What can the CAVT do for you?
The CAVT can be an important part of your research strategy. It will extend your scientific potential and your networks by leveraging the diverse technical expertise on and outside the University campus and make it all work for you and your research.
Working with the CAVT will not cost you anything.
When the CAVT works with UA faculty on a grant or research contract, the CAVT receives an extra 10 percent of the administrative overhead to support costs of bookkeeping for your project. This overhead does not affect the conventional 20 percent overhead share going to your college dean’s office, the 10 percent share going to your department and the 10 percent share going to the investigators. A participating faculty member does not need to pay any additional money to the center. All of the research money stays where it belongs, with the researcher and his or her work.
The CAVT will represent you with outside partners.
As the CAVT engages industry, national labs, state offices or other government entities, its staff represents all the University potential and expertise. Your work therefore gets exposure and publicity outside your current network, in places and with people you don’t have time to personally contact.
The CAVT will help you form winning teams.
The CAVT is a pluri-disciplinary center bringing people from all areas of engineering, science, and beyond. By working with the CAVT, you get opportunities to partner with faculty and researchers within The University of Alabama as well as outside on truly interdisciplinary subjects.
The CAVT will help you with project administration.
The experienced CAVT staff will help you with some of the administrative and bookkeeping burden associated with project administration.
The CAVT can help you identify and prepare grant applications.
If you wish, the CAVT can alert you of grant opportunities where your expertise could be used to further vehicular technology. In addition, recognizing the time demand preparing an effective grant proposal can exert on your schedule, the CAVT staff would be happy to help you with the grant writing and proof-reading process as well.
The CAVT can help you attract top graduate student talent.
The automobile has always had a special appeal with youngsters, both in the US of course but also internationally. The association with that industry via the CAVT will provide you with opportunities to attract students interested in this field of study, and, later on, help them find placement in exciting engineering and scientific jobs. This is particularly true as the automobile finds itself as one of the focal points of the current societal debates on energy and climate change.