Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence

Faculty Research Mix & Mingle

Thursday, March 5, 2026

2-4 PM | AIEB Atrium

 Research Mix & Mingle is a networking event for Tennessee Tech faculty to learn about campus research support, connect with colleagues, and share research interests. Through both structured and unstructured networking, attendees will collaborate across disciplines, discover campus resources, and build relationships that can support future research pursuits. The event will be from 2-4 PM in the Ashraf Islam Engineering Building Atrium.

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Intellectual Property - Mini Session

Friday, February 13, 2026

What is IP? How do you know if what you are doing needs to be protected? What is the process for a patent and how do you ensure your ideas remain yours while you are in the process of attaining one. Learn about the rights and protection available for faculty and researchers at Tennessee Tech.   

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IRB: Human Research Subjects Workshop

February 3, 2026

This workshop is intended to introduce the IRB process to individuals across campus interested in engaging in human subjects research. The workshop will cover the policies governing human subjects research, and the procedures for initiating and conducting these projects at TN Tech.  You can view the recording below or use this link. 

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Getting Started with Research Grants 

Friday, September 12 

Sessions will cover the essentials of the grant cycle, introduce key proposal terminology, and explain the pre-award grant process. Discover the research infrastructure at Tennessee Tech that can assist you in applying for and securing external research funding. Learn more about each session below. 

• » Research & Grants at Tennessee Tech

  Session 1: Research & Grants at Tennessee Tech
  Dr. Michael Aikens, Acting Vice President for Research
  Learn about research goals, support, and infrastructure available at Tennessee Tech to help you apply for and secure external and internal research funding. 

  View Presentation

• » Introduction to the Proposal Process

  Session 2: Introduction to the Proposal Process
  Mark Lynam, Office of Research & Economic Development
  This session will summarize the grant cycle, introduce proposal terminology, and describe the pre-award grant process. Learn about research infrastructure available at Tennessee Tech to help you apply for and secure external research funding. 

  View presentation

• » Identifying Funding

  Session 3: Identifying Funding
  Dr. Neal Hunt, Assistant VP for Research Administration
  How do researchers find funding? Master the tools available at Tennessee Tech to monitor and identify sponsored programs that match your area of expertise.

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Research Strategies for Social Impact and Economic Development

Friday, Sept. 26

Explore how local and regional partnerships can drive research activity in Tennessee, benefiting both researchers and local communities. Gain insights into the history of economic development initiatives and their impact on the state’s innovation landscape. This session will also include a panel discussion from current grantees about their projects.

• » Session 1: Rural Reimagined and the Tennessee Research Landscape 

  Session 1: Rural Reimagined and the Tennessee Research Landscape 
  Dr. Michael Aikens, Associate VP for Economic Development (Currently serving as Vice President for Research & Economic Development)

  How can local and regional partnerships be leveraged to support research activity in Tennessee? Learn about the history of economic development activities in Tennessee and how such activities benefit local communities. Explore the current and future research landscape in the southeastern U.S. and discover emerging partnerships across diverse disciplines for inspiration in forming your own.  

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• » Session 2: Intellectual Property and Commercialization

  Session 2: Intellectual Property and Commercialization
  Dr. Michael Aikens, Associate VP for Economic Development (Currently serving as Vice President for Research & Economic Development)

  Learn about intellectual property and commercialization within Tennessee. 

  View Presentation

• » Session 3: Changing the World through Research and Creative Activity Discussion Panel

  Session 3: Changing the World through Research and Creative Activity Discussion Panel
  Colin Hill, School of Music; Amanda Powell, College of Business and iCube; Melissa Geist, School of Nursing and ESTAR Sanos – Be Healthy

  How does our research change the world? Celebrate the diversity of scholarly and creative activities that happen through Tennessee Tech-community partnerships. Hear from panelists who’ve worked hard to establish connections with local and international communities where their expertise makes a positive impact. Be inspired and identify ways that your work could do the same. Questions welcome! 

 

Streamlyne 

Thursday, October 23

Dr. Neal Hunt & Kelly Kigor, Office of Research & Economic Development 

Learn to use good faith estimates to create a simple budget in Streamlyne. This discussion will cover basic grant budget items, from indirect costs to cost sharing to subawards. Learn to build a budget during the proposal process that makes grant management easy when the project is awarded!  

Proposal Production & Best Practices for Managing Your Grant

Friday, October 24

Join us this Friday, October 24th, from 9 AM–12 PM in LIB112 or via Teams for a workshop focused on strategies for responding to RFPs and basic project budgeting. Learn practical tools to strengthen your submissions and manage budgets effectively. Open to graduate students, faculty, and anyone involved in proposal development. Lunch provided for in person attendees. Register below and contact cafe@tntech.edu with questions. 

Session Slides:

• RFP Presentation
• Building a Solid Budget Presentation
• Launching Your Project Slides

 

Professional Profiles 

Thursday, November 6

Learn how to navigate professional profile databases and track your research efforts throughout your career. 

View Presentation

 

GrantForward

Friday, November 21

Join us for an interactive session introducing GrantForward, the university’s new funding database designed to simplify your search for research grants. GrantForward offers access to over 83,000 funding opportunities from more than 20,000 sponsors, covering all academic disciplines.

Learn how to:

• Efficiently navigate funding databases
• Use advanced filters to target relevant grants
• Create a personalized researcher profile for tailored recommendations

Whether you're new to grant seeking or looking to refine your strategy, this session will help you save time and stay ahead of emerging opportunities.