September 11, 2024
CoSearch workshop offers fast-paced collaboration for research teams
The Kansas Water Institute will host a unique workshop opportunity for faculty in October in Manhattan. The K-State CoSearch workshop will be an interactive and competitive two-day event where interdisciplinary teams will innovate research projects, plan a complete proposal, and pitch their ideas to a judging panel.
The intensive two-day competition on Oct. 18-19 provides facilitation for multidisciplinary research teams to collaborate and develop research plans that solve real-world problems. This year's theme focuses on water resources, and organizers say the goal of this event is to break down academic silos to produce innovative projects that unite the programs and departments at K-State. Teams will compete for prizes to help to jumpstart their research.
"We're hoping that this fast-paced and unique event will create unexpected collaborations between faculty from different departments and will push their comfort zones in a fun environment," said Susan Metzger, director of the Kansas Water Institute.
On the first day of the workshop, faculty will be placed in teams and will begin their creative work to build proposals from the ground up. By the end of the second day, each team will craft a presentation, which will be pitched to a panel of external judges for consideration.
Metzger said awards for winning teams will vary, including funding or services to help advance their research plan. Depending on the project, teams could receive start-up grant funds for data collection or professional grant writing services, she said.
As a result of previous CoSearch events at Texas State University and North Dakota State University, diverse faculty groups have been able to successfully fund and publish their research. Some examples include a group of communication, computer science and English professors whose project worked to improve interactions between patients and nurses. Another research group comprised of marketing professors and musicians tackled hunger issues for university students. Successful CoSearch projects often receive additional, follow-on grant funding from outside sources.
The workshop will be facilitated by Michael Burns, who created the CoSearch model. He is an assistant professor in the department of communication at the University of Colorado Boulder. Burns is an award-winning instructor whose work focuses on persuasion, leadership, small group dynamics and team problem solving. Outside academia, Burns works on the production management and logistics team at the "Today Show" on NBC, where he assists with their Olympic coverage.
CoSearch is a free event and open to all K-State faculty members interested in collaboration, research and solving real-world problems. Space is limited to 50 participants. Registration is available online.