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Past DER Weekly Newsletters |
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Weekly In Progress Report |
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Let these words from candy hearts bolster you in your research… |
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EGR faculty, let Valentine’s Day inspire you to be bold and reach new heights in your research.
DER can share some wisdom we recently gained from a bag of “random” candy hearts.
“WAY 2 GO” to faculty who have recently submitted proposals. “HIGH FIVE” to new faculty who made their way through the proposal development process for the first time. “PUSH THRU” any challenges you encounter as you develop your important research ideas; we are “PROUD OF U.” “GOOD JOB,” senior faculty who have submitted important proposals and “HIGH FIVE” to those who assisted junior faculty succeed. EGR faculty are “FEAR LESS” and are on the cutting edge of innovation and the next big discoveries.
Let these encouraging words from the bag of candy hearts sink in. DER is your “BIG FAN,” and we are here to support you. Thanks for letting DER be part of your research. You are a “SUPER STAR” and don’t forget, “YOU ROCK.” If you have questions regarding upcoming proposals, please email DER at proposals@egr.msu.edu. “DER HEART MSU” “DER HEART EGR” and “DER HEART SPARTY”
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Dear colleagues, NSF requires a project plan as part of new proposals when off-campus/off-site components will occur to ensure safe and inclusive working environments for off-campus research. The email below was sent today to those that have submitted to NSF as investigators in the past. The email includes more information including weblinks to policy and MSU’s implementation (a template to support the project plan development, FAQs, and contacts). Please let me (or contacts identified) know if you have any questions or comments. Thanks.
From: Hagen-Davis, Raeann <hagendav@osp.msu.edu<="" a>=""> On Behalf Of Reighley, Twila
Sent: Thursday, February 2, 2023 11:45 AM
To: NSF.Investigators.a@msu.edu
Subject: New NSF Policy to Ensure Safe and Inclusive Working Environments for Off-Campus Research
Dear colleagues,
Effective January 30, 2023, NSF will require PIs to take an additional step to safeguard participants when engaging in off-campus research activities: NSF policy. Since you have submitted proposals to NSF previously, we want to make you aware of this requirement. Any proposals for NSF funding submitted on or after the effective date that include off-campus activities will be subject to the NSF policy.
NSF's new requirement states that a plan to ensure a safe and inclusive work environment must be created prior to proposal submission and distributed to each participant in advance of departure for an off-campus research activity. Off-campus or off-site research is defined by NSF for this requirement as "data/information/samples being collected off-campus or off-site, such as fieldwork and research activities on vessels and aircraft." The underlying premise is that all participants need to know how to recognize and report inappropriate behavior and receive guidance in advance to help them feel safe and protected when they are away from campus.
The creation and distribution of the plan to project participants is the responsibility of the PI. To ease the administrative burden, a template plan has been developed for PIs to use. This template is available as a fillable PDF on MSU's NSF Safe and Inclusive Environments webpage. The project-specific portion (Section II) of the template document will need to be completed before proposal submission. You may use or re-use the same plan throughout your project if your off-site work is the same throughout the grant period, but you must make sure that all participants (regardless of when they join the grant) receive a copy of the full plan before they participate in off-campus research. If the work varies (e.g., fieldwork in a remote location one year and research activities at another US institution at another time), you will need to update your plan to reflect the specific special needs pertinent to each activity and re-distribute the updated plan. For project plans for new projects, please obtain the most current version of the MSU template at time of proposal.
The template has been designed to help you identify areas where you may need to think about special circumstances. We have also created a list of Frequently Asked Questions to help you consider viable options that you may wish to deploy for special circumstances. In addition, on January 25, 2023, two of the NSF Directorates* issued supplementary guidance requiring that a two-page supplementary document be attached to applications. We anticipate PIs will be able to link to or summarize the information in the summary plan to support that requirement. We also expect that there may need to be periodic updates to MSU’s plan guidance based on evolving information from NSF, and information on our webpage will be updated accordingly.
For ease of implementation, feel free to begin deploying these plans on any of your NSF funded grants with off-site work immediately. However, if you prefer to wait until your next NSF application that includes off-site work to develop a plan, that is also acceptable. You will also want to watch if you are mandated to complete and distribute a plan to participants by looking at your Notice of Grant Award. Your NGA will include a term and condition requiring this type of plan, if applicable. Most likely, you will start seeing these terms in the summer of 2023 as awards are issued in response to competitive proposals submitted after January 30, 2023.
If you have questions or comments, please reach out to your pre-award support group at OSP Contacts by College, OSP Director Katie Cook at farrkat1@osp.msu.edu or me at reighley@msu.edu. Thank you for your ongoing efforts.
*Directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO) and Geosciences (GEO) piloting the use of Supplemental Document.
Twila Fisher Reighley (she/her), Assoc. VP for Research, Sponsored Programs Administration, Michigan State University, email: reighley@msu.edu
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Spotlight Opportunities & Information |
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What’s hot in science? Check out NSF research news through February 1, 2023 |
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NSF NEWS
Keep up with today’s research news from the U.S. National Science Foundation. This is a daily look at noteworthy scientific findings from researchers around the country.
- This week with NSF Director Panchanathan (NSF's mission to advance innovation anywhere and opportunities everywhere is the driving component in Director Sethuraman Panchanathan's day-to-day…)
- NSF announces nearly $50 million partnership with Ericsson, IBM, Intel, and Samsung to support the future of semiconductor design and manufacturing (The U.S. National Science Foundation today announced a cross-sector partnership with Ericsson, IBM, Intel, and Samsung to support the design of the…)
- NSF-led National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force Releases Final Report (Today, the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Task Force released its final report, a roadmap for standing up a national…)
- Designing with DNA (Look at the tiny nanoscale structures emerging from research labs at Duke University and Arizona State University, and it’s easy to imagine you’re…)
- U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy announce expanded collaboration (Today, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding that will continue a longstanding…)
- Glassfrogs hide red blood cells in their livers to become transparent (Glassfrogs make themselves transparent while they rest by taking red blood cells from circulation and concealing them in their livers. Now, a U.S…)
- Wearable sensor can help unlock the potential of exosuits in real-world environments (Wearing an exosuit could help people recover from an injury or give extra help for carrying heavy loads. But, according to University of Wisconsin…)
- Bird diversity increased in severely burned forests of the southern Appalachians (A new U.S. National Science Foundation-supported study has found that bird diversity increased in North Carolina mountain forests severely burned by…)
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Changing the World with Rapid Diagnostics: Borlaug Fellow Works to Improve Food Safety
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Dr. Errol Jay Y. Balagan worked to develop a nanotechnology-based biosensor for the detection of African Swine Fever during his time at MSU.
When Errol Jay Y. Balagan arrived at Michigan State University, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Balagan, a doctor of veterinary medicine and an associate professor at Central Luzon State University in the Philippines, was embarking on his journey as a USDA Borlaug Fellow with the goal of developing a rapid diagnostic test to combat African Swine Fever (ASFV), a highly contagious disease causing severe economic damage to the pork industry in his home country.
Balagan’s experiences ended up being enriching both professionally and personally, as he made breakthroughs, and friendships, along the way.
The USDA Borlaug Fellowship Program promotes food security and economic growth by providing training and collaborative research opportunities to fellows from developing and middle-income countries. The Visiting International Professional Program supports MSU colleges and departments in the administration of the Borlaug Fellowship by connecting fellows with MSU researchers, and working on everything from budget development, to program implementation, to logistical support. “VIPP did a great job helping me get settled at MSU," said Balagan. “Even before my arrival, VIPP Program Coordinators Lynn (Zhou) and Saroopa (Taylor) were there to assist with all my needs, making my stay smooth sailing. They both made me feel that I am welcome at MSU and East Lansing, making me more focused on my fellowship. Honestly, I am beyond grateful.”
Balagan worked under the mentorship of Dr. Evangelyn Alocilja, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at MSU. Dr. Alocilja is the founding program director of the Nano-Biosensors Lab, a member of the US National Academy of Inventors, and the founder of the Global Alliance for Rapid Diagnostics (GARD). In Dr. Alocilja’s lab, Balagan was trained on how to develop a nanotechnology-based biosensor for detection of animal diseases. Since it is not possible to work on actual ASFV samples in the United States (to prevent introduction of the disease to livestock in the U.S.,) Balagan was trained and worked on another animal pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, present in milk samples. Balagan explained that the same principle is applied to create the biosensor for rapid detection of ASFV in the Philippines. ... Learn more Here.
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DOE - Office of Science Graduate Student Research Awards 2023
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DOE’s Office of Science is now Accepting Applications for the Office of Science Graduate Student Research Awards 2023
Students will perform graduate research at national laboratories
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is pleased to announce that the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for the 2023 Solicitation 1 cycle. Applications are due 5:00pm Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.
SCGSR application assistance workshops will be held on March 9, 2023, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM ET and April 20, 2023, 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM ET. The first workshop will provide a general overview of the program and the application requirements and will include a time for discussing potential research topics with the program managers; register here. The second workshop will guide attendees through the application process, answer general questions, provide guidance on proposal writing and feature discussions with scientists and former awardees; register here.
The SCGSR program provides supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate theses research at a DOE national laboratory or facility in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist — with the goal of preparing graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students’ overall doctoral theses while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the host DOE laboratories.
SCGSR is open to current Ph.D. students in qualified graduate programs at accredited U.S. academic institutions, who are conducting their graduate theses research in targeted areas of importance to the DOE Office of Science.
Since its inception in 2014, the SCGSR program has provided support to over 919 graduate awardees from 155 U.S. universities to conduct thesis research at all 17 DOE national laboratories across the nation. The SCGSR program is sponsored and managed by the DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS), in collaboration with the Office of Science’s six research programs offices and two R&D and production offices, and with the DOE national laboratories/facilities. Program administration support is provided by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). More information on the SCGSR program can be found at https://science.osti.gov/wdts/scgsr.
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Alfred P. Sloan Foundation - Historical Research on the Practices and Institutions of Social and Natural Science
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Description: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation supports basic research and public understanding of science, technology, and economic behavior. We believe that historical scholarship is valuable to understand the contemporary context of scientific research and that historical scholarship can be critically important to informing current and future research and policy practices. The Sloan Foundation is currently soliciting Letters of Inquiry for research projects to advance historical scholarship on thematic areas of interest to the Foundation as discussed below. A small number of full proposals will be invited based on submissions received in response to this Call.
Letters of Inquiry are invited between $75,000 - $250,000 and can be for the following types of research projects:
- Faculty-led research projects of up to $250,000, with the aim of advancing original scholarship on a topic or theme of interest to the Foundation in the history of science, technology, economics, and social science
- Dissertation improvement and completion projects of up to $75,000, to specifically support dissertation research expenses including travel, archival fees, and data collection, and up to one year of graduate student stipend (including summer funding, but not tuition) on a topic or theme of interest to the Foundation in the history of science, technology, economics, and social science. A faculty member must serve as the principal investigator for dissertation improvement and completion projects.
Through this Call for Letters of Inquiry, the Sloan Foundation is focused on advancing historical scholarship on the practices and institutions of natural and social science, engineering, and technology
in order to better understand and strengthen the research enterprise. Themes of interest include but are not limited to:
- the changing nature of interdisciplinary research and collaborative team structures;
- the role of instrumentation, data, and computational tools within and across disciplines;
- the changing nature of research organizations;
- the formation and development of professional societies, conferences, and scholarly communication systems;
- the establishment and evolution of fellowship and training programs;
- the formation and development of research funding agencies.
Submissions of Letters of Inquiry are due no later than March 16, 2023 by 5:00pm ET. The full call can be found here: https://sloan.org/grants/open-calls/history-loi
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Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation - Fellowship Award
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FOUNDATION: Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation
OPPORTUNITY: Fellowship Award
AWARD AMOUNT: Award of $60K-$66K /4 years ($260K total, which includes $2,000 for expenses).
DEADLINES: Application due March 15, 2023
OVERVIEW: The Damon Runyon Fellowship Award supports the training of the brightest postdoctoral scientists as they embark upon their research careers. This funding enables them to be mentored by established investigators in leading research laboratories across the country.
The Foundation encourages all theoretical and experimental research relevant to the study of cancer and the search for cancer causes, mechanisms, therapies and prevention.
Candidates must apply for the fellowship under the guidance of a Sponsor—a scientist (tenured, tenure-track or equivalent position) capable of providing mentorship to the Fellow. In addition to aiding in the planning, execution and supervision of the proposed research, the Sponsor’s role is to foster the development of the Fellow’s overall knowledge, technical and analytical skills, and capacity for scientific inquiry. The Sponsor is also expected to assist the Fellow in attaining their career goals.
Awards are made to institutions for the support of the Fellow under direct supervision of the Sponsor.
COMMENTS:
- Candidates who have already accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship award are not eligible.
- Applicants must have completed one or more of the following degrees or its equivalent: MD, PhD, MD/PhD, DDS, DVM, DO. The applicant must include a copy of their diploma to confirm date of conferral.
- Level 1: Basic and physician-scientists must have received their degrees no more than 18 months prior to the application deadline date. Applicants must not have been in their Sponsors' labs for more than one year prior to the application deadline date and are expected to devote 100% of their time to Damon Runyon-supported research activities.
- Level 2: Physician-scientist applicants (MD, MD/PhD, DDS, DVM, DO or the equivalent) must have completed their residencies and clinical training, must be board eligible in the United States at the start date of the Damon Runyon Fellowship, and be able to devote at least 80% of their time to Damon Runyon-supported research activities.
- No more than two Damon Runyon Fellows will be funded to work with the same Sponsor at any given time (including Co-Sponsors).
- Candidates who have already accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship award are not eligible.
- Candidates who are pursuing a degree are not eligible.
- The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation will retire up to $100,000 of any qualifying medical school debt still owed by the awardee. Payment will be made annually over the course of the award.
- The Foundation also provides a Dependent Child Allowance of $1,000 per child per year.
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DOE - EXPRESS: 2023 Exploratory Research for Extreme-Scale Science
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Funding Opportunity Announcement:
EXPRESS: 2023 Exploratory Research for Extreme-Scale Science
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0002950
Total Estimated Funding: $10 million
- Deadline for Pre Applications (required): March 8, 2023 at 5:00pm ET
- Deadline for Applications: April 19, 2023 at 11:59pm ET
Funding for basic research to explore potentially high-impact approaches in scientific computing and extreme-scale science.
Extreme-scale science recognizes that disruptive technology changes are occurring across science applications, algorithms, computer architectures and ecosystems. Recent reports point to emerging trends and advances in high-end computing, massive datasets, scientific machine learning, artificial intelligence (AI) on increasingly heterogeneous architectures, including neuromorphic and quantum systems. Significant innovation will be required in the development of effective paradigms and approaches for realizing the full potential of scientific computing from emerging technologies. Proposed research should not focus strictly on a specific science use case, but rather on creating the body of knowledge and understanding that will inform future advances in extreme-scale science. Consequently, the funding from this FOA is not intended to incrementally extend current research in the area of the proposed project. It is expected that the proposed projects will significantly benefit from the exploration of innovative ideas or from the development of unconventional approaches.
Please see the funding opportunity for agency contacts and more details, including eligibility and application information.
Webinar: A webinar will be held to provide information to the community on the EXPRESS FOA.
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EGLE offers grants for new hybrid, alternative fuel, and zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles, engines, equipment, and agricultural irrigation pumps
Description: A total of $375,960 is available for clean diesel and alternative fuel engine and equipment replacement projects under a competitive grant Request for Proposals (RFP) announced today by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
The 2023 Michigan Clean Diesel Program’s RFP targets efforts to replace diesel equipment, vehicles, and engines with zero tailpipe emission, hybrid, or alternative fuel vehicles, engines, or equipment. Applicants can be any of the following: private businesses/farms; cities; townships; villages; county government agencies; public school districts; private schools; public transit agencies; port authorities; metropolitan planning organizations; or nonprofit organizations.
Applications will be accepted by email until 5 p.m., EST, March 31, 2023, and projects must be completed by August 31, 2023, and fall into one of three categories:
- Agricultural Irrigation Pump Diesel Engine Replacement with Electric Equipment: Diesel engine must be replaced with an electric motor, or if the engine powers a generator that runs a submersible pump, by directly connecting the submersible pump to the electric grid. Funding may cover up to 60 percent of the cost of the electric motor, installation, and/or required electrical infrastructure (including electric line extension).
- Vehicle Replacement: Funding may cover up to 35 percent of the cost of eligible vehicles that meet the California Air Resource Board’s optional low oxides of nitrogen standards, and up to 45 percent of the cost of an all-electric vehicle replacement. Eligible drayage vehicle replacement may be funded up to 50percent.
- Engine Replacement: Funding includes, but is not limited to, replacing diesel engines with an engine certified for use with an alternative fuel (e.g., compressed natural gas or propane), or a zero-tailpipe emissions power source (grid battery or fuel cell). Funding for engine replacement may cover up to 40 percent for alternative fuel engines; 50 percent for low-nitrogen oxide and up to 60 percent for replacement with zero emission engines.
Online registration is open for a webinar explaining the 2023 Michigan Clean Diesel Grant Program: Guidelines for Grant Application is scheduled Feb. 14, 2023, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations have resulted in newly made diesel engines that create less pollution than ever before; however, millions of older, dirtier engines are still in use. In the journey toward zero-emissions vehicles and equipment, there will be a period of transition where diesel and propane technology are replaced with cleaner technologies and will be part of a bridge toward new technologies. EGLE’s Clean Diesel Program will continue to incentivize zero-emission engines, and this year’s RFP will be focused on replacement of agricultural irrigation pump diesel engines, diesel-powered vehicles, engines, and equipment with zero-emission replacements.
State and federal money fund the project, with the federal portion provided by the EPA, in accordance with the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act.
Visit the Michigan Clean Diesel Program website to download the full RFP application.
Contact info: Jeff Johnston, EGLE public information officer, JohnstonJ14@Michigan.gov, 517-231-9304
Irene Queen, EGLE Environmental Analyst, Queeni1@Michigan.gov, 517-420-3230
To stay up to date on other EGLE news follow us at Michigan.gov/MIEnvironment
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The chart above shows DER's Proposal Volume from 2019 to 2023 as of (2/10/2023).
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Description: DER has a catalog of research and funding seminars available on demand. Seminar topics range from critical instruction for new faculty through advanced training for senior research faculty. These presentations include instruction from experts regarding themes that include best practices in research, MSU policy, sponsor compliance, industry specific seminars, and more. Check them out today and utilize this incredible resource to help streamline your proposal development and promote success in your research. Watch now on demand!!!
Recent seminar presentations include:
- DER is Here to Help (proposal & proposal development resources geared to promote success)
- Tips for Writing a Persuasive Grant Proposal (grant writing to ‘sell’ a project to funders)
- Finding Funding (tips for finding funding to support your research)
- Roles and Responsibilities (tips for understanding roles and responsibilities at each stage of the project)
- CAREER Award Workshop - Session 1 (best practices and strategies for producing successful NSF Career proposals)
- And many more…
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Internal Funding Notifications & News |
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Does effort reporting for your grants and contracts seem more cumbersome than it should be? CGA has compiled a very
helpful list of answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Topics range from reporting deadlines, to resolving errors, and everything in between!
As you peruse this list, you might notice that there is a dedicated email address for any questions or issues you may have when submitting effort reporting. Please use effortreporting@cga.msu.edu to expedite service.
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External Sponsor Notifications & News |
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Ongoing Updates and Posts |
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NAMC Opportunities |
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Ongoing Updates and Posts |
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Press Releases and Funding Opportunities |
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U.S. Department of Defense |
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
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National Institutes of Health |
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National Science Foundation |
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Office of Naval Research |
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Research in Germany - Land of Ideas |
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U.S. Department of Energy |
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United States Department of Agriculture |
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