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Descripton at end of newsletter Week of October 23,, 2023
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Greetings Dornsife Faculty,
Our report this week includes
- 1 honor for Dornsife faculty member;
- 2 external funding successes reported;
- Current and diverse funding opportunities, including a reposted limited submission that now includes limited submission information; and
- Information for an upcoming Center for Excellene in Research workshop.
Best regards,
Renee J. Perez, Vice Dean, Administration & Finance
Cathleen Crayton, Project Specialist
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Accolade
Percival Everett, English, is the 2023 winner of the Pen / Jean Stein Book Award for his novel, Dr. No (Graywolf Press, 2022). The prize recognizes a book-length work of any genre for its originality, merit, and impact. This work has broken new ground by reshaping the boundaries of its form and signaling a strong potential for lasting influence.
External Funding Successes
Rebecca Megan Broyer, Chemistry, Using XR (Extended Reality) to Close Equity Gaps in Laboratory Training, National Science Foundation
Joel Hahn, Neurobiology, A three-dimensional multimodal cellular connectivity atlas of the mouse hypothalamus, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
External Funding Opportunities
***Limited Submission***
(Time sensitive — repost from last week, now with limited submission info)
NIH / Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) and National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Program: Modern Equipment for Shared-use Biomedical Research Facilities: Advancing Research-Related Operations
NOFO #: PAR-24-028
Synopsis: Supports the purchase of the latest equipment that will enhance and modernize research-supporting operations of existing shared biomedical research facilities. Targeted are laboratory research core facilities, animal research facilities, and other similar shared-use research spaces. The goal of this NOFO is to strengthen research-auxiliary activities of biomedical research facilities and to enhance the efficiency of their operations. This is a limited submission.
Award details: The maximum award budget is $350K, direct costs only. Applications with a budget less than $50K will not be considered.
USC Internal announcement: https://rii.usc.edu/limited-submissions/par-24-028/
Announcement on website: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-24-028.html
USC Internal due date: November 1, 2023.
External due date: November 15, 2023.
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Teagle Foundation
Program: Cornerstone: Learning for Living initiative
Synopsis: Supports projects that aim to revitalize the role of the humanities in general education, and in doing so, expose a broad array of students to the power of the humanities, help students of all backgrounds build a sense of belonging and community; strengthen the coherence and cohesiveness of general education; and increase teaching opportunities for humanities faculty. Planning grants will establish criteria for the inclusion of works of literature and philosophy, along with a policy for how texts from the consensus list will be used across sections of the gateway course, as well as planning for related activities. Implementation grants provide support for institutions to enact concrete plans for comprehensive and sustainable curriculum development or redesign efforts, including, for example providing one-time stipends for faculty time committed to developing their readiness to teach in core-text-based courses, as well as other activities related to curriculum development.
Award details: Planning grants (strongly encouraged) are $25K over 6 to 12 months. Implementation grants: Up to $300K over 2 years.
Announcement on website: https://www.teaglefoundation.org/Call-for-Proposals/RFPs/Cornerstone-Learning-for-Living
Concept Papers due date: December 1, 2023.
Full proposals (invited): Early April 2024.
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Spencer Foundation
Program: Small Research Grants
Synopsis: Supports rigorous, intellectually ambitious, and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education. This program is “field-initiated” in that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, method, or location.
Award details: $50K. No indirects. Maximum project duration is 5 years.
Announcement on website: https://www.spencer.org/grant_types/small-research-grant
Application due date: December 6, 2023.
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Optica (formerly OSA) (in partnership with the International Society for Optics and Photonics — SPIE)
Program: 2024-2025 Arthur H. Guenther Congressional Fellowship Program
Synopsis: Supports congressional fellowships for scientists and engineers who understand that applying science and engineering has a place in public policy solutions. Eligible applicants have technical experience, relevant work experience, a significant familiarity with optical engineering / or science disciplines, and a working understanding of the optical engineering and / or science communities. Fellows will be assigned to legislators’ offices. An orientation organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS) takes place in September of the fellowship year. Applicants must have earned a Ph.D. or will have earned one by September 1, 2024.
Award details: $85K stipend as well as health insurance, travel, and relocation expenses to the Washington DC area.
Announcement on website: Optica
Application due date: January 5, 2025.
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The American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Program: Congressional Science Fellowship (CSF)
Synopsis: Supports and places highly qualified and accomplished scientists, engineers, and other professionals in the office of an individual member of Congress or on a committee for a one-year assignment. The program allows the federal government to more effectively use scientific knowledge and provides scientists with the opportunity to make significant contributions to public policy during their time on Capitol Hill. AGU Congressional Science Fellows (CSFs) have been directly involved in water policy, climate research, energy conservation, and a range of other science-based issues. AGU CSFs have gone on to pursue a wide range of careers from positions in government, both in Congress and at federal agencies, to research positions at academic institutions.
Award details: AGU Fellows will receive a monthly stipend for 12 months, plus allowances for vouchered travel and moving expenses incurred during relocation, for appropriate work-related vouchered travel expenses incurred during the fellowship year, and for travel to AGU Fall Meeting. Health care coverage is reimbursed by AGU.
Announcement on website: https://www.agu.org/Share-and-Advocate/Share/Policymakers/Congressional-Science-Fellowship
Application due date: January 15, 2024. Online application is a 2-step process.
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McKnight Foundation / McKnight Endowment Fund
Program: 2024 Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Award
Synopsis: Supports scientists working to apply the knowledge achieved through basic research to human brain disorders and who demonstrate a commitment to equitable and inclusive lab environments. The foundation is interested in proposals that address the biological mechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders. This includes proposals that provide mechanistic insights into neurological functions at the synaptic, cellular, molecular, genetic, or behavioral level across different species, including humans and vertebrate, and invertebrate model organisms. A new additional area of interest is the contribution of the environment to brain disorders. The foundation is particularly interested in proposals incorporating new approaches and those providing potential paths for therapeutic interventions. Collaborative and cross-disciplinary applications are encouraged. Eligible applicants must hold a faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor.
Award details: $100K per year for 3 years.
Announcement on website: https://www.mcknight.org/news-ideas/applications-open-2024-neurobiology-of-brain-disorders-award/
Letter of Intent due date: November 6, 2023. Selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals due mid-April 2024.
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TANGO Research Foundation (T2RF)
Program: Research Grants
Synopsis: Supports seed or pilot research projects, fostering the exploration of groundbreaking research concepts. These awards support initial testing phases, allowing researchers to embark on smaller-scale endeavors. The emphasis lies in evaluating feasibility and refining methodologies, shaping the trajectory of potential larger-scale studies. T2RF funds two types of Research Grants: (1) Single-Institution – This grant supports a research initiative within a single institution that may or may not involve multiple research investigators and / or a multi-departmental research team; and (2) Multi-Institution – This grant supports a collaborative research initiative conducted in conjunction with an institution(s) or with personnel not affiliated with the awarded PI/PD’s academic/research institution.
Award details: $25K for single institution; $50K for multi-institution projects.
Announcement on website: https://tango2research.org/research/grants/
Letter of Intent due date: November 9, 2023.
Full proposal due date: March 1, 2024.
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Kaiser Permanente
Program: Center for Gun Violence Research and Education
Synopsis: Supports research that advances evidence for interventions that reduce the incidence and impact of community gun violence and firearm suicide and promote well-being and healing where it is needed most. It will also support projects that educate and change narratives regarding gun violence, focused on the public health approach. Funding support will be prioritized for organizations led by or meaningfully serving communities disproportionately impacted by gun violence. Funding will be available in 3 categories as outlined in award details:
Award details: Category 1: Capacity-building for organizations and individuals involved in gun violence prevention: Up to $30K per year for 2 years; Category 2: Evidence-based interventions, clinical care models, educational initiatives, or communications projects alongside enhanced research capabilities: Up to $100K per year for 2 years; Category 3: Advance publishable research that will shift and inform how the field understands and approaches gun violence prevention and intervention:
Up to $200K for 3 years.
Announcement on website: https://www.kpcenterforgunviolenceresearch.org/funding-opportunities
Letter of Intent due date: November 14, 2023.
Full Proposals due date (invited): Prospective proposers will be notified in early December 2023.
Grant start date: April 1, 2024.
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HALO / BASF
Program: 'Point-of-Care' tool for DNA / RNA detection
Synopsis: Supports projects to advance "point-of-care" tools for the detection of DNA and / or RNA features in plant material for routine use in non-lab settings, i.e., in-field diagnostics. These tools would be used for the genetic quality assessment of leaf and seed material. The current norm is that diagnostics are tied to a laboratory setting. Point-of-care tools that could provide rapid results on the genetic quality of plant materials would reduce costs associated with centralized lab testing and allow timely decision-making on the field. The solicitation lists “must haves” in the final product, though these requirements do not need to be included in the initial proposal.
Award details: Up to $100K-$150K for a 6-12 month project with potential follow-on funding.
Announcement on website: https://www.halo.science/research/agriculture/point-of-care-poc-tool-for-dna-rna-detection?utm_campaign=n-682636&utm_source=notification-campaigns&utm_medium=email&_luid=76104&_nid=682636
Application due date: November 30, 2023.
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HALO / BASF
Program: Modeling plants to create a 'digital twin'
Synopsis: Supports "Digital Twins” of plants — digital representations of real-world plants using structured, machine-readable data. A "Digital Twin" of a plant would incorporate data and information at different anatomic levels, including data from proteomics, metabolomics, genomics, and transcriptomics, as well as comprehensive gene annotation, associated phenotypes, and known interactions with chemicals. This data can be sourced from public databases and literature, but also from internal experiments. Applications can include plant growth models, an understanding of pesticide absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME), mode of action, and an understanding of resistance development.
Award details: $50K to $200K (milestone dependent) for up to 1 year with the potential for follow on funding.
Announcement on website: https://www.halo.science/research/agriculture/digital-twins-for-plants?utm_campaign=n-682636&utm_source=notification-campaigns&utm_medium=email&_luid=76104&_nid=682636
Application due date: November 30, 2023.
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Simons Foundation / Mathematics and Physical Sciences
Program: Scientific Software Research Faculty (SSRF)
Synopsis: Supports new research professor positions in existing academic departments to be filled by scientific software-focused researchers. The SSRF Award will support researchers who have a strong track record of leadership in scientific software development. The aim of this program is to stimulate the development and maintenance of core scientific software infrastructure in academic environments by creating a new, long-term, faculty-level career path.
Award details: Provides five years of 50% salary support of the awardee’s academic-year salary and fringe benefits, whether normally paid over 9 or 12 months, along with a yearly $50,000 research allowance for the awardee, as well as 20% of MTDC for the host institution. The period of performance is 5 years.
Announcement on website: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/scientific-software-research-faculty-award/
Letter of Intent due date: December 8, 2023.
Application due date submitted by host institution (invited): On a rolling basis, but no later than February 28, 2025. Awards begin between September 1, 2024 and
September 1, 2025.
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Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Program: Next Gen Pregnancy Initiative
Synopsis: Supports research that addresses the biomedical causes and molecular mechanisms underlying adverse pregnancies and their outcomes, including but not limited to peri-implantation events, placentation, fetal determinants, fetal-maternal immune responses, biological basis for racial-ethnic disparities, mechanisms relating preterm birth to other adverse pregnancy outcomes, the biology of normal labor, genomics, evolutionary influences, maternal complications, and other approaches. Proposals seeking to identify biomarkers predicting preterm birth are welcome. The initiative is designed to stimulate both creative individual scientists and multi-investigator teams to approach healthy and adverse pregnancy outcomes using creative basic and translation science methods. The formation of new connections between reproductive scientists and investigators who are involved in other areas is particularly encouraged.
Award details: $125K per year for 4 years — $500K total award
Announcement on website: https://www.bwfund.org/funding-opportunities/reproductive-sciences/next-gen-pregnancy-initiative/
Application due date: December 5, 2023.
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National Endowment for the Humanities
Program: Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence
Funding Opportunity #: 20240214-RAI
Synopsis: Supports the creation and sustained collaboration among scholars, i.e. a Center, focused on exploring a specific topic, the humanities implications of AI, through two or more related scholarly activities. NEH particularly encourages Centers interested in equity, privacy, and civil rights topics. Existing AI research centers are not eligible for this competition. A Center may or may not have a physical location, but projects should establish a leadership structure, develop a mission statement, and create a strategy to sustain the Center beyond the period of performance. NEH welcomes international collaboration, but scholars at U.S. institutions must contribute significantly to the project.
Award details: Proposed budgets may be up to $500K of total direct and indirect funding for a period of 36 months, plus an additional $250K in federal matching funds. No single year’s budget may exceed $200K.
Announcement on website: Humanities Research Centers on Artificial Intelligence (EMMA)
Optional draft due date: January 10, 2024.
Application due date: February 14, 2024.
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National Endowment for the Humanities
Program: Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research
Synopsis: Supports empirical field research to answer significant questions in the humanities. Utilized by many disciplines archaeological methods may include field surveys and field-based remote sensing, documentation or visualization, and/or excavations in support of answering research questions in all aspects of the human past, including but not limited to ancient studies, anthropology, art history, classical studies, regional studies, epigraphy, and other related disciplines. Ethnographic methods may include participant observation, surveys and interviews, and documentation or recording in pursuit of research questions in anthropology, sociology, ethnolinguistics, oral history, ethnomusicology, performance studies, folklore studies, and related disciplines.
Award details: Maximum award is $150K over a 4 to 36-month period of performance. Announcement on website: https://www.neh.gov/program/archaeological-and-ethnographic-field-research
Application window: June 25, 2024 to September 25, 2024.
Project start date: June 1, 2025, to May 1, 2026.
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National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
Program: Specialty Crop Research Initiative
Funding #: USDA-NIFA-SCRI-010311
Synopsis: Supports research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas:
- Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics
- Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators
- Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing)
- New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening
- Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops
Award details: The amount available for support of this program in FY 2024 is approximately $75,440,000.
Announcement on website: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2023-10/FY24-SCRI-Pre-App-RFA-508-P_0.pdf
Pre-Application due date: December 8, 2023.
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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) / National Ocean Services (NOS)
Program: FY24 Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program
Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NOS-ONMS-2024-2008244
Synopsis: Supports graduate students in master’s and doctoral degrees programs — oceanography, marine biology, maritime archaeology—these may include but are not limited to ocean and / or coastal: engineering, social science, marine education, marine stewardship, cultural anthropology, and resource management disciplines. Individuals who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or citizens of U.S. territories, and are applying to or have been accepted to a graduate program at a U.S. accredited institution, may apply. Additionally, prospective applicants must have attained a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Prospective scholars do not need to be enrolled in a graduate program at the time of application but must be admitted to a graduate-level program in order to be awarded this scholarship. Program particularly encourages women and members of minority groups to apply.
Award details: $47K per student (a 12-month stipend of $35K in addition to an education allowance of $12K and up to $10K of support for a 4-6 week program collaboration at a NOAA facility. The award periods are up to two (2) years for a student in a master's level program and up to four (4) years for a doctoral level candidate, to be funded one year at a time.
Announcement on website: FY24 Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program
Application due date: December 20, 2023.
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NSF / Directorate for Biological Sciences – Division of Molecular and Cellular Sciences / Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences – Division of Physics and the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)
Program: Lead Agency Opportunity at the Molecular and Cellular Biosciences - Physics Interface via Dear Colleague Letter (DCL)
Synopsis: Supports topics that fall within the scope of science funded by each of the participating entities: ANR (Generic call for proposals, 2024 edition G), NSF/BIO/MCB and NSF/MPS/PHY. Proposers must provide a clear rationale for the need for a U.S.-France collaboration, including the unique expertise and synergy that the collaborating groups will bring to the project. Proposers should note that the lead agency opportunity does not represent a new source of funding. Proposals will be assessed in competition with all others submitted to the areas and agency programs identified in this DCL, and outcomes will be subject to both success in merit review and the availability of funds from NSF /BIO/ -MCB,NSF /MPS / -PHY and ANR.
Award details: After the reviews are received, NSF, as the lead agency, will use its usual internal procedures to determine whether a proposal will be awarded or declined. All potential award decisions will be discussed with the ANR. If a proposal is recommended for funding, the U.S. organization(s) will be supported by NSF / MCB and / or NSF / PHY, and the French organization(s) will be supported by ANR. NSF/MCB, NSF/PHY, and ANR staff will review budgets to ensure that there are no duplications in funding.
Announcement on website: Lead Agency Opportunity at the Molecular and Cellular Biosciences - Physics Interface
Proposal due dates: Division of Physics proposals: December 12, 2023.
ANR Registration due date: December 13, 2023.
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NSF / Directorate for STEM Education – Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings
Program: Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) Resource Center
Solicitation #: NSF 24-500
Synopsis: Supports a Resource Center for the ITEST program. The Resource Center will support diverse, multi-sector stakeholders in actualizing the three pillars of ITEST: (1) strategies for equity in STEM education, (2) partnerships for career and workforce preparation, and (3) innovative use of technologies in teaching and learning. It is expected that this Resource Center will facilitate individual and collective dialogue, reflection, and action relative to these pillars, while supporting stakeholders in the conceptualization, actualization, and communication of ITEST projects.
Award details: NSF anticipates making one ITEST Resource Center award with a maximum duration of five years, contingent on availability of funds and receipt of competitive proposals. The award will be made as a Cooperative Agreement. The total amount of NSF's investment in the Resource Center will depend upon the needs, plans, and opportunities offered by the Resource Center, as well as the availability of NSF funds.
Announcement on website: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2024/nsf24500/nsf24500.pdf
Proposal due date: January 22, 2024.
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NIH / Multiple Institutes (including the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Program: Leveraging Extant Data to Understand Developmental Trajectories of Late Talking Children (R21 – Exploratory / Developmental Research grant)
NOFO #: PAR-24-045
Synopsis: Support activities to better understand early language learning and delay and support research projects that aim to further understanding of the developmental trajectories of late-talking children by leveraging existing data and creating open and shared data resources to aid in identifying patterns and predictors of developmental outcomes in late talking children, and exploring potential underlying mechanisms, risk factors, and sequelae. The goals of this initiative are to improve the accessibility and usability of existing data to spark researchers to bring together data on different populations of late-talking children and to analyze integrated data sets in novel ways to address broader questions about developmental trajectories in late-talking children. Activities that could be supported include, but are not limited to:
- Conducting more detailed coding of existing audio or video-recorded samples
- Developing and sharing documentation, e.g., metadata that records the provenance, motivation, composition, collection process, recommended uses, and other relevant information for re-users of the data
- Integrating cross-sectional datasets to provide insights into developmental trajectories
Award details: Maximum award is $275K for direct costs for a 2-year project. No single year’s budget must exceed $200K.
Announcement on website: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-24-045.html
Application due date: Multiple due dates for new applications throughout 2024. The next due date is February 7, 2024.
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Announcements of Interest for Dornsife Investigators
Office of Research and Innovation
Center for Excellence in Research
Upcoming Workshop
How to Run an Effective Research Team
In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn practical strategies for how to quickly build or maintain an effective research team using User Manuals — a tool that facilitates better communication and a shared understanding of team dynamics while providing a structured process to help your team work more effectively. At the end of the session, you’ll walk away with your own completed user manual and plans for how to apply this process to your team. This is for anyone looking to improve project management and communication within their research team!
Date: November 1, 2023 Time: 12 noon to 2:00
Virtual Registration
Presenter: Emily Parcell, Leadership Coach
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Book Cover: Between the Middle East and the Americas: The Cultural Politics of Diaspora (University of Michigan Press, 2013) Ella Habiba Shohat (ed.) and Evelyn Azeeza Alsultany (ed.) American Studies and Ethnicity
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