Catalyst Immersive

Propel Your Research Forward

Are you a faculty member ready to take your research portfolio to the next level? The Catalyst Immersive, sponsored by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, is the flagship professional development and mentoring program of our Catalyst Institute designed to help you secure external funding. We'll give you the skills, tools, and training to turn your research ideas into compelling, ready-to-submit grant proposals.

What You Will Gain | Program Timeline & Commitment | Participant Expectations | Schedule | Ready to Apply?

WHAT YOU WILL GAIN

Catalyst Immersive is designed to provide tangible skills and a lasting support network to help you confidently navigate the grant-seeking landscape. In this program, you will:

• Learn to more strategically position your research to appeal to sponsors and reviewers.
• Build a robust research support network, both inside and outside PSU.
• Prepare compelling proposal summaries and narratives that highlight your project’s importance.
• Gain deeper understanding of the proposal review process, including the roles of program officers and reviewers.
• Develop effective strategies to strengthen proposal resubmissions.

As a graduate of the Immersive program, you'll also join an alumni network of Catalyst Fellows, an interdisciplinary, long-term ongoing peer- mentoring community with priority access to Catalyst Academy programming, research development resources and proposal support services.

As a Fellow, you'll have opportunities to:

• Continue to refine your grant-seeking skills through advanced workshops and targeted training in the Catalyst Academy.
• Access a wide range of resources to develop your research idea from proposal submission through project execution.
• Grow your networks through continued events to connect with program officers and build key relationships with potential funding agencies.
• Create new connections with faculty across campus to stimulate new research ideas and launch interdisciplinary projects.

Program Timeline and Commitment

The Catalyst Immersive is a year-long journey from application to proposal submission.  Below are the key milestones and expectations for participants.

PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS

To ensure a successful experience for all, you are expected to fully commit to the program’s activities. This includes:

• Actively attend all scheduled workshop sessions and weekly writing group meetings.
• Dedicate time to complete workshop readings, assignments, and meet with your coaches and team.
• Meet all proposal draft deadlines as outlined in the timeline.
• Submit your final proposal to an external grant program by the August 30th, 2027 deadline.

IMMERSIVE WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

The workshop series will run from 9am to 3:30 pm every other Friday. We will be sharing the fully syllabus with selected participants, but a typical day will include:

• 9 am -10am: Introduction/Overview
• 10 am - 12pm: Hands on Activities
• 12pm - 1pm: Rotating lunch with your respective campus support network (e.g. Foundation, Industry, Government Relations)
• 1 pm - 3:30 pm: Hands on Activities

On alternate weeks, you will meet with peer groups and writing coaches for 2 hours (timing based on participant schedules). After the completion of the workshop series, you will continue to receive extended support from their peer writing teams and coaches as you finalize your proposal for submission in Fall 2027.

READY TO APPLY?

Applications for our Fall 2026 Cohort are now open!

Eligibility

All full-time, PI-eligible, Assistant and Associate Professors (Tenure Track) and Research Assistant and Associate Professors (Non-Tenure Track) at PSU are eligible to participate. While priority will be given to Assistant and Associate Faculty, Postdoctoral researchers with at least 2 years experience and full Professors may also apply (simply denote your status in the "other" category on the application. Applications are encouraged from all departments and disciplines.

Application Deadline

June 5th, 2026

Required Materials

Please prepare the following documents for submission via a Google Form:

• Statement of Interest (1 page max, excluding list of proposals): A short narrative outlining your (1) motivation for participating in Catalyst, and (2) history with submitting proposals (either as a PI or co-PI) for extramural funding, including a list of successful and unsuccessful proposals submitted in the past five years (2020-2025), formatted as: Year, Sponsor, Program, Proposal Title, Outcome (Funded, Declined, Pending). Your proposal list can be included on a second page as needed.
• Curriculum Vitae: An updated curriculum vitae that follows the format provided in Appendix I of PSU's P&T Guidelines.
• Research Description (1 page max): A short description of your research interests written for a non-technical/non-expert audience. Include a short description of a potential research topic for your proposal and a list of any potential sponsors.
• Letter of Support from Department Chair:  A short statement from your department chair confirming your eligibility based on appointment status indicating they support your participation and attendance in the 12-week Catalyst program. Detailed letters of recommendation are not required.