DSI Research Initiative Request for Proposals

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Description

The Data Science Institute (DSI) executes the University of Chicago’s bold, innovative vision of Data Science as a new discipline. The DSI seeds research on the interdisciplinary frontiers of this emerging field; forms partnerships with industry, government, and social impact organizations; and supports holistic data science education.

The mission of DSI is to address important scientific and societal questions through coordinated advances in applications, models, algorithms, and platforms. Research initiatives play an important role in executing DSI’s mission: they help to transcend traditional boundaries by organizing research into interdisciplinary themes focused on high-impact results that benefit society and foster a flourishing data science research ecosystem.

Prior to the formation of the DSI, the Center for Data and Computing (CDAC) initiated a large number of seed grants to incubate several data science research projects across campus. This engaged faculty from nearly every division and school on campus and started new and important conversations on data science. The formation of DSI launched deeper investments into structured, multi-year, multi-PI research efforts to advance challenging and foundational questions in the field of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. The first three DSI research initiatives include Internet Equity, AI+Science, and Data & Democracy. The DSI seeks to fund new research initiatives to continue catalyzing cross-disciplinary research and inspiring new scientific inquiry in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

This opportunity welcomes proposals for research initiatives focused on novel, interdisciplinary, data-driven, or computing research projects executed by multidisciplinary teams comprising researchers from multiple departments/units. Successful research initiatives will advance innovative data-driven applications, models, algorithms, and platforms in underexplored interdisciplinary fields. Awards will be available for a period of 36-48 months. 

Goals

The goals of DSI Research Initiatives are to: 

1. Foster interdisciplinary research to build community, collaboration, and partnerships across the university. Include representation from a diverse set of disciplines.
2. Deepen cooperation and information sharing between potential end users such as industry, government entities, nonprofit/civic or healthcare organizations.
3. Accelerate the development of transformational AI & data science research and technologies that deliver high-impact results to society.
4. Provide research initiatives with resources and major benefits that include access to DSI lab space, computing resources, corporate and non-profit engagement, programming and communications support, and technical research staff. 
5. Leverage DSI support to attract additional funding sources to support the research initiative’s long-term efforts. Position initiatives to successfully scale and secure future large-scale sponsored research funding.

RFP Timeline

• RFP Opens: November 17, 2023
• White Paper deadline: January 15, 2024 by 11:59 PM CT
• DSI response on White Paper provided by: February 1, 2024
• Research Initiative Workshop held by: April 1, 2024
• Proposal deadline: April 30, 2024 by 11:59 PM CT
• Earliest research initiative start date: July 1, 2024
• Research Initiative Period: 36-48 months

Application Submission Process

Phase 0 : *Optional* Reach out to DSI Faculty leadership to discuss preliminary ideas. (Before 1/15/24)

Phase 1: White Paper (Due 1/15/24)

White papers must be submitted using the UChicago InfoReady portal. White papers received after the deadline will not be considered. 

Phase 2: Workshop (Completed on or before 4/1/24)

Finalists selected by DSI leadership will be invited to convene a workshop to gauge and build faculty interest in the research initiative and develop a  compelling research plan for the RI. Finalists may work with DSI faculty and staff to organize their workshop, strengthen their proposals, identify long-term funding, and secure additional research initiative partners before submitting final proposals. 

Phase 3: Proposal (Due 4/30/24)

Following the workshop, finalists must submit full proposals using the UChicago InfoReady portal. Detailed submission instructions and budget templates are provided as part of the submission process. Finalists will update, lengthen, expand, modify, and incorporate changes to the white paper they previously submitted in response to the workshop. The proposal will also incorporate a project plan; describe formalized partnerships; and provide context on the initiative’s time frame, budget, sustainability, and deliverables.

Eligibility 

• Principal Investigator must have PI status at UChicago. Please find more information about UChicago PI eligibility and policies here. 
• Each application must have at least one PI from the University of Chicago. Each application must also have at least one co-PI from a different unit within the University of Chicago (e.g., departments, divisions, schools) and/or from the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago (TTIC), Argonne National Laboratory, or Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
• Proposals that advance to the finalist round must include non-funded collaborators from industry/government/civic organizations that are documented with letters of collaboration. 
• Applicants may submit more than one application, with the same or different collaborative teams, provided that each application is distinct.

Review Criteria

White papers and proposals will be reviewed by DSI Leadership using the following scoring rubric: 

White Paper Preparation Instructions

Abstract (250 words). What set of research problem(s) do you seek to address, what is your approach to addressing these issue(s), and what specific outcomes will your research initiative deliver? 

Research Initiative Description. Please submit a document (up to two single-spaced pages with one-inch margins and a standard font at a size of 11 points or larger) addressing the questions below. The page limit does not include references; documents exceeding the page limit will not be considered.

• Intellectual Merit, Past Track Record, Interdisciplinarity, and Impact: State the problem(s) you are trying to address and its importance. Is this a niche problem or a large problem? What are the fundamental data science and artificial intelligence questions being addressed in this research initiative? How does the research initiative advance innovation in the fields of data science or artificial intelligence? Share context about the collective team and its track record of producing innovative methodology, theory, prototypes, tools, software, and other research artifacts. Identify which departments and faculty are involved. Who are the PIs leading this research initiative and do they represent a diverse set of disciplines and experts appropriate to address the problem area? Demonstrate the expertise of your team to accomplish the research initiative’s goals. Describe the need for the research collaboration. Who would benefit from this research initiative, who are your key stakeholders, and how will you engage with them on this initiative? What specific societal impact will the research initiative make?
• Community Building, Outreach, Broadening Participation, and Partnerships: How does the research initiative invest in the involvement of students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior faculty? How will the PIs involve faculty, researchers, staff, and students from groups historically underrepresented in data science? What connections and partnerships to external stakeholders such as industry, civic organizations, or government entities will the research initiative develop?
• Advancing DSI’s and the University’s Strategic Mission. How does this research initiative further the mission of DSI and the scholarship/research mission of the university? How does it complement the portfolio of existing DSI research initiatives? How can it enhance or collaborate with existing DSI initiatives? Could this initiative collaborate with the DSI Clinic program? Are there curricular aspects of the Data Science masters and PhD programs or outreach programs where the initiative could be integrated?
• Funding and Sustainability. Describe the sustainability of your research initiative by briefly outlining your plan for securing external funding (potentially including examples of external funding you plan to pursue). What will the DSI enable you to do with your effort that you are not able to do with funding from other sources? At this stage, what challenges is this research facing to secure other funding sources? How will this research initiative assist in opening up new funding opportunities? How will you leverage DSI support to attract additional funding sources to support the research initiative’s long-term efforts beyond the 36-48 month initiative period?

If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, please contact the DSI’s Research Program Manager, Maria Fernandez (mvfernandez@uchicago.edu).