Getting to know Program Officers is a good use of your time, and it is always a great idea to contact them to discuss your research and specific interests. These interactions often pave the way for future funding. Join former program officers, Drs. Mario Rotea and Bhavani Thuraisingham, as they share best practices for engagement.

SPEAKERS: • Dr. Mario Rotea, Erik Jonsson Chair in Engineering and Computer Science, department head of mechanical engineering, and Director of the Center for Wind Energy • Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham, Founders Chair Professor of Computer Science, and Executive Director of the Cyber Security Research and Education Institute • Emily Lacy, Associate Director of UTD Office of Sponsored Programs Administration

Here are some articles and tips related to the topic:

1) What to Say — and Not to Say — to Program Officers • Science Magazine: https://blogs.sciencemag.org/sciencec… • The Chronicle of Higher Education: https://www.chronicle.com/article/wha…

2) NIH Tips • NIAID and General Tips: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/pr… • NIGMS Advice: https://loop.nigms.nih.gov/2015/11/ta…

3) Relationships Matter: Program Officers, Grantees, and the Keys to Success – a downloadable report offered by the Center for Effective Philanthropy: https://cep.org/portfolio/relationshi…

4) Review conference agendas. Sponsoring agencies often block out special time to meet individually with program officers.

5) UT Dallas specific: Make sure you receive and read emails from Emily Lacy with “[principal-investigators]” in the subject line. This is a listserv used to communicate all Office of Research and sponsor communications. Some announcements will be opportunities to meet Program Officers.

About the UTD ‘Research 101’ Series: Take a ride down the ‘How to’ Highway with subject matter experts to learn about various topics that will help take your research farther, faster! This series is hosted by the UT Dallas Office of Research and is scheduled to run during the Fall 2020 – Spring 2021 semesters. To view the schedule and register for upcoming sessions, visit: https://utd.link/Research101Series.