Application Cycle and Timeline

The application process will consist of two phases. The selection committee will review all of the Phase 1 applications and will invite the top three applicants to complete Phase 2.

Phase 1 should include the following documents as separate attachments (Word of PDF) and must be submitted through the abstract submission portal:

  1. Abstract (500 word limit) to briefly describe the study and the intent of the study.
  2. Budget (please take into consideration that the grant does not cover overhead or salaries, as it is a starter grant).
  3. CV.

Phase 1 has a deadline of August 17, 2025. From August 18, 2025 until September 15, 2025 the Selection Committee will review the abstracts and invite the top three abstracts to complete Phase 2. Applicants will be notified of a decision around September 17, 2025.

Phase 2 will include the following and must be submitted to [email protected]:

  1. Bio sketch of applicant (click to download).
  2. Bio sketch of the mentor(s) (click to download).
  3. A personal statement (part of bio sketch).
  4. Detailed research plan – should include:
    1. Background
    2. Hypothesis and Aims
    3. Materials and Methods
    4. IACUC/IRB status
    5. Detailed budget with Budget Justification
    6. Potential pitfalls and their solutions
    7. Expected findings and their significance
    8. The plan for a future grant application based on the proposed study
    9. References
      Use 12-size font (Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri), single space, one-inch margins, and a maximum of five pages including the budget, figures, tables, and references.
  5. Mentoring plan.
  6. Letters of support and commitment from:
    • Chair-must agree to additional non-clinical time (minimum of 2 non-clinical days per month).
    • Mentor(s).

Phase 2 of the application process will occur from approximately September 17, 2025 until November 11, 2025. The recipient of the SEAd Grant is expected to participate in the SEA Spring Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri (Friday, April 24, 2026 to Sunday, April 26, 2026). At this meeting, the recipient will be announced during the awards session.

Click here to download a document outlining the requirements.

Grant Description

The SEAd Grant is a $10,000 education research starter grant, open to Faculty members of the Society. The purpose of the grant is to inspire and assist aspiring faculty who have no previous funding to start an educational research project. The grant requires that the recipient be given non-clinical time by their department to complete the project.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

  • Be a current member of the SEA.
  • Have received no prior non-departmental (“outside”) research funding.
  • Be within 10 years of starting an academic / teaching career.
  • Present an original education research idea.
  • Name a mentor, and submit a mentoring plan.
  • Have the full support of the Departmental Chair, who must sign off on the grant application and agree to grant the applicant additional non-clinical time (minimum of 2 non-clinical days per month), if awarded.
  • Submit a budget plan. This grant does not cover overhead or salaries, as it is a starter grant. While the SEAd grant cannot be applied to salary support, it can be used to support costs for professional services from salaried professionals that are essential for the planning or execution of the project (e.g. statistician fees).
  • Agree to present the completed study (or a progress report) at the Spring SEA Meeting following the award, including a financial report detailing how the grant was used.
  • Submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal for publication, with acknowledgement of SEAd Grant funding.

Selection Process

The selection committee will be comprised of the following:

  • Chair of Research Committee,
  • Chair Designee of Research Committee,
  • SEA President,
  • SEA Immediate Past President,
  • SEA members appointed by the Research chair, for their breadth and depth of education research expertise.

In addition to the selection committee, SEA members will be invited by the Research Committee Chair to review Phase 1 applications. The Phase 2 grading and selection committee will consist of 4-8 members. A scoring tool will be used to standardize the scoring. A written critique with feedback will be provided for all of the applicants.

Reporting and Award Requirements

There must be progress reports 6 months and 1 year after the receipt of the grant:

The 6-month report should be brief (less than 2 pages) and include:

  • Progress made to date (including expenses),
  • Difficulties encountered or anticipated roadblocks as well as plans to mitigate them,
  • Identification and explanation of any changes made from the original proposal.
  • The committee will then review the progress report and offer assistance in resolving problems that arise, to help ensure success of the grant recipient.

The 1-year report must be provided for the SEA Board of Directors to review one month prior to the spring meeting. The report will include:

  • A summary of the objective and the results of the study,
  • Any changes in the study or mentorship,
  • Publication or abstracts that have been generated from the study,
  • A financial report detailing how the grant money was spent,
  • Award of further funding.

The grant will be awarded to the grant recipient’s institution. All expenses funded by the grant are to be paid by the institution. Any unused funds are to be returned to SEA. The SEA and its auditors reserve the right to receive upon request documentation and itemized receipts for the expenses.

Record Keeping by SEA Management

A SEAd Grant web page will be established on the SEA website. This will include a description of the grant, application materials, and a record of past awards and outcomes (further funding, publications, promotion etc.).

Questions?

Contact the SEA Research Committee Chair.