What is the definition of an “early career researcher” engaged in a field of basic science related to neuroarts?
- An early career researcher is a new investigator who has completed their terminal research degree or medical residency — whichever date is later — within the past 10 years.
- The 10-year rule applies whether or not the individual has received a major research award in the past.
Must an “individual working in an arts-based neuroarts discipline” also meet the criteria of an “early career investigator” as defined for the purposes of the Fleming Awards program?
- No, an individual working in an arts-based neuroarts discipline need not fulfill the requirements of an early career investigator as defined for the purposes of the Fleming Awards program.
Is an individual with adjunct status at a US academic or research institution eligible to apply for an Award or is a full-time academic appointment required?
- An early career researcher must hold a full-time appointment at a US academic or research institution and be engaged in a field of basic science related to neuroarts to be eligible to apply. Adjuncts are not considered to have a full-time academic appointment.
Are medical students eligible to apply for an Award?
- No, medical students may not apply for an Award.
- Medical residents may apply for an award.
Are non-US citizens eligible to apply for an Award?
- No, although individuals who are permanent US residents or who hold a Green Card are eligible to apply for an Award.
- A principal researcher must be a US citizen or permanent resident or hold a Green Card.
- Non-US citizens may be members of a research team.
- US citizens or permanent residents or individuals with a Green Card and who have a full-time appointment at, or affiliation with, a non-US academic or research institution are not eligible to apply. Such individuals must have a full-time appointment or affiliation with a US-based academic or research institution.
May an individual unaffiliated with an academic or research institution apply for an Award? Can an unaffiliated artist apply for an award?
- An early career researcher must have a full-time appointment with a US academic or research institution. However, an individual working in an arts-based neuroarts discipline need not have such an appointment or otherwise be affiliated with a US academic or research institution.
To whom do the conflict of interest restrictions regarding applicant eligibility apply?
- Individuals affiliated with the NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative, including members of its Advisory Board, as well as members of the Application Review Committee and staff of the Renée Fleming Foundation may neither apply for an Award nor participate in the development or execution of an application for an Award.
- The conflict of interest restrictions apply only to these specified individuals. A person with a professional affiliation with such an individual is not precluded from applying for a Fleming Award so long as that person works independently of that individual in the development and execution of their application.
Are for-profit businesses eligible to apply for an award?
- No.
Is there greater interest in supporting either qualitative research or quantitative research?
- No, both types of research are encouraged and most welcome.
May an application include graphs or charts? Should an application include references? In either instance, is the material to be included within the specified word counts?
- Applications may include graphs and other such charts as well as references. They can be added as “Additional Work Samples.” None of these materials will be counted against the word counts specified in the application requirements.
What is the expectation for the size of “groups of individuals” in community-based settings that are the subject of an Award application?
- There is no expectation that “groups of individuals” must include a certain number of people. That figure should be the appropriate number to meet the standards for a well-designed research study whose results will help expand the evidence base of the emerging field of neuroarts.
For applications requiring documentation of approval of an Institutional Review Board (or equivalent such committee), must that documentation be provided by the February 1 deadline for submitting an application?
- No, such an application must confirm that IRB (or equivalent) approval is required and that the process for securing such approval will move forward immediately if an award is made. Documentation of approval must be provided as soon as it is secured.
May Award funds be used to support currently existing or soon-to-be launched programs?
- No, Award funds may not be used to support programs that currently exist; programs that are about to be launched; or programs that otherwise have been approved and are expected to become operational regardless of the outcome of the application for an Award.
Does the Award cover indirect costs?
- No, the Award does not cover indirect costs.
Does the Award cover article process charges and/or travel expenses to present research findings at conferences?
- Yes, the Award can cover article process charges and/or travel expenses to present research findings at conferences and other appropriate venues as long as such charges and expenses are related to research work supported by the Award
Can the following individuals qualify as an “early career researcher” if they have an appointment at an academic or research institution and are engaged in a field of basic science related to neuroarts:
- Scientists with an appropriate degree in the social sciences such as non-clinical psychology, sociology, or anthropology?
- Yes
- In Ethnomusicology?
- Yes
- In Music Therapy (similar to rehabilitation science)?
- Yes
- In Communications?
- Yes
- In Architecture and Neuroscience?
- Yes
- Yes
- In these and all other cases, the research methodologies that will be used for the project must be in keeping with the standards for rigorous scientific research, including objective outcome measures and evaluation practices.
Must an early career researcher be associated with an academic or research institution for a certain period of time in order to meet the application requirements?
- No. An early career researcher is an individual who has completed their terminal research degree or medical residency — whichever date is later — within the past 10 years. To qualify as a co-PI to apply for a Fleming Award, an early career researcher must have an appointment at an academic or research institution and be engaged in a field of basic science related to neuroarts. There is no requirement regarding the length of time such a researcher must have an academic or research appointment or be engaged in a field of basic science related to neuroarts. The Application Review Committee may, however, take such experience into consideration in making its recommendations for awards.
Do both PIs have to have neuroarts expertise?
- A proposal must include at least two co-principal investigators:
- An early career researcher with an appointment at an academic or research institution and engaged in a field of basic science related to neuroarts.
- An individual engaged in an arts-based, performance, or other neuroarts-related discipline. This individual may be, but need not be, affiliated with an academic or research institution. They can simply be engaged independently in an arts-based neuroarts-related discipline or be affiliated with an arts-based neuroarts organization such as an arts museum.
Can an “arts practitioner” who holds a full-time appointment at a US academic or research institution and is engaged in a field of research related to neuroarts be the designated early career researcher?
- No. An early career researcher is an individual who has completed their terminal research degree or medical residency — whichever date is later — within the past 10 years. To qualify as a co-PI to apply for a Fleming Award, an early career researcher must have an appointment at an academic or research institution and be engaged in a field of basic science related to neuroarts.
An arts practitioner does not qualify to apply as an early career researcher PI unless they: (1) have completed a terminal or medical degree within the past 10 years; (2) have an appointment at an academic or research institution; and (3) are engaged in a field of basic science related to neuroarts. However, an individual who meets the requirements for an “arts practitioner” (i.e., an individual engaged in an arts-based, performance, or other neuroarts-related discipline) and holds a full-time appointment at a US academic or research institution does qualify as a PI. For the purposes of the Fleming Awards, PIs — whether from the sciences or the arts — are considered equal partners. As such, The Application Review Committee will consider proposals from that perspective.
Must principal investigators be either US citizens or permanent residents of the US?
- Yes. All PIs must meet this basic requirement.
May different faculty members with appointments at the same academic or research institution submit different proposals? May an individual faculty member be part of more than one proposal?
- There is no limit on the number of proposals that may be submitted by different faculty members affiliated with the same institution. However, individual faculty members — regardless of their academic or research institution affiliation — may be a part of only one proposal; they cannot be part of multiple applications.
In addition to the PIs, may a proposal include a team of other researchers, students, or teaching artists?
- Yes. A research team may and should include other qualified and appropriate individuals necessary to carry out the project. The only limit in this regard is the budget for the project.
Do all team members need to meet the citizenship/residency requirements?
- No, but as the official applicants for a Fleming Award, all Co-PIs must be US citizens or permanent US residents. Other team members need not meet this requirement.
Could one of the Co-PIs be a more seasoned researcher with more than 10 years of experience?
- The definition of an “early career researcher” is not based on years of experience. Rather, it is based on the number of years — within the last 10 years — that an individual has completed their terminal research degree or medical residency – whichever date is later. A researcher who does not meet this definition may be a part of a research proposal, but not in the role of an early career researcher PI.
Can an arts teacher engaged in K-12 education qualify as an arts practitioner PI?
- Yes, if they meet the qualifications of an “arts practitioner:” An individual engaged in an arts-based, performance, or other neuroarts-related discipline.
What defines “significant” for “previous financial support”?
- For purposes of the Fleming Awards “significant” financial support means a major grant or contract from a private or public funding source such as a National Institutes of Health R01 grant. Other NIH awards, such as R23s, K awards, and other grants or contracts specifically targeted for early-stage investigators — whether supported through public or private sources — are not considered to be “significant.”
Can a research project be conducted on non-US soil if the research team meets the eligibility requirements?
- Yes. Principal investigators must meet the US citizenship/residency requirements to be eligible to apply for a Fleming Award, regardless of where the research will be conducted. The research itself may be conducted outside the US, but only if the PIs are connected with an appropriate non-US, locally-based organization, with “ locally-based” meaning, the area where the research is to be conducted.
We are working with dancers and martial artists in some of our research. Can both sets of individuals be included in a proposal , or only the dancers?
- Yes. Research teams may include individuals whose work, background, expertise, and experience are relevant in carrying out a proposal. The Application Review Committee will evaluate all proposals based on whether the results of the project are likely to help advance the field of neuroarts, including the possibility of securing additional research support to build on those results.
Is virtual reality considered to be an “arts-based neuroarts discipline”?
- Yes.
Must the research proposed be completed within one year after an award has been made?
- No, although proposals should be designed to be completed within the one-year award period and if awarded, every effort should be made to meet that timeframe. Nonetheless, research projects — from design to data publication — often take longer than 12 months to complete. Requests for time extensions, therefore, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Must the proposal involve neuroscientific methodology (e.g. neuroimaging) or can the methodology involve qualitative data collection, psychoanalytics, etc.?
- Qualitative and/or quantitative research methodologies are encouraged and most welcome.
Are translational and applied research considered “basic” sciences for purposes of the Fleming Awards?
- Yes.
Who may serve as the fiduciary agent of an award?
- The fiduciary agent for a Fleming Award — and there may only be one such agent — must be a US-based university or academic or research institution. That place most likely would be the academic or research institution with which the early career researcher PI has an appointment. However, if the neuroarts-based arts practitioner PI has an appointment with such an institution, that institution could serve as the fiduciary agent. In the case where both PIs have an appointment at an academic or research institution, agreement would need to be reached on which institution would serve as the fiduciary agent. To be clear: Each award may have only one fiduciary agent.