(Note:  This Important Notice is being sent to Account Managers, Chairpersons, Deans and Chancellors.  Please forward to others who have a need to know.)

Definition
Each project must have a designated project director.  The terms “project director” and “principal investigator” are often synonymous.  Funding agencies may use either term but principal investigator is usually used when the project involves scientific inquiry.
 

Eligibility
The project director generally is a tenured or tenure-track faculty member of the University but may be any individual who is personally and professionally qualified to conduct the project as determined by the dean or director of the submitting unit.  The project director must be an employee of the university during the project period.

A retired faculty member or other person having a special and formal professional relationship with a school (e.g. adjunct status, faculty rank, etc.) and approved by the dean and research office may serve as project director.  In some cases, a full-time faculty member may be required to serve as co-project director.  A Memorandum of Understanding must be signed and on file with the appropriate research office.  Contact the research office for guidance.

Some individual fellowship application guidelines require that the fellow be listed as project director (e.g. NIH National Research Service Awards).  In these cases a sponsor or mentor meeting the eligibility criteria above must be named as project director on the route sheet or in ERA.  This individual is responsible for administrative and scientific oversight of the project.

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