stacks of hardback books

About the Clusters

What are the clusters?

The clusters are conceived as a series of multiyear thematic research and learning collaborations, consisting of existing faculty from at least three distinct units, undergraduate and graduate students, and potential external partners.

Through the Incubator, they will receive research funding to foster imaginative new partnerships, academic and public programming, and undergraduate and graduate courses. From these clusters, Arts & Sciences hopes to provide a framework for developing innovative and vibrant student learning opportunities as well as identify new areas of study that will potentially transform our research infrastructure and enhance our global visibility. 

Incubator funding of clusters will:

  • foster transformative new research collaborations
  • generate impactful research products and educational experiences
  • sponsor public-facing events and deliverables
  • support graduate training as a strategy to broaden the impact of cluster innovations
  • energize a series of new cluster-related courses

Cluster Proposal Timeline

ITF Launch, March 2022

The Incubator shared an interest survey across Arts & Sciences faculty, staff, and students. From this feedback, we began the “Coffee on the Incubator” initiative, inviting diverse faculty members whose work may align in innovative ways to meet for conversation and coffee.

Call for Pre-proposals, April 2022

Interested faculty were asked to first submit an abbreviated proposal for their cluster idea. These first-stage proposals were vetted by the Core Team, and selected applicants were asked to submit full proposals.

Notification of Selected Pre-Proposals, June 2022

The Core Team notified selected cluster applicants in June, and they were asked to submit full proposals over the summer.

Deadline for Full Proposals, Late Summer 2022

Full proposals required a more robust account of related research context, expected academic goals and outcomes, collaborators, and funding needs.

Cluster Selection, Fall 2022

The Core Team met to review proposals over the summer and will announce clusters in the fall.

ITF is no longer accepting cluster proposals, but if you have questions, thoughts or ideas for the Incubator, we still like to hear from you. 

Contact Us