Research News Roundup - September 2025

As we step into a fresh academic year, we’re thrilled to welcome you back to campus! Whether you're returning or just beginning your journey at Chapman, we hope your summer was restful and inspiring. This season marks a time of new beginnings, renewed energy, and exciting opportunities to learn, grow, and connect.

In this month’s newsletter, we’re spotlighting key updates from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). You’ll also find a lineup of workshops designed to support your academic and professional development, plus the latest news from around campus to keep you informed and engaged.

News from National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH will stop posting Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts starting FY2026 (NOT-OD-25-143) and instead use Grants.gov as NIH’s single official source for grant funding opportunities. The NIH Guide will continue to be used for policy and informational notices.
NIH has released new FAQs related to NOT-OD-25-132. The Notice limits the use of AI in grant applications and limits PIs to no more than 6 applications per year. Visit the FAQ page linked above to learn more about how applications are counted, which investigator roles are subject to the limit, and more.
NIH Director Bhattacharya released a statement on his priorities for the agency on August 15 2025 - Advancing NIH’s Mission Through a Unified Strategy | National Institutes of Health (NIH)

News from The National Science Foundation (NSF)

NSF announced significant changes to DRL funding programs with the launch of the NSF STEM K–12 program and solicitation. Longstanding DRL programs including DRK–12, AISL, CSforAll, and others have been archived. ECR:Core will now only accept DUE and DGE focused applications. Applicants who planned to apply to the archived or modified programs are encouraged to submit proposals to NSF STEM K–12 instead. Full proposals to this solicitation are accepted at any time. Most awards will range between $25,000 and $750,000, with a typical duration of one to three years.

New Federal Training Requirements

OOR&GE reminds PIs that NSF & NIH both have upcoming implementation dates for new mandatory training. NSF will require research security training for all investigators and senior/key personnel, beginning October 10, 2025. The NSF SECURE Center has an online training module that complies with the NSF content requirements and which can be used to meet the requirement. Effective October 1, 2025, NIH is implementing a new policy (NOT-OD-25-133) that requires NIH recipients to provide training to all faculty and researchers identified as Senior/Key Personnel on the requirement to disclose all research activities and affiliations (active and pending) on the Other Support form. OOR&GE is developing the required policy and training resources and will release details as soon as possible.

Upcoming IACUC Inspection

Chapman’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) will conduct its next semiannual inspection of animal use areas on November 14. Please ensure that expired materials are removed from laboratories and that all bottles/containers are appropriately labeled (e.g., includes expiration date, name of contents, etc.).

New Funding Opportunities

October 2, 2025 – NSF | Advanced Technological Education (ATE)
October 2, 2025 – NSF | EDU Core Research (ECR:Core)
October 6, 2025 – AERA, NSF | AERA-NSF Dissertation and Research Grants
November 4, 2025 – NSF | Research on Innovative Technologies for Enhanced Learning (RITEL)

Checkout the NSF information sessions for the new NSF Translation to Practice program. See webinar recordings.

The Graduate Education Team is hosting its fall graduate program directors and support staff meeting on Monday, October 20, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. in Beckman Hall 401; an agenda and virtual meeting option will be provided.

Workshops Supporting Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities

All workshops are designed to support faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers in every stage of their research journey. Visit our events page for more information.

TODAY! Shifting Focus while Utilizing Expertise-Part 2: Developing collaborations - In Person Workshop, September 9, 2025 @Orange Campus BK 401 RSVP to receive after-workshop materials.

Join us for this workshop to explore the art and administration of building successful research partnerships! Learn about the benefits of collaborative research, techniques for integrating diverse expertise, and strategies for identifying and maintaining partnerships. Topics will include proposal preparation, managing external collaborations, navigating IRB and IACUC processes, and overcoming challenges in international collaborations. Plus, hear examples of successful projects and impactful teamwork. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your collaborative skills

Submitting Your First Study to Chapman's IRB - September 19, 2025 on Zoom

Does submitting your study to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) make you break out in a cold sweat? Dread no more! Join the IRB’s upcoming online workshop “Submitting your first study to Chapman’s IRB” on September 19, 2025 from 1:00-2:00 pm. The workshop is geared towards researchers new to Chapman. IRB staff will be walking you through use of Cayuse-Human Ethics.

Completion of either CITI course: “Biomedical Research”, or “Social and Behavioral Research” before the workshop is highly recommended to give you some baseline knowledge on what the IRB is.

Make The Most of Your Access to Nature Masterclasses On-Demand

Staying ahead of your research and scholarship with a demanding schedule can be tough, but Nature Masterclasses understands and may be able to help. As a member of Chapman University, you already have Nature Masterclasses on-demand available at no cost to you!

To benefit from courses on the platform, you don't need to complete entire courses. Simply choose the specific modules or lessons that align with your immediate needs and interests. You can learn at your own pace and lessons are bite-size, typically between 10-20 minutes, allowing you to easily incorporate learning into your schedule. Sign in and get started!

Upcoming NCFDD Workshops

Check out NCFDD’s website for on-demand workshops, writing retreats and sign up for: 5 Secrets to a Super Productive Semester", Tuesday, September 23 "Writing Your Next Chapter: How to Find Your Mojo at Mid-Career" on Friday, September 26! Click here to learn more.
Writing Your Next Chapter: How to Find Your Mojo at Mid-Career Session Date: Friday, September 26, 2025. This workshop offers a rare opportunity for mid-career faculty to connect, exchange insights, and gain practical strategies for success. You’ll participate in a live, interactive 2-hour Zoom session led by an expert facilitator, with time for direct Q&A. After the event, you’ll receive follow-up resources to support your continued growth. Non-members will also receive a complimentary 30-day trial membership to explore additional NCFDD resources.
NCFDD New Course: Rethinking Your Research Funding Session Dates: October 6 – November 2, 2025. This 4-week virtual course is designed to help faculty shift their mindset around research funding and explore sustainable, alternative strategies beyond large federal grants. Through guided content, live coaching, and a supportive peer community, participants learn how to identify diverse funding sources, reframe their research for new audiences, and build actionable plans that align with their institutional goals and academic mission. Registration ends Oct.2, 2025.

California Biomedical Research Association (CBRA) Membership Available!

The California Biomedical Research Association (CBRA) is a consortium of academic institutions, voluntary health agencies, hospitals, professional societies, not-for-profit medical research institutions, and the major medical products and pharmaceutical companies with facilities in California, Nevada, and the greater western region. The Office of Research and Graduate Education has joined CBRA and all Chapman University employees now have access to workshops and free webinars. Additional information and scheduled webinars can be found on their website.

Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Quarter One Reports Now Available

Quarter one data showing proposals and awards broken down by sponsor and division is now available on our quarterly research data page.

Proposal Preparation Tip

To help prevent budget reductions at the time of award, it is essential to provide a thorough and well-reasoned budget justification. Clearly articulating both the basis for your calculations and the relevance of each expense to the project strengthens your proposal, as vague or minimal justifications are often subject to cuts.

Join us for Pre-Award Office Hours on October 2 at 11:00 a.m. for a brief presentation on strengthening budget justifications.

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 Thursday 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.

The Leatherby Libraries’ Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis Service Has Expanded

Created to support Chapman University’s research mission, the Leatherby Libraries’ Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis Service (SRESS) now offers comprehensive support for faculty, staff, researchers, and students across all schools, colleges, and disciplines with their systematic review and evidence synthesis projects. For more information about this service and to request a consultation, check out our Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis Service LibGuide or email lrds@chapman.edu.

Crafting your Scholarly Profile with ORCID

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. Join our Health Science librarian for a hybrid (Rinker Campus/Online) workshop on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. to learn more about ORCID identifiers and how they can enhance the visibility and impact of your research.

Sharing your Research Data with Chapman Figshare

At 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 25, 2025, our Data Services Librarian will be hosting a virtual workshop exploring Chapman Figshare, the Leatherby Libraries’ newest digital repository platform that acts as a home for research data and accompanying code, documentation, instruments, protocols, and other intermediate products of research and scholarly or creative activity. Join to learn how the Library can support you in meeting publisher or funder data sharing requirements with Chapman Figshare.

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