Fly with the VCRED
Would you like the opportunity to fly on the university jet with the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development (VCRED) or his representative to Washington, D.C. for a day of program officer visits? Or, would you like the opportunity to take an open seat on a university jet flight to D.C. to conduct a scholarly visit to a museum, library, archive, or other site where an advanced appointment is not required? Apply to join the VCRED and five other UM investigators on a to-be-scheduled flight from Oxford to D.C. in Spring 2025.
Program Officer Visit Information and Eligibility
To apply as a Program Office Visitor, you must meet all of these pre-requisites:
- Be a UM employee
- Have received Dr. Higginbotham’s training on “Talking to Program Officers”
- Have identified the specific program and program officer (PO) you wish to visit at a funding agency based in the D.C. area
- Have spoken with or exchanged emails with the program officer at some point
- Have developed a concept paper summarizing a project or program idea you want to discuss with the PO (see the Concept Paper Note below)
- Have shared your concept paper with your chair and dean or associate dean for research (ADR) or equivalent supervisors and received their endorsement of your application
Concept Paper Note: The concept paper is a one-or-two page summary of your proposal idea, using language and/or format customized for the audience. For example, an NIH concept paper may take the form of a Specific Aims Statement, whereas an NSF concept paper may take the form of an NSF Project Summary. Consult with your chair or ADR in the development and refinement of your concept paper; ORSP Research Development can also provide support in reviewing these concept papers.
See also: Program Officer Outreach Guidance (a toolkit prepared by Hanover Research for its clients).
Scholarly Visit Information and Eligibility
You can apply to be on flight standby to fly to D.C. to conduct a scholarly visit to an area museum, library, archive, or another site where an advanced appointment is not required. If there are available seats on the university jet when it flies to D.C., we’ll reach out to individuals on the standby list.
To apply as a Program Office Visitor, you must meet all of these pre-requisites:
- Be a UM employee
- Have received Dr. Higginbotham’s training on “Talking to Program Officers”
- Have identified the specific program and program officer (PO) you wish to visit at a funding agency based in the D.C. area
- Have spoken with or exchanged emails with the program officer at some point
- Have developed a concept paper summarizing a project or program idea you want to discuss with the PO (see the Concept Paper Note below)
- Have shared your concept paper with your chair and dean or associate dean for research (ADR) or equivalent supervisors and received their endorsement of your application
Concept Paper Note: The concept paper is a one-or-two page summary of your proposal idea, using language and/or format customized for the audience. For example, an NIH concept paper may take the form of a Specific Aims Statement, whereas an NSF concept paper may take the form of an NSF Project Summary. Consult with your chair or ADR in the development and refinement of your concept paper; ORSP Research Development can also provide support in reviewing these concept papers.
See also: Program Officer Outreach Guidance (a toolkit prepared by Hanover Research for its clients).
You can apply to be on flight standby to fly to D.C. to conduct a scholarly visit to an area museum, library, archive, or another site where an advanced appointment is not required. If there are available seats on the university jet when it flies to D.C., we’ll reach out to individuals on the standby list.
As applications are received, Research Development will vet them for eligibility, completeness, and confirm supervisory endorsement, and offer assistance in editing/polishing the concept paper. Then, as flights are scheduled in Spring 2025, we will reach out to vetted applicants in turn and offer them the opportunity to schedule a visit with their program officer on the appointed date. As these appointments are confirmed, seats will be assigned until the flight is full.
Questions?
Email orspresdev@olemiss.edu or Jason Hale (jghale@olemiss.edu)
Ready to Apply?
Complete the online application form.