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B.U.I.L.D. Research Challenge

Complete the following tasks to increase your knowledge and prepare you to reach your future research goals.

Begin
Utilize
Investigate
Learn
Do

  • ORCID: Open Researcher and Contributor Identifier. ORCID strives to enable transparent and trustworthy connections between researchers, their contributions, and their affiliations by providing a unique, persistent identifier for individuals to use as they engage in research, scholarship, and innovation activities.

  • Pivot: A database used for searching funding opportunities for all disciplines.

    • To Create Your Login: 
      Use Institutional Login Credentials (SSO)
    • To Explore:
      Select “advanced search” located below the search bar and enter key words associated with your project in mind.
      Use the bar at the left to filter your search to better fit your project needs. (Research
      Grant, Academic Institution/Non-Profit, Submission Deadline Dates, Keywords, etc.)
      Then, explore the grant opportunities available for your area of research.
    • Browse Area Specific Funding here: https://pivot.proquest.com/funding_main 

    • Register here: https://pivot.proquest.com/register 

    • Start drafting a journal article about your recent research
    • Collaborations are important when it comes to receiving funding. If you have been working with someone and have not published together yet (or need to increase the number of articles together), start drafting an article with your collaborator.
    • Your 8-month base will be located at the bottom of your most recent contract letter. There will be a section that states your 8-month base pay. This is the number used to calculate your summer salary. 
    • Building collaborations and community within your field can be the key to successful proposals. Reach out to a prominent person in your field to build community and see if a collaboration would be an option for the future.
    • The IDR Awards are a great way to start your journey in research. These internal awards are ideal for collecting pilot data and finding collaborators for your project.  
    • There is now and IDR for Environmental Stewardship. These awards are available until funds are exhausted so apply now if you are interested in this opportunity.
    • There is also an IDR for Cancer Research. These funds have been dispersed, but keep an eye out for if they become available again.
    • Email Brittany a short synopsis of your project along with 3-5 key words that best describe the topic/funding you are looking for. She and her Research Assistants will work to put together a list of funders that would be the best fit for you and your project. 
    • Contact: brittany_freeze@byu.edu 
      801-422-5869

    • Take the time to praise and build up a colleague in your field. Tag a researcher on social media and share what you learned from their past or recent research.
    • Schedule a meeting with your faculty mentor/mentee to discuss funding outlets.
    • Follow some of the up and coming or prominent names in your field to stay current in your field.
    • Take the opportunity to connect with someone you never followed up with from a conference or reach out to someone you haven’t connected with in a while.

    • If you have a personal website, update it with a recent research highlight.
    • Stay in the know about upcoming events like Research Networking where faculty share their work and look for collaborations, GRASP where we offer trainings and support to faculty seeking external funding, and Bootcamps that help with specific opportunities (R15, CAREER, etc) or general writing assistance.
    • Bookmark our link https://researchdevelopment.byu.edu/ so you can have easy access to upcoming events and research development resources.
    • Starting with internal grant opportunities is a great way to prepare for external opportunities. Take a look at what grants BYU offers! 
    • Start here: https://fhssgrants.byu.edu/ 
    • Take a look at your team at BYU from Pre-Award to Post-Award by scrolling down to the College of Family, Home, & Social Sciences. https://spo.byu.edu/directory

  • The Russell Sage Foundation prioritizes social science research into today’s most pressing social and economic concerns. See if they have a grant that would work for your research idea!

    • Access the Matchmaker Tool here: https://reporter.nih.gov/matchmaker  

    • Put your topic of research into the Matchmaker search box and see what research projects have been funded and which institutes have funded them.
      Next, click on the Program Officials tab to explore which program officers may be the best fit for your research projects.

    • Reach out to Brittany to learn about professors in the Big 12 that may be in your field of study.

    • Is there potential to mentor this colleague? If so, start the conversation. 
    • Ask if you can support them in some way.
    • Login to your google scholar account.
    • Locate where it states that you can download your citations (RIS format).
    • Save that on your computer.
    • Login to SciENcv.
    • Select “My bibliography”.
    • Click “Add citation button”.
    • Select “From a file”.
    • Browse your computer for your downloaded copy from your google scholar account.
    • If you run into any problems, email Brittany!
    • Start here: http://facultyprofile.byu.edu/
    • When you apply for external funding, we need the last four digits of your zip code listed. Please see the chart below and update your Faculty Profile with the correct zip code. For example Steve Samples in Psychology would have the zip code 84602-4701
      SubjectCode
      Anthropology4700
      Economics2300
      Geography4704
      History6904
      Political Science4700
      Psychology4701
      Family Life6904
      Social Work6904
      Sociology6904
      Neuroscience4703
    • Graphics can be a powerful way to deliver complex or long-winded information in a concise and easy-to-read setting. Reviewers love a break from text and well-done graphics can go a long way. Think about the parts of your research that could or need to be explained within a graphic and create it.

  • Steps:

    1. Login to your profile here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sciencv/

    2. Click on your name in the upper right-hand corner.

    3. Select “Settings.”

    4. Scroll down to where it says delegate.

    5. Add brittany_freeze@byu.edu as a delegate to your account so she can help you edit and create your biosketch and current and pending documents.

  • Steps:

    1. Login to your profile here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sciencv/

    2. Locate SciENcv at the bottom right of the screen.

    3. Select “Create new document.”

    4. Give the Biosketch a name (project title, your name, etc.).

    5. Select “NIH Biosketch” or “NSF Biosketch.”

    6. Select if you want to make it public or private.

    7. Select “Create.”

    8. Select each edit tab and enter updated information.

    Use the attached guide if you are creating a NIH Biosketch.

    • Access the training here: https://irb.byu.edu/citi-training
    • The linked website provides step by step tutorials on how to access the CITI program through BYU credentials. Other workshops are included on the link as well.

  • Put together a Letter of Interest/Intent that is 1-3 pages. Use figures, graphs, or other images that can help the reader understand your research project.

    Make sure they understand:

    • what problem you are addressing
    • why this is a problem
    • what you plan to do to fix it
    • why this method is the best method
    • why the people on this project are the best people to solve this problem
    • and how your project will help to solve/alleviate this problem.
    • If you are interested in applying for a federal grant, an exceptional Aims page is crucial.
    • Use Brittany's guide to help you in this process.
    • Put together a preliminary budget to see what kind of funding you need to support your research project. This will help Brittany know what opportunities will best work for you.  
    • Use the Budget Planning Sheet 2025 on this link to get you started. https://spo.byu.edu/grants-contracts-2
    • Need help with your budget, reach out to Brittany
    • You can do it! Submit an article that you have been working on.
    • Start the process with this PDF.