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Research Problem Statements (RPS) & Funding

TRB ANNUAL MEETING 2022, CRC COMMITTEE MEETING

BAHAR DADASHOVA AND SUE SILLICK

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How to Improve Chances of Funding?

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Identify Related Research Needs

Identify Most Appropriate Funding Program(s)

Understand Funding Program(s) Requirements and Schedule

Work w/ Partners to Develop RPS

Vet RPS w/ Committee

Submit RPS

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Identify Related Research Needs

  • Search RNS and TRID Databases.
  • Connect with other TRB Committees with Overlapping Scopes.
  • Connect with Others: AASHTO Committees, Organizations, etc.
  • Results
    • ID Stakeholders
    • ID Funding Program Champions, and Sponsors
    • Increase volunteers
    • Prevent duplication
    • Promote Communication, Coordination, and Collaboration

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Involve AASHTO and other TRB Committees*

Very Important!

  • Involve the stakeholders (AASHTO, State DOTs and other TRB Committees) early in the process!
  • How?
  • Every AASHTO committee and council has an RPS submission process
  • Reach out to the AASHTO Committee chair and learn about the process and deadlines:
    • CRC submits one-page idea
    • AASHTO ranks and selects potential topics, and informs the CRC
    • CRC prepares and submits the full RPS using the right template and addressing the review questions
    • AASHTO submits the selected RPS to NCHRP for funding.

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How to Improve Chances of Funding?

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Identify Related Research Needs

Identify Most Appropriate Funding Program(s)

Understand Funding Program(s) Requirements and Schedule

Work w/ Partners to Develop RPS

Vet RPS w/ Committee

Submit RPS

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List of Funding Programs

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How to Improve Chances of Funding?

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Identify Related Research Needs

Identify Most Appropriate Funding Program(s)

Understand Funding Program(s) Requirements and Schedule

Work w/ Partners to Develop RPS

Vet RPS w/ Committee

Submit RPS

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Key Due Dates: (https://rppm.org/events)

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Source https://www.nationalacademies.org/trb/programs/cooperative-research-programs

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How to Improve Chances of Funding?

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Identify Related Research Needs

Identify Most Appropriate Funding Program(s)

Understand Funding Program(s) Requirements and Schedule

Work w/ Partners to Develop RPS

Vet RPS w/ Committee

Submit RPS

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Work with Partners to Develop RPS & Vet with Committee

See Writing an Effective Research Statement (Appendix A: How to Write an Effective Research Statement – Research Program and Project Management (rppm.org))

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Identify Implications of Proposed RPS

  • State clearly what are the implications of the proposed problem (safety, planning, environment?)
  • Start your RPS with Why not with What!
    • Does RPS intend to create research for improving safety, design, planning, etc.?
    • What are the gaps and how does the proposed research will address them?
    • Is there any ongoing project on this topic?
    • Does the PI or Panel of the ongoing project plan to address the question?
    • What is the process to successfully accomplish the proposed research (tasks, work plan, etc.)?
    • How will the research help the policy-makers (will it be included in a national guidelines (i.e., AASHTO publication)?
    • What are the proposed timeline and budget?

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How to Improve Chances of Funding?

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Identify Related Research Needs

Identify Most Appropriate Funding Program(s)

Understand Funding Program(s) Requirements and Schedule

Work w/ Partners to Develop RPS

Vet RPS w/ Committee

Submit RPS

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Who Can Submit RPS for Funding?

  • ACRP (main and synthesis), BTSCRP, NCHRP Synthesis, and TCRP (main and synthesis)
    • Anyone
  • Main NCHRP
  • NCHRP Implementation
    • NCHRP Panels
    • DOTs
    • AASHTO Committees

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Identify Agency/Person and Submit RPS for NCHRP Funding

  • RPS developed together with the AASHTO Committee is submitted by them
  • If the RPS is developed independently, identify an individual representative for state DOTs to submit the idea
  • State DOT representative can be a member or friend of the Committee

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ACRP

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  • ACRP undertakes industry-driven, applied research designed to produce implementable results that the airport industry can use to address the numerous challenges it faces.
  • Propose and Submit New Topic at IdeaHUB (https://ideahub.trb.org/) (use MyTRB credentials to create account)
  • Choose Ideas to Submit:
    • Research Projects for traditional research ideas leading to guidelines, tools, best practices, etc., and typically costing between $300,000 and $500,000;
    • Synthesis Topics for an idea limited to a review of current practice;
    • Legal Aspects for an idea focused on airport legal or regulatory issues.

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BTSCRP

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NCHRP Main

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  • Systematic, well-designed, and implementable research to solve many problems facing state departments of transportation (DOTs) administrators and engineers (http://www.trb.org/NCHRP/NCHRPOverview.aspx).
  • Propose and Submit New Topic by November 1, 2022
  • To be Submitted by
  • NCHRP Selects New Topics by May 2022
  • Panel Member Nominations are Announced (usually in August)
  • Request for Proposals (RFP) Developed (dates vary per project)
  • Principal Investigators Selected (dates vary per project)

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NCHRP Synthesis Projects

  • NCHRP Synthesis
  • Propose New Topic by February 17, 2022 at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6497240/NCHRP-Synthesis-Topic-Submission-FY-2023
  • NCHRP Selects New Topics by May 2022
  • Panel Member Nominations are Announced (dates vary per project)
  • Request for Proposals (RFP) Developed (dates vary per project)
  • Principal Investigators Selected (dates vary per project)

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TCRP (Synthesis)

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  • TCRP is sponsored by Federal Transit Administration with the objective of develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on public transportation (https://www.trb.org/TCRP/TCRP.aspx).
  • Propose and Submit New TCRP Synthesis Topic by March 18, 2022 at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6684184/TCRP-Synthesis-Topic-Submission-FY-2022
  • Topic Selection, Panel Nominations, and PI Selection follow the same process as the main NCHRP
  • For more information, please contact Chris Hedges (Director, CRP) at chedges@nas.edu.

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CRC Resources

TODAY’S MEETING!

USE THE CRC WEBSITE (HTTPS://SITES.GOOGLE.COM/VIEW/TRBCRC)

CONSULT YOUR GROUP REPRESENTATIVE (HTTPS://SITES.GOOGLE.COM/VIEW/TRBCRC/HOME/COUNCIL)

ATTEND THE ANNUAL CRC/CHAIRS Q&A IN DECEMBER

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CRC Resources

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