Q: What does the Research Council expect in a successful grant proposal for Symposia/Distinguished Lecturer?
A: A fundable proposal should be well-written, in a language easily understood by an interdisciplinary audience, with such detailed information as description of the program, program schedule/itinerary, description of the prominent achievements and qualifications of the invited distinguished lecturer, lecturer’s resume, and itemized budget.
Q: What should be included in the program description?
A: The description should include, besides general information of the program, the extent to which the scholar’s visit will aid scholarship and enhance research at UNL. It is of vital importance that the proposed Symposia/Distinguished Lecturer Program will have a strong inter-departmental appeal, and it is clearly indicated that the invited lecturer will interact with members of the UNL community in more than one department or discipline. The program is to emphasize research, rather than teaching.
Q: Are there any specific requirements for the program schedule?
A: The proposal needs to indicate how the scholar’s time will be utilized at UNL with specific title, dates, times of the lecture(s)/performance(s). There must be at least one advertised and free-to-public lecture/performance, so the program will have opportunity to reach the entire University faculty, students and public.
Q: What is expected from the lecturer’s description?
A: The most important criterion is the extent to which the invited lecturer has distinguished him/herself in their field. The description must justify the designation of the lecturer as a Distinguished Lecturer, which is normally considered as one level above the Visiting Scholar. The criteria used to justify stature include academic rank and institution, the quantity, quality, significance, and impact of the invited lecturer’s scholarly publications or artistic works/productions, honors and/or honorary degrees received, and research grants and contracts secured. The lecturer’s curriculum vitae must be abbreviated to no more than three pages.
Q: What are the requirements for the budget?
A: Budget should be itemized in detail, accurate, and well-justified. Request for an exceptionally large honorarium should be justified in considerable detail. The proposal should provide information about any external funds required to cover a portion of the budgeted expenses. A Symposia/Distinguished Lecturers Grant awards up to $3,000.
