Frontiers in Research Summits (FRS)

Frontiers in Research Summits

Funds Texas A&M faculty summits that connect researchers and trigger new collaborative science initiatives.

The Frontiers in Research Summits (FRS) program, administered by the Texas A&M University Division of Research, funds TAMU faculty to organize and host large-scale intellectual dialogues on strategic and emerging research topics. Each funded summit is expected to convene 100 to 150 participants and must produce a white paper summarizing the research ideas, opportunities, and strategies identified during the event. The program runs on a year-round rolling basis organized into four quarterly submission batches: September through November, December through February, March through May, and June through August.

Awards of up to $75,000 per summit are available. The organizing team must include a minimum of three faculty members from TAMU, branch campuses, AgriLife Research, or TEES, though participation from outside institutions is encouraged. A lead PI may submit only one proposal per batch window. Decisions are issued within two months of each batch deadline, and the funded summit must take place within one year of the award. Applications are submitted through the InfoReady portal at tamu.infoready4.com.

The white paper deliverable is a distinguishing feature of FRS: reviewers will evaluate whether the proposed summit topic has genuine potential to generate novel research directions and collaborative networks that extend beyond the event itself. Organizing teams that can demonstrate a clear plan for convening leading researchers — including those from outside Texas A&M — and for channeling summit outputs into fundable research agendas will be most competitive. Henry Fadamiro, AVP Research for Strategic Initiatives, oversees the program and can be reached at henry.fadamiro@tamu.edu or (979) 845-8585.