Frequently Asked Questions
Rackham offers Rackham Interdisciplinary Workshop (RIW) grants to sponsor an ongoing program of interdisciplinary workshops, which is overseen by Associate Dean Catherine Sanok. This program has two goals. First, it is designed to encourage interdisciplinary research by supporting workshops for graduate students, faculty, postdocs, and staff who share intellectual interests but do not necessarily have an easily available forum in common because they have different academic affiliations. Second, RIWs are designed to advance graduate student research by providing opportunities for them to develop and present research in an interdisciplinary forum.
Graduate students interested in forming such groups may apply for grant funding to support workshop activities and to compensate coordinators. A maximum grant award of $5,000 may be requested if the application is submitted by August 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) for the upcoming academic year. Workshops will receive grant funds at the end of the year after successful submission and approval of the year-end report. Funding is for one year only, but continuing workshops may apply for renewal. Funding not used by the end of the academic year cannot roll over to the next academic year. Please note: The RIW program no longer has a second application cycle for winter semester workshops. Groups, however, may still apply for grant funding for one semester only and must submit applications by the August 1 deadline.
Can I serve as a student coordinator in more than one RIW?
No, graduate students may serve as coordinator for one RIW only.
How many faculty sponsors can each RIW have?
Each RIW can have up to two faculty sponsors.
What is the minimum number of members required to form an RIW?
The RIW is required to have at least six members. The members must represent two or more graduate programs.
How many student coordinators can an RIW have?
The RIW may have up to five student coordinators, one of which must be a candidate, preferably in their third to sixth year of study.
When is the deadline to apply for a new RIW grant or to renew an RIW grant?
The deadline for grant renewals or new requests is August 1 for full-year or one-term funding.
What is the annual funding limit?
The annual funding limit is $5,000 for the full year and $2,500 for one term.
Is there a book spending limit per member?
Yes, the cost of books is limited to $100 per member.
When is the RIW grant funding disbursed?
The RIW will run a deficit, and funds will be distributed to the shortcode created by the RIW’s finance administrator. Funding is distributed after the year-end grant report has been submitted and approved.
Can an RIW divide the student stipend?
Yes, the stipend can be shared if there is more than one coordinator. However, the amount cannot exceed $1,500 with the minimum of $300 in total.
When is the year-end grant report due?
The year-end grant report is due June 1 of each academic year.
Can I submit a grant renewal prior to submitting the year-end grant report?
No. The system will not allow the RIW to renew until Rackham has received the year-end grant report.
When does the academic year end?
The academic year ends May 31.
Can postdocs serve as an RIW coordinator?
No. Postdocs can participate in an RIW, but they cannot serve as an RIW coordinator.
What are common ineligible expenses?
T-shirts, web hosting fees, merchandise: These items are not considered necessary for a workshop to function, nor do they contribute enough to the interdisciplinary nature of the workshop. Multiple speakers: RIW should host no more than one outside speaker per academic year.
Contact
If you have questions about the eligibility of an expense, please reach out to the RIW team at [email protected].
Sections
- Application Process
- Running Your Workshop
- Reports and Renewals
- Workshop Contacts
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Upcoming Workshops