How to Apply: AGeS-DiG (Diversity in Geochronology)
The next AGeS-DiG proposal deadline will be October 1, 2025.
The information below regarding the project description and associated information is from the 2023 proposal cycle. This information may be updated before the 2025 DiG deadline.
Optional Partner Lab Letter, Optional Partner Letter, and Optional Supervisor Letter (for graduate student PIs) deadline is Oct 8, 2025, 11:59 pm MT.
For more information about applying to the AGeS-DiG program, see the 2023 AGeS-DiG Info Session Video Recording and the PDF of materials presented during that session.
Proposals must include the information below and fit within the stated character limits (character limits include spaces). Incomplete or late proposals will not be considered. In addition to a lead-PI, it is an option for a co-PI to be part of the proposal. Your application information will be submitted through a web-form. Click here to view screenshots of the web-form for reference when preparing your application materials.
Project Description
- Project Title (up to 150 characters)
- Identify the minoritized group to be targeted with the project. Explain why this group is underrepresented in geochronology and thus why it is appropriate to target students of this group with an AGeS-DiG project (up to 1000 characters).
- Do you or any other persons on this proposal identify as an underrepresented group? This is not a requirement for funding.
- Provide an overview of the proposed DiG project (up to 3000 characters). Describe how this project will engage, train, and educate students from underrepresented groups in geochronology, and how the project will be a successful and positive experience for the students. Explain the science project or science questions to be addressed, which may include geoscience education research. Priority will be given to projects that emphasize authentic research experiences for the student group. The scope of the science should be feasible within the proposed time frame (up to 18 months for the expenditure of the DiG funds). Details of student recruitment, selection, mentorship, and retention are requested in response to the next two questions.
- State how many students will be involved in the project, and explain how the target group will be recruited and selected. Resources on student recruitment and participant selection are on the AGeS website. Stipends for the participating students should be included in the budget (up to 1200 characters).
- Explain how the student participants will be mentored and retained in the project, how you will create a safe and welcoming space for the recruited group, and how you will enhance the overall professional development of the students. Please describe any experience that you or other project partners have in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion and in developing welcoming environments for underrepresented individuals. Resources on inclusive practices for labs and mentors, and additional resources, are on the AGeS website (up to 1200 characters).
- Brief timeline. Proposed projects should be implemented and funds fully expended during the January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 time frame (up to 500 characters).
- References cited.
- Available funds. Please explain if you currently have any funds available for the proposed project. Is the project that you propose likely to occur without AGeS-DiG support? Although not a requirement, AGeS-DiG encourages proposers to leverage opportunities to obtain some amount of matching funds (e.g., a match of 10%, 25%, 50% from the University or other source) if an AGeS-DiG award is obtained in order to magnify their project impacts.
- Detailed budget and justification. The funding is not a grant to an institution but is paid directly to individuals, labs, or other vendors from AGeS award funds managed by Arizona State University. As such, institutional indirect costs (e.g., overhead) should not be included in proposal budgets. The duration of DiG proposals funded in fall 2023 will be January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, during which all DiG funds should be expended. Requested funds from AGeS may not exceed $18,000 per proposal (note that additional matching funds from other sources are encouraged, but not required). Budgets should be categorized into:
- Funds for travel, food, lodging, and meetings
- Analytical and training fees, costs of equipment or consumables required for the project, and sample preparation fees
- Stipends for student participants should be included in the budget. For reference, typical stipend amounts of NSF REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) programs are $600-$650/week, or $15-$16.25/hour.
- Postdoc and graduate students engaged in project mentorship may also request a stipend for their time.
Additional Documents
- Partner Lab Letter, if a lab is engaged in the project.Although it is not a requirement that a lab be involved in an AGeS-TRaCE project, if a lab (or multiple labs) are engaged, a letter of support (one-page maximum) should be provided by each AGeS lab. AGeS labs are considered partners if the lab is involved as a collaborator on the project but is not the primary applicant. Partner letters should address: the partner’s engagement in the project, the project feasibility, and the partner’s level of interest in the project. The partner will be sent an email requesting the letter of support, and it will be due one week after the DiG proposal submission deadline. If you would like to work with a lab that is not yet part of the AGeS lab network, the lab should join the AGeS program.
- Partner Letter, if additional partners are engaged in the project.If additional partners (individuals or labs) are involved in the project, a letter of support should be provided from each partner (one-page maximum). Partner letters should address: the partner’s engagement in the project, the project feasibility, and the partner’s level of interest in the project. The partner will be sent an email requesting the letter of support, and it will be due one week after the DiG proposal submission deadline.
- Supervisor Letter, if the primary proposer is a graduate student. If the primary proposer is a graduate student, the student is strongly encouraged to upload a one page maximum letter of support from the student’s home institution supervisor to confirm the supervisor’s support of the student proposer’s efforts as outlined in the proposal, even if the supervisor is not directly engaged in the proposed AGeS-DiG project. The supervisor will be sent an email request for the letter, which will be due a week after the proposal deadline.
- Matching Fund Support Letter, if matching funds are obtained. Although not a requirement, AGeS-DiG encourages proposers to seek opportunities to obtain some amount of matching funds if an AGeS-DiG grant is obtained. If such commitments are obtained, upload a letter from the source of the match that clearly states the commitment.
- Optional Figure. Although not a requirement, you can upload a Figure/Graphic that helps explain your project proposal.