Funding Opportunities 3-28-2025
by Iwan Notowidigdo
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to share the following three funding opportunities now available to the COEHD research community. A new internal seed grant has been launched to support AI-driven research initiatives.
UTSA & TEC SEED Grant Program + Virtual Teaming Workshop
UTSA faculty are invited to apply for the 2025�C2026 UTSA & TEC SEED Grant Program, which supports innovative, early-stage collaborative research between UTSA and Tecnol��gico de Monterrey (TEC). With up to $40,000 in joint funding, this initiative targets real-world AI-driven solutions in six critical areas: aging, food security, Industry 5.0, mobility, water supply, and sustainable energy. A required virtual teaming and networking session will be held on Friday, April 11, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., to help faculty form research partnerships across institutions. This opportunity is especially well-suited to COEHD faculty whose work addresses social and educational dimensions of these global challenges��from mental health and lifelong learning in aging populations to AI-enhanced food literacy, equitable access to smart mobility, and STEM education tied to sustainable energy and water. This is a chance to contribute your expertise while building cross-disciplinary, international collaborations with strong potential for external funding. Find further information attached to this email.
Register by April 8, 2025: https://tinyurl.com/FDREGAPR11
Two Limited Submission grants have been announced:
Texas Student Success Collaboration (TSSC) with NISS
Faculty interested in applying for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board��s Texas Student Success Collaboration (TSSC) with the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) must complete UTSA��s internal Limited Submission Declaration of Intent (DOI) process by Tuesday, April 1, 2025. Only one proposal may be submitted per institution, and if more than one DOI is received by that date, a competitive internal review will be triggered with pre-proposals due April 4, 2025. This initiative offers up to $130,000 in funding to support systemic, institution-wide student success improvements in partnership with NISS at Georgia State University. Projects must demonstrate campus readiness and leadership engagement. Interested applicants must submit a DOI that includes a working project title, 3�C5 sentence abstract, and a list of key personnel and their affiliations. Further information on applying for this limited submission is available here: https://utsaresearch.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1969812
William T. Grant Scholars Program
Early-career faculty interested in applying for the prestigious William T. Grant Scholars Program must complete UTSA��s internal Limited Submission Declaration of Intent (DOI) by Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Only one applicant per college may be nominated, and if multiple DOIs are received, a pre-proposal competition will be triggered with submissions due by April 23, 2025. This highly competitive award provides a five-year research and mentoring plan to support scholars seeking to expand their expertise into new disciplines, content areas, or methods, with a focus on impactful research relevant to policy and practice. Each Scholar receives exactly $425,000 over five years, The internal DOI must include a proposed project title, a 3�C5 sentence abstract, and a list of key personnel and affiliated institutions. Strong mentoring plans and clear potential to become an influential researcher are critical for this opportunity. Further information on applying for this limited submission is available here: https://utsaresearch.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1969832
The application guide from WT Grant Foundation is here: https://wtgrantfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-Application...
Deadlines if your request for application is accepted are as follows:
Mentor and Reference Letter Deadline: June 11, 2025, 3 PM EST
Application Deadline: July 1, 2025, 3 PM EST
Further Limited Submissions opportunities are here: https://research.utsa.edu/fund-dev/find-funding/limited-submissions.html
Please contact me for any information or support in applying for these grants.
--Iwan
For this e-blast, I��m introducing a five-part series on applying Eastern philosophical principles as an unorthodox way of thinking to improve grant writing and proposal development. The first installment starts with the concept of shoshin, or ��beginner��s mind,�� as a strategic mindset for approaching research design and narrative development with clarity and openness.
Beginner��s Mind �C The Key to Unlocking Innovation in Educational Research and Grant Development
How Openness and Curiosity Lead to Stronger Research Ideas and More Competitive Proposals
Introduction: The Problem with the Expert��s Mind
Think about the last time you approached a new research project��how exciting and full of possibilities it felt. Now, contrast that with how institutional norms and funding guidelines can sometimes make research feel formulaic. Over time, familiarity breeds habit, and habit can lead to stagnation. This is the challenge of the expert��s mind��i.e., assuming you already know the best way and shutting out new possibilities.
But what if I told you that the best educational researchers, grant writers, and project developers never stop thinking like a beginner? This concept, known as Beginner��s Mind (Shoshin, ����) in Zen Buddhism, is the secret to continuous innovation, fresh perspectives, and stronger proposals.
What Is Beginner��s Mind?
Beginner��s Mind is the practice of approaching any research or grant development task with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to learn, regardless of expertise level.
Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki famously said:
��In the beginner��s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert��s mind there are few.��
This mindset allows educational researchers and grant writers to stay fresh, flexible, and innovative rather than becoming locked into rigid formulas.
How Beginner��s Mind Unlocks Creativity & Innovation in Research and Grants
1. Educational Research: Rethinking Assumptions in a Changing Landscape
The most impactful research projects are not those that simply extend existing frameworks, but those that ask new, fundamental questions. Researchers who assume they already understand a problem may overlook transformative approaches. A beginner��s mindset means questioning why certain methodologies are used, exploring cross-disciplinary insights, and staying open to unexpected findings. As funding priorities shift and research areas evolve, maintaining a fresh perspective is essential for relevance and impact.
Deliberate Approach:
* Conduct a reverse brainstorm: Instead of asking what research questions fit a funding call, explore what urgent, real-world problems need addressing.
* Deconstruct dominant narratives: Identify commonly accepted assumptions in your field and consider alternative perspectives.
* Look for interdisciplinary connections: Engage with colleagues from unrelated fields to challenge your frameworks.
Try this: When developing your next research project, challenge yourself to frame a research question without relying on jargon or assumed paradigms. How can your work broaden access to opportunity, enhance workforce readiness, or promote community engagement without using terms that may not align with current funding trends?
2. Grant Development: Aligning with Evolving Priorities
Many researchers approach grants with the assumption that they need to fit within narrowly defined expectations. But funding agencies evolve, and a fresh, open perspective can reveal untapped funding streams or unexpected collaborations. A Beginner��s Mind approach allows for strategic alignment with emerging workforce and economic development priorities, student success initiatives, and innovative instructional methodologies that resonate with funders�� goals.
Deliberate Approach:
* Analyze grant award trends: Map out where the funding focus is shifting over the last three years.
* Conduct funder research with a fresh lens: Instead of assuming you know a grant��s intent, break down language shifts in their priorities.
* Develop parallel proposal strategies: Have a primary research focus and a secondary way to frame the same project under different language priorities.
Try this: Instead of searching for a grant to match an existing idea, explore how your research can address practical applications and long-term systemic improvements that align with what funders are currently emphasizing.
3. Proposal Writing: Crafting Engaging and Forward-Thinking Narratives
A common mistake in grant writing is treating proposals like rigid templates��filling in the same predictable sections year after year. Funders, however, are drawn to bold, clear, and engaging narratives that demonstrate fresh thinking. Beginner��s Mind in proposal writing means crafting a proposal as if you were telling the story of your idea for the first time��compelling, engaging, and framed within a broad lens of student and workforce success, technological advancements, or institutional transformation.
Deliberate Approach:
* Develop an ��outsider��s pitch��: If you had 60 seconds to explain your research idea to someone outside your field, how would you frame its value?
* Write an elevator pitch without key terms: Strip your proposal of discipline-specific jargon and focus on its core problem-solving value.
* Engage in competitor analysis: Look at previous winners and deconstruct what language and structure they used.
Try this: Before drafting a proposal, explain your research idea to a non-expert (like a colleague from another field or a friend outside academia). Their questions will help you refine clarity and bring fresh insight into your framing while ensuring broad relevance.
4. Institutional Collaboration: Expanding Networks Beyond Traditional Silos
Researchers and grant writers often seek collaboration within familiar networks, but new insights and funding opportunities come from unexpected places. Expanding collaboration beyond traditional academic silos��partnering with industry, workforce development groups, government agencies, and community-based organizations��creates stronger, more impactful proposals while addressing funders�� shifting expectations.
Deliberate Approach:
* Apply ��opposite lens networking��: Identify key players outside of academia that have a stake in your research focus.
* Use policy-driven framing: Understand how government, corporate, and nonprofit groups talk about your research area and align language accordingly.
* Design multi-tiered partnerships: Instead of a single academic collaboration, develop a structure that integrates multiple sectors.
Try this: When brainstorming partnerships for your next project, ask: Who is working on this problem from a completely different angle? What insights could they bring? Framing research through the lens of economic resilience, student advancement, and institutional adaptability can increase funding competitiveness.
Practical Ways to Cultivate Beginner��s Mind in Research & Grant Writing
1. Forget your expertise �C Assume you know nothing and ask basic questions about your research focus.
2. Experiment with different methodologies �C Even if they seem unconventional or outside your primary field.
3. Seek feedback from unexpected sources �C Funders, community members, or students may notice insights researchers overlook.
4. Observe funding trends with fresh eyes �C Instead of assuming you ��know the system,�� study emerging priorities as if for the first time.
5. Embrace iteration �C Allow grant ideas to evolve rather than locking into a rigid structure too early.
Conclusion: Never Stop Being a Beginner
The most successful educational researchers and grant developers never lose their curiosity. Whether designing a new study, crafting a funding proposal, or developing institutional partnerships, true innovation comes from staying open-minded, adaptable, and always willing to learn. Beginner��s Mind isn��t about forgetting what you know��it��s about remaining humble enough to keep growing.
So next time you sit down to write a grant or develop a research idea, ask yourself: What would I do if I were seeing this challenge for the first time? That��s the path to success.
Stay curious. Stay open. Stay a beginner.
[This article was developed with assistance by generative AI for research and editing]
Mr. Iwan Notowidigdo
Senior Grant Development Manager
The University of Texas at San Antonio
College of Education & Human Development (COEHD)
iwan.notowidigdo(a)utsa.edu
Mobile: 347-231-5931
[cid:f87cea82-8a42-4909-b2f2-019aa6b7522b]
1 year, 4 months
COEHD Editors Panel (3/28)
by COEHD Dean
Good morning COEHD,
Please be sure to share the attached flyer and join us this Friday, March 28th for the COEHD Editors' Panel hosted by Dr. Bedrettin Yazan at the JPL Assembly room-4.04.22 at 10am-12pm for a panel discussion with journal editors to support faculty and students seeking publication.
Thank you so much and have a wonderful rest of your week!
---
[Imagining the Future of Joter?a Studies as a Framework in the Field of Higher Education | Association of Mexican American Educators Journal]
1 year, 4 months
Spring 2025 Undergraduate Research Showcase - Call for Judges
by COEHD Communications
Hello,
Please see the message below on behalf of the Office of Undergraduate Research.
[Image]
Call for Judges/Reviewers
Good Morning, Colleagues
The Office of Undergraduate Research is seeking volunteers to help serve as reviewers/judges during UTSA’s Undergraduate Research Week – April 14-18, 2025. Volunteers must be at least graduate level students (PhD preferred, but not necessary), faculty or staff. Judges will help to review posters, oral presentations and 3-minute competition. Unfortunately, undergraduate students are not allowed to serve as judges.
If you’re interested in volunteering, please fill out the Qualtrics form below with your availability. Once registration closes, you will be notified with your assignment(s) and logistics for the event.
Please sign up to volunteer by April 11, 2025.
Sign up here:<https://utsa.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6RpvjW0MQHcuPKm>
https://utsa.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6RpvjW0MQHcuPKm
Thanks in advance for your support and consideration.
Please let me know you have any questions and feel free to share this with any of your contacts that may be interested in serving. 😊
Thank you,
D
Darrell C. Balderrama, MPA
Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
The University of Texas at San Antonio
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX 78249-0603
P: 210.458.5470
F: 210.458.4028
Darrell.Balderrama(a)UTSA.edu<mailto:Darrell.Balderrama@UTSA.edu>
www.UTSA.edu/OUR<http://www.utsa.edu/OUR>
[20MKTG01_CBF-Logo_Horizontal_2color]
1 year, 4 months
EdP Cluster Hire Candidate Research Presentation
by COEHD Communications
Hello,
Please see the message below on behalf of Dr. Sharon Nichols.
Please see attached flyer inviting you to attend a research presentation given by a candidate for our Applied Behavior Analysis program area this Wednesday morning. March 26, 2025, at the downtown campus.
Please feel free to invite students who might be interested!
Details attached.
1 year, 4 months
2025 Undergraduate Research Week - April 14-18, 2025
by COEHD Communications
Hello,
Please see the message below on behalf of the UTSA Office of Undergraduate Research and please share with your students if possible.
Undergraduate Research Week at UTSA - April 14 - 18, 2025
Call for Presenters!
The UTSA Office of Undergraduate is proud to celebrate 2025 Undergraduate Research at UTSA - April 14 - 18, 2025. The annual event sponsored by the (OUR), will feature undergraduate student research and creative endeavors from all disciplines across campus. The event increases visibility of students engaged in undergraduate scholarly endeavors across all areas of academic inquiry.
Such scholarly experiences enhance learning by complementing classroom-based instruction, provide real-life, hands-on experience in student’s field of interest, and offer development of critical and independent thinking, creativity, and problem solving.
This event will include multiple events happening throughout the week at the main campus. Prizes will be awarded to 1st , 2nd and 3rd place in Poster, Oral and 3-minute competition. People’s choice will also be available during the Poster Session.
Spring 2025 Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry Showcase
April 14 - 18, 2025
Free and open for anyone to attend!
Students may showcase their work from Fall '24, Spring '25, Summer '24
Students may choose to present their work in the following ways:
1. Conference style poster format,
2. 10-minute Oral PowerPoint presentation, or
3. 3-minute 3MT thesis competition style event
4. 2- minute Research Video Showdown
5. Creative Open Mic (8 min max)
Students are able to apply to multiple events.
April 15, 2025 - Undergraduate Research Poster Competition
April 16, 2025 - Oral PowerPoint Presentations
April 17, 2025 - Open Mic Creative Showcase
April 17, 2025 – 3-Minute Thesis & Video Showdown Competition - Room
Register for the 2025 Showcase<http://link.peoplegrove.com/ls/click?upn=u001.ygrx-2B-2FGK6vHkwkAZDpiwCfL...>
bit.ly/25UTSAUGResearchWeek
**Final schedule with room and time information will be released shortly and available on the OUR website www.UTSA.edu/our<http://link.peoplegrove.com/ls/click?upn=u001.UoOyitcIeryUjInNSvmH4tRx8Hs...>
Registration closes on April 4, 2025 at 11:59 PM (CST)
For questions you can contact our(a)utsa.edu<mailto:our@utsa.edu>
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interested in Dentistry?
Undergraduate students interested in Dentistry have an opportunity to engage in dental research through a 10-week summer program. No prior research experience required!
$5,000 stipend
Possible Housing supplement
DEADLINE TO APPLY: March 31st
The School of Dentistry at UT Health was awarded an NIH R25 grant focused on summer dental research experiences for undergraduate students. There are 8-10 spots available each summer for the next 5 years.
This program aims to spark students' interest in the field while providing hands-on experience. Each participant will be paired with a mentor and may have the option to continue their research into the fall.
An added benefit is the opportunity to connect with faculty members who also serve as admissions reviewers for dental school applications, making this a valuable networking experience. Please share this opportunity and encourage students interested in dentistry to apply!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
UTSA McNair Scholars Program Recruiting
Are you interested in a PhD?
The UTSA McNair Scholars Program is recruiting undergraduate students for it's next cohort of Scholars!
The McNair Scholars program works towards preparing first-generation & low-income students for graduate school, specifically doctoral studies (e.g., Ph.D., Ed.D., and other research-intensive terminal degrees). The McNair Scholars Program is looking for students who have a genuine interest in research!
The priority deadline for the application is 11:59PM Monday, March 31, 2025. However, the application will remain open until all spots are filled.
Apply for McNair Here:<http://link.peoplegrove.com/ls/click?upn=u001.ygrx-2B-2FGK6vHkwkAZDpiwCYy...>
www.utsa.edu/mcnair<http://www.utsa.edu/mcnair>
Please contact the program with any questions - mcnair(a)utsa.edu<mailto:mcnair@utsa.edu> or Liliana.Gomez(a)utsa.edu<mailto:Liliana.Gomez@utsa.edu>
Thank you!
1 year, 4 months
COEHD Editors Panel (3/28)
by COEHD Dean
Good afternoon COEHD,
Please share the attached flyer for the COEHD Editors Panel hosted by Dr. Bedrettin Yazan and make sure to join us next Friday, March 28th at the JPL Assembly room-4.04.22 at 10am-12pm.
Thank you so much and have a wonderful rest of your week!
---
[Imagining the Future of Joter?a Studies as a Framework in the Field of Higher Education | Association of Mexican American Educators Journal]
1 year, 4 months
Re: FTT Faculty Senate Representative - Nominations
by Emily Bonner
Friendly reminder that nominations are due this Friday at 5 pm. Thank you!
Emily P. Bonner, Ph.D.
Professor, C&I (mathematics education)
Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Success
College of Education and Human Development
The University of Texas at San Antonio
One UTSA Circle | MB 3.304 | San Antonio, TX
emily.bonner(a)utsa.edu<mailto:emily.bonner@utsa.edu>
Twitter: @EPBonnerSA and @coehdrsch_utsa
[Creating Bold Futures]
From: COEHD Dean <COEHD.Dean(a)utsa.edu>
Date: Friday, March 7, 2025 at 8:28 AM
To: Coehd(a)lists.it.utsa.edu <Coehd(a)lists.it.utsa.edu>
Subject: [Coehd] FTT Faculty Senate Representative - Nominations
Dear COEHD Faculty,
We are currently seeking nominations for the COEHD FTT Representative on UTSA’s Faculty Senate<https://www.utsa.edu/senate/>.
The UTSA Faculty Senate is an elected body that represents faculty interests on university matters. The university leadership regularly engages the Senate at all levels. As such, it is vital that we, COEHD faculty, have appropriate representation in this organization.
Each college elects one Fixed Term Track faculty representative to this body to serve a three-year term. Please use this form <https://forms.office.com/r/RL6xFYvsM3> to submit nominations for a FTT faculty representative to the Faculty Senate no later than 5pm on March 21, 2025.
Important Information:
* Any faculty member at any rank can submit a nomination
* Nominees must be full time Fixed Term Track faculty in the COEHD
* Election will follow shortly after nominations close
* Term begins 9/1/2025
Please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Thank you!
[Imagining the Future of Jotería Studies as a Framework in the Field of Higher Education | Association of Mexican American Educators Journal]
1 year, 4 months
