a common thread?
  • Barbara is going to check to see if facilities, new or renovations, are appropriate for Keck.
  • Barbara is going to check to see if major equipment purchases are appropriate for Keck.

• Things to do:
  • Check that we have addressed all the feedback we received from Keck on our last proposal.
  • Complete this document and get it to Len before Tuesday morning.