Who can be a Principal Investigator?

Effective January 9, 2015

On the Reynolda campus, only faculty and staff with whom the University has or intends to have an on-going contractual relationship may serve as principal investigators (PI) or program directors (PD) for projects, research or otherwise, supported by external funding sources. (This restriction also applies to those designated as co-PIs* or co-PDs on sponsored projects).

As such, on the Reynolda campus, only the following may serve as a PI or PD on an externally sponsored project:

• Full-time, tenured or tenure-track faculty
• Full-time, regular staff

Other Faculty members of the University community may serve as PI/PD upon approval by their Dean or the Provost.  Such positions include:

• Teacher-Scholar Postdoctoral Fellows (TSPF’s) whose salary is paid by the College of Arts and Sciences and whose duties are split between mentored teaching and research
• Full-time non-tenure track faculty with the title of Research Assistant/Associate/Professor; Assistant, Associate, or (full) Teaching Professor; Lecturer or Instructor; Visiting Assistant/Associate/Professors are eligible if their appointments will continue through the first requested external award year
• Professors of the Practice if their appointments will continue through the first requested external award year
• Graduate Faculty whose primary appointment is at another institution may not serve as PI/PD

If a Department supports an exception to allow someone in a position referenced above to serve as PI/PD, the Department Chair/Director should submit a request to the Dean of the College (if the department is in the Wake Forest College of Arts and Sciences). Requests for departments not in the College should be directed to the Provost’s Office. Requests must include:

• a statement whether PI/PD status is being granted for one specific proposal or for all future proposals.
• a CV of the individual for whom PI eligibility is sought. The proposed PI must have the necessary experience and independence to compete for the sponsored program and to administer the project should it be funded.
• assurances that the Department will provide the necessary space, other resources, or support.
• a plan for administering the sponsored project should the PI/PD leave WFU and WFU is unable to transfer the award to their new institution. Most grants are awarded to institutions rather than individuals so the Department may be asked to identify an alternate PI/PD with appropriate qualifications who would replace the PI/PD for completion of WFU’s obligations to the sponsor. If a replacement PI/PD is not available, WFU will need to terminate the project.

*A Postdoctoral Research Associate can be a co-PI as long as another Wake Forest University faculty member on the Reynolda campus (typically their mentor) is the PI. If a Postdoctoral Research Associate serving as a co-PI leaves the university, then any awarded grant funds would remain at Wake Forest University. Exceptions to this will be made if terms have been otherwise negotiated between the PI, co-PI and funding agency. A Postdoctoral Research Associate can be a PI if required by the sponsor and per program guidelines, (i.e., NIH, HRSA, etc.).