Research News Roundup - August 2024 

This month’s newsletter highlights include our newest OOR&GE member, announcements, updates, new faculty highlight stories, events, and news from Leatherby Libraries. Be sure to read the entire newsletter to be entered into our August raffle!

If you have any questions related to grants, compliance, industry partnerships, or graduate education, join the monthly office hours – see below for time and Zoom links.

National Science Foundation (NSF) Funding Opportunities

•  Due: November 5, 2024 Research on Innovative Technologies for Enhanced Learning (RITEL) - A unique interdisciplinary funding opportunity supporting early stage exploratory and synergistic research in emerging technologies for teaching and learning across all learning contexts. Projects must advance research in both learning (and/or teaching) and technology.
• Due: November 13, 2024  NSF – Planning Grants to Create Artificial Intelligence-Ready Test Beds. – New AI systems are often deployed before the interactions with and impacts on users can be fully evaluated or understood. When AI is evaluated, it is often with an inadequate number of samples that do not scale or generalize beyond a limited number of use cases. To address these limitations NSF encourages the community to pursue Planning Grants designed to develop AI-Ready Test Beds that can be used by researchers to test novel AI methods in potential real-world application scenarios. PIs must submit a Concept Outline to AI-Ready_testbeds@nsf.gov prior to submission of a planning proposal to aid in determining the appropriateness of the work for consideration under this opportunity.
• Due: December 3, 2024 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Individual Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (STEMEdIPRF) – The program is designed to support postdoctoral fellows engaged in experiences that will advance their career goals by developing their expertise, skills, and competencies to conduct fundamental STEM education research.
• Due: December 15, 2024 NAIRR Pilot Expansion: Researcher Training, Community Outreach, and Classroom Education – NSF's EducateAI Initiative and NAIRR Pilot are seeking proposals to advance AI education and workforce development. The NAIRR Pilot aims to expand access to critical AI resources, while EducateAI focuses on delivering inclusive AI education. Proposals are invited in two areas: (1) expanding the NAIRR Pilot community through outreach and training for new researchers, and (2) enhancing AI education through conferences and Research Coordination Networks.

Upcoming NSF Deadlines

• September 18, 2024 – Accelerating Research Translation (ART)
• NEW! October 1, 2024 – National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program
• October 3, 2024 – EDU Core Research (ECR:Core)
• October 8, 2024 – Racial Equity in STEM Education (EHR Racial Equity)
• October 18, 2024 – Expanding AI Innovation Through Capacity Building and Partnerships (ExpandAI)
• November 5, 2024 – Research on Innovative Technologies for Enhanced Learning (RITEL)
• November 13, 2024 – Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12)
• December 3, 2024 – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Individual Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (STEMEdIPRF)

Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program 2025-26 Competition Open

Take advantage of application resources as you plan for your 2025-26 application:

• Getting Started (New to Fulbright? Start here!)
• Eligibility Requirements
• Application Steps and Guidance
• Review Criteria
• Application and Review Timeline

Semiannual IACUC Program Review

The IACUC will be holding its next semiannual program review and facility inspection on November 15. Please ensure that all records related to research are current and available for review upon request. Animal use areas must be free of expired materials/supplies, supplies are properly labeled (i.e., at minimum: name of lab, name of materials/supplies and expiration date [if the material does not expire, please indicate with “material does not expire”]), certifications of equipment are current, and all materials are nonporous, impervious to moisture and sanitizable.

NIH’s Adoption of Common Forms 

Get ready! For applications, Just In Time (JIT)  and Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs) submitted on/after May 25, 2025

• SciENcv must be used to prepare your Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support documents
  • A separate NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement will also be required to collect the “Personal Statement,” “Contributions to Science,” and “Honors” information.
• ORCID must be linked to the eRA Commons Personal Profile for each Senior/Key Person and entered into the Persistent Identifier (PID) section of the Common Forms in SciENcv
  • See ORCID ID topic in the eRA Commons online help

NEW! Cost Share Policy on Sponsored Awards

Chapman's new cost share policy on sponsored awards provides clarifying information about what is cost sharing, when cost sharing is permitted, how to request approval, and responsibilities for overseeing costs throughout the life of the award.

Revised! Policy on Summer & Overload Pay for Faculty on Sponsored Research

The Policy on Summer and Overload Pay for Faculty on Sponsored Research was previously titled Off Duty and Supplemental Pay for Faculty on Sponsored Activities. The revised title, streamlined language , and stated conditions for summer and overload pay for different lengths of faculty contracts based on established processes clarifies more coherently the purpose of this policy.

New Accounts Payable Webpage

The Accounts Payable Department has updated a new payment request information page to help make payment requests and submissions as easy as possible. Don’t know what to do? Request training for payment submission under the “PRQ Payment Request” tab.

How to Prepare For The New NIH Simplified Review Framework (NIH NIA)

View the multiple NIH resources for reviewers and investigators to get up to speed and be ready for NIH peer review of applications received on or after January 25, 2025.

Faculty Highlight! Faculty Story

A Chapman University scientist is taking part in NASA-funded research aiming to mitigate deadly fires caused by climate change.

Kudos to Chapman Faculty Award Recipients 

Please join us in congratulating the following faculty who have received a new award in 2024. Keep up the amazing work!

Ajay Sharma for "Targeting the multicellular process of corneal regeneration and vascularization to enhance outcome of cornea transplantation" from The National Eye Institute for  $373,040.

2023/2024 Proposals and Awards

During our fiscal year of 2023/2024 faculty were busy writing proposals and starting new research projects:

Number of proposals submitted:        272

Total dollar amounts of proposals:     $121.5M

Number of new awards:                     88

Total dollar amounts of awards:         $10.9M

National Science Foundation Podcast

Thinking about applying for a NSF DRK-12 grant? Check out the video podcast by Drs. Ilana Horn and Terrell Morton: Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum of DRK-12.

Is Your Online Research Profile Up to Date?

Take the Nature Masterclass course “Building as strong online research profile” and you will be equipped with essential skills to build and optimize your online researcher profile. Not signed up yet? Sign up for free today using your Chapman credentials to register, take the course, and explore many other courses.

Cayuse Human Ethics Workshop

Join the IRB on Sept. 13, 2024, from 1-2 pm to learn the basics of using Cayuse-Human Ethics in submitting human subject protocols RSVP for further details (e.g., Zoom link and location on the Orange campus). Please feel free to forward the RSVP link to colleagues and any other interested individuals.

Upcoming Changes to the NIH Fellowship Application and Review Process

Plan to attend the Revisions to the Fellowship Application & Review Process webinar on September 19, 2024, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET. NIH experts will share details on what you can expect and how to prepare now for applications with due dates on or after January 20, 2025. Reserve your spot to stay informed and ahead of the curve. Registration required.

How to Find a Fit for Your Research at NIH?

NIH’s new online resource, Find a Fit for Your Research: NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs) can help. It includes newly compiled ICO funding profiles that provide links for each ICO’s funding opportunities, strategies, general information, and special initiatives, as well as guidance on using Matchmaker to find a home for your research.

Non-Defense AI Innovation Tips

Are you conducting research and scholarship in non-defense AI innovations? Read the roadmap for Driving U.S. Innovation in Artificial Intelligence compiled by the Bipartisan Senate AI Working Group. Though not yet converted to legislative text or identified funding mechanism, the nine topics provide an indicator of what will likely be funded soon across federal agencies.

Animal Research is Not Always King: Researchers Should Explore the Alternatives 

Nature outlines that more than a year ago U.S. President Joe Biden signed a law allowing researchers to test drug candidates on human tissue or computer models before moving to trials in people. This challenged a regulatory dogma, accepted since the 1930s, that vaccines and drugs need to be tested on one rodent species and one non-rodent, such as a primate… Animal studies are still important and often necessary, especially in the latter stages of vaccine and drug development. Moreover, researchers and funders need to be cautious and establish a way to carefully validate disease models based on human tissue. The changed mandate for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a reminder for researchers to reduce their reliance on animals, particularly in early-stage research. 

How I Learned to Embrace Open Science

Science: "The journey from guarded research practices to a more open and collaborative approach was challenging, yet deeply rewarding. I now see open science not as a hurdle, but as an opportunity to fortify my work against the inevitable tests of time and scrutiny".

What Does a Library of the Future Look Like?

Chapman News highlighted the Leatherby Libraries’ continued efforts to become a “Library of the Future” through innovative advanced technologies and library services that support students, faculty, and staff at the Orange and Rinker campuses as they collaborate, research, and learn.

Unleashing the Full Potential of Your Research with Chapman Figshare

The Leatherby Libraries is thrilled to invite members of the Chapman community to take full advantage of Chapman Figshare, our new innovative research data repository. Whether you have datasets, media files, or other research outputs, Chapman Figshare is here to make your data citable, shareable, and discoverable.

Why Do You Need an ORCID Now?

ORCID, which stands for Open Researcher and Contributor ID, is a free, unique, persistent identifier (PID) for individuals to use as they engage in research, scholarship, and innovation activities. Learn more about ORCID identifiers and how they can enhance the visibility and impact of your research.

SPS Pre Award & Non-Financial Post Award: The first Tuesday of every month from 11:00-12:00pm. Zoom Link.

SPS Post Award: The last Tuesday of every month from 9:30-10:30am. Zoom Link

IRB: The first Tuesday of every month from 9:00-10:00am. Zoom Link.

IACUC/COI/Export/Import: The fourth Tuesday of every month from 9:00-10:00pm. Zoom Link.

Industry Alliance and Commercialization: The third Thursday of every month from 3:00-4:00pm. Zoom Link.

Graduate Education: The last Thursday of every month from 10:00-11:00am. Zoom Link. 

For a full schedule including quarterly and semester specific dates for additional departments and for Zoom information visit our events page.

To be entered into the next monthly drawing, attend one of our virtual office hours.

Contact our office for inquiries using our Jira ticketing system.