Information for Faculty and Academic Staff

UW–Madison awards WUN grants twice annually. A competition for small grants to “seed” international collaborations involving WUN partners takes place in fall (to be announced October 2009--watch this space!). In spring, a competition for international collaboration travel grants helps faculty and academic staff explore potential new research partnerships at WUN partner institutions.

Previously funded projects have resulted in new partnerships, extramural funding proposals, joint publications, innovative Internet resources, new courses, and opportunities for students and postdocs in the context of the proposed research project. WUN seeks to support projects that both draw on the resources of WUN partner institutions and hold the prospect of continuing longer-term collaborative benefit for the partners.

Read about recent UW-Madison WUN seed grant recipients.

For researchers at WUN partner institutions:

If you are a researcher at a WUN member institution and are interested in visiting UW-Madison, you may be able to apply to WUN at your home institution for research mobility support. See your local WUN program officer for more information. In addition to your home institution’s application process, you would also need to:

1) Find a UW-Madison faculty host and obtain a letter of invitation.

2) Have the UW-Madison host department complete the necessary J-1 visa paperwork and submit it to the International Faculty and Staff Services (IFSS) office. If the department staff is unfamiliar with the J-1 procedure, the staff person may contact Dr. Erin Crawley at fellow@intl-institute.wisc.edu.

3) The host department staff person should send Dr. Kimberly Coulter (kcoulter@international.wisc.edu) copies of the letter of invitation and, after the visa process has been finalized, notification that the visitor will in fact be coming.

Note:  For the purposes of the visa program, a visitor arriving on a J-1 visa is considered a “Short Term Scholar” and will be given a $0 university appointment of "Honorary Associate" or "Honorary Fellow." The visitor will receive a faculty/staff identification card and will be eligible for a free bus pass.

Useful contact:
International Faculty and Staff Services (IFSS):
Check here for information on how to process a request for a J-1. The site will also have updated information concerning SEVIS, the SEVIS fee, and federal financial requirements for J-1 scholars (and dependents, if applicable).
http://www.ohr.wisc.edu/ifss/

UW-Madison faculty who have received WUN seed grants have reported enhanced visibility of their projects in research communities at home and abroad, and increased engagement between working groups.

According to Law Professor Heinz Klug,
"The WUN grant helped us to launch our research project on Role of Law in Developing and Transitional Countries which, in turn, helped us consolidate our links with faculty at UW-Madison as well as with our network of national and international partners, including those at WUN partner institutions."

Sociology Professor Randy Stoecker reports improved visibility for his research due to WUN involvement:
“I have been contacted by at least three UW-Madison researchers who heard about the project.  Nationally I have been able to connect with six researchers who are working on PAR documentation projects.  Internationally I am now connected to a group of Canadian PAR practitioners, and to the European-based Living Knowledge Network. “

Pediatrics Prof. Philip Farrell credits WUN support as facilitating
“improved communication, collaboration, and excellent planning for project expansions.”