Research News Roundup - October 2024

This month’s newsletter highlights include our newest OOR&GE members, news from federal agencies, exciting workshops, new funding opportunities, news from the Leatherby Libraries, our office hours, and an update on the monthly meet and greet with our Vice President for Research and Graduate Education.

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

Joanna Marconi, research grants analyst, graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, emphasis Finance and also received her Bachelor of Music, emphasis in Music Education and Voice from Chapman University Conservatory. Her past experience in the banking and music industries will foster a professional financial insight to the sponsored projects department. As a Chapman alumni, Joanna is excited to join the Chapman University family as a Contract and Grants Post-Award Analyst.

Daniel Mejia, part time Rinker technician, graduated from Chapman University with a B.A. in Psychology and minors in Biology, Neuroscience, and History. He has previously worked for Dr. Patricia Lopes and Dr. Lindsay Waldrop at Chapman, as a lab manager and technician as well as authoring his own research. Daniel also works for Dr. Sabrina Schuck at the University of California, Irvine, where he serves as the Coding Project Lead. In his free time he volunteers and is excited to join our team at Chapman to gain more experience that he can apply to a future PhD program!

New Effort Reporting System (ERS) and Reporting Timeframe Reminder

Its that time of year again! Effort reporting for faculty who had a federal award between October 1st 2023 and September 30th 2024 is coming up. Chapman has partnered with Maximus to implement a virtual certification portal for PIs and CO-PIs with federal funds during the reporting period. The University requires certification on effort reports annually.

Faculty who are required to certify will receive an email in the coming weeks letting them know when the portal is live, how to access the portal, when the deadline for certification is, and additional training documents and videos that will aid in ERS process.

New! Quarterly Reports of Proposals and Awards

Our new quarterly research data page shows reports broken down by sponsors and by divisions.

Meet and Greet the VPR Martina Nieswandt

Have you always wondered what the Office of Research & Graduate Education (OORGE) does? Are you questioning how best to get your research, scholarship, and creative activities to the next level and wonder how the OORGE can help in addition to the support you get in your college/school? Come join Martina on the following dates between 11:30 am and 1 PM at the Atheneum to get answers to your questions!

Wednesday October 9th
Tuesday October 12th
Wednesday December 11th

Artificial Intelligence in NIH Research: Policy Considerations and Guidance

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Research: Policy Considerations and Guidance, designed to guide stakeholders across the biomedical and behavioral research ecosystem. This resource offers comprehensive guidance on policies, best practices, and regulations, with a focus on areas such as research participant protections, data management and sharing, health information privacy, licensing, and more.

Reminder: Indirect Cost Return Rate

Chapman’s Indirect Cost return rates to faculty changed on June 1, 2024. See the updated return rates and how to use your funds in our Distribution and Use of Facilities and Administrative (F&A) Funds to PIs and Managing Units Policy on the Office or Research Policies and Guidance website.

Upcoming Funding Opportunities

Check out the items below for different funding opportunities presented by different sponsors! Reach out to sps@chapman.edu if you are interested in submitting a proposal.

NSF Mid-scale Research Infrastructure Activity (NSF 24-598)

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Mid-scale Research Infrastructure (Mid-scale RI) Activity serves to provide an agile, Foundation-wide process to fund the design or implementation of experimental research capabilities in the mid-scale range. NSF defines Research Infrastructure (RI) as any combination of facilities, equipment, instrumentation, or computational hardware or software, and the necessary human capital in support of the same. The Mid-scale RI-1 program accepts proposals for projects with a total cost of $4 million up to but not including $20 million. Preliminary Proposals are required and are due by November 18, 2024. If invited, full proposals will be due by March 19,2025

AHA Research Grant Funding Opportunities (various)

The American Heart Association is the largest non-profit, non-governmental funder of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research in the U.S. Many research programs are offered annually and others are one-time grants. Some programs require pre-proposals, with full proposals by invitation only. Visit the website linked above to explore various investigator-initiated and topic-focused funding opportunities with deadlines this fall/winter including: Career Development Award: Full proposals due December 5, 2024, Innovative Project Award: Pre-proposals due December 5, 2024, Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Science: Full proposals due February 6, 2025, Transformational Project Award: Full proposals due February 13, 2025

Spencer Foundation Research Grants on Education: Large

The Spencer Foundation’s Large Research Grants on Education Program funds education research projects aimed at improving education. Grants range from $125,000 to $500,000 for projects lasting 1 to 5 years, divided into three funding tiers: $125,000-$250,000, $250,001-$375,000, and $375,001-$500,000. Applicants are encouraged to request amounts that suit their project needs, rather than seeking the maximum funding. The program is "field-initiated," meaning proposals are not tied to specific research topics or methods. It aims to support rigorous and innovative research that addresses key challenges and opportunities in education. Intent to Apply forms are accepted twice a year. Full Proposal due February 11, 2025 (Intent to Apply due January 14).

National Institute of Health Foreign Engagement Disclosure Update

NIH has provided further clarity on foreign engagement disclosures in its recent newsletter article New Decision Matrix Further Clarifies NIH Processes for Handling Allegations of Foreign Interference – NIH Extramural Nexus. Please send any questions to Jen Donais in the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance at donais@chapman.edu

New National Institute of Health (NIH) Grants and Funding Website

NIH launched the new NIH Grants and Funding website. Designed with the needs of the extramural research community in mind, the new site is intended to enhance your journey through the NIH grants process with a modernized interface and powerful features to make finding critical information easier than ever. Explore the site to familiarize yourself with the new content and layout.

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!

Gabriela Shirkey for "CONNECT-SBG: Collaborative Nexus for Networking, Education, and Career Training in Surface Biology and Geology" from NASA for $299,946
Erik Kimbrough for "Polarization and Partisan Norms" from Russell Sage Foundation for $72,000
Justin de Leon for "Critical Approaches to Indigenous Relationality" from University of Alberta for $50,000
Justin de Leon for "Creative Sovereignty Lab (CSL)" from The National Endowment for the Arts for $25,000
Sun Yang for "Impact of vitamin D on gut microbiome among pediatric oncology patients" from Maternal and Pediatric Precision In Theraputic (MPRINT) Hub (prime funding from NIH) for $150,000
Fiona Shen for "Ekphrastic Poetry Workshop for exhibition "Body of the World: The California Landscapes of Inna Jane Ray" from The California Humanities for $5,000

NSF Virtual Q&A Session for the NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I Proposal

Join NSF on Thursday October 17th from 6-7pm EDT to get answers about the application process and what makes a competitive proposal. Note that the first step in the process is to submit your written Project Pitch. Startups or entrepreneurs who submit a Project Pitch will learn if they meet the program’s objectives and be invited to submit a full proposal. The NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I solicitation proposal submission deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at 5 p.m. (submitter’s local time).

Avoiding Grant Spending Setbacks: Your Guide to Expense Allowability

Researchers and department staff are invited to a 30-minute webinar hosted by Chapman's Sponsored Projects Services (SPS) on Tuesday October 22nd from 10:00-10:30am. This session will cover the basics of expense allowability on sponsored projects (i.e., grant) funds. We will provide tips for avoiding spending roadblocks including how to develop your proposal budget and what post-award looks for to determine allowability followed by Q&A with our expert research administrators! RSVP today!

Strengthening Your Reviews: in Conversation with Nature Portfolio Editors

In this free webinar on Tuesday November 5th at 9am GMT join Nature Portfolio review experts Giulia Pacchioni, Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Materials, and Olga Bubnova, Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Electrical Engineering, as they answer your questions on the challenges that you face when planning and writing a review paper.

Registration is free! Please be sure to register as soon as possible, as space is limited.

I Got a Grant! Now What?

Congratulations! Your project has been funded. Now what? Join SPS for a 1-hour webinar on Friday November 8th from 1:00-2:00pm to learn what happens after the award is received, what tools and services SPS provides for staying on track, what actions you need to take as PI to kick things off, and what to do if you need to make changes during the course of your project. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the workshop. RSVP today!

New to NIH? Less Experienced with NIH?

Join the upcoming free NIH webinar on November 13 and 14, a two-part virtual event. Topics include for example: Identifying funding opportunities; elements of a competitive application; understanding the peer review process; peer review outcomes, responding, and tips on resubmitting; and preparing for managing an award.

Are you spending your awarded funds? How much funds do I still have?

Check out the Grants Dashboard to review your grant budgets and to get answers to these questions.

Helping New Partners Prepare Biosketches for Proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Many experienced NSF proposal submitters are familiar with the requirements to include specific documents for all senior personnel involved in their project. But requirements change, so it’s important to keep up to date by reviewing the current proposal preparation guide. Meeting NSF requirements may be more complex and time-consuming than anticipated particularly for partners or faculty new to NSF. Start early! For proposed senior personnel without a CV, their relevant professional experience may be more appropriately highlighted in the Synergistic Activities document. Be sure to allot time to assist your new partners in completing these documents.

Leatherby Libraries Celebrates Open Access Week, October 21-27, 2024

The Leatherby Libraries is proud to participate in Open Access Week 2024. Open Access Week is an international celebration that aims to make openness the default for research and celebrate the idea of free access to information. To celebrate, we will be hosting tabling events at the Leatherby Libraries and the Health Sciences Study Commons at the Rinker Campus, as well as various workshops throughout the week. Stop by to learn more about open access and pick up some special open access week swag items!

Submit Like a Pro: Thesis and Dissertation Library Workshops Return for Fall 2024!

We are pleased to announce the return of our Thesis and Dissertation Library Workshops to help Chapman graduate students take the final step in their research journey. There will be an in-person and online session to ensure all interested participants will have the opportunity to learn more about the thesis and dissertation submission process. Learn more at our Dissertation and Thesis Guidelines LibGuide.

Explore the Leatherby Libraries’ Enhanced Instructional Video Hub

In honor of the Leatherby Libraries' 20th Anniversary, we are excited to announce the launch of our newly updated and enhanced Instructional Video Hub, designed to enhance academic and research experience at Chapman University. Whether you're just beginning your research, diving into specific topics, or looking to refine your writing and citation skills, our hub provides an easy-to-use platform with a comprehensive range of topics to support your needs.

We are here for you! Join us in our office hours to get answers to your questions; discuss trends and news from funding agencies and federal guidelines; get tips about proposal development for grants, IRB and IACUC protocols; or to find out what’s all the talk about inventions, patents, and industry partnerships.

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.