Greetings Dornsife Faculty,

In this issue we include: 
– Accolade for one Dornsife faculty member; 
– External funding success for three investigators; 
– External funding opportunities, including two American Diabetes Association limited submissions; 
– Communication from Contracts and Grants on new mandatory requirements for individuals who currently work on Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration active awards or are submitting proposals to either of those agencies; 

– Information on yesterday's Center for Excellence in Research workshop “Pivoting with Purpose: Reframing Research in Changing Times”  including a link to a Forbes article on words and phrases to consider not using when applying for NIH or NSF grants;
–Standing invitation to connect with Dornsife Research Administration staff anytime, including our Wednesday's office hours.

 

Best regards,

Renee J. Perez, Vice Dean, Administration and Finance
Cathleen Crayton, Project Specialist, Research Administration

Ben Carrington, American Studies and Ethnicity, is the 2024 winner of the inaugural Stuart Hall Award for Cultural Sociology, American Sociological Association. The award recognizes a mid-career sociologist whose work holds great promise for advancing the cultural study of racial or ethnic inequality. 

Cornelius Gati, Bridge Institute, Novel Probes of the Kappa Opioid Receptor: Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Biology, University of Florida

 

Leor Hackel, Psychology, Collaborative Research: Situational Learning and Decision Making, National Science Foundation

 

Jinkook Lee, Center for Economic and Social Research, Ocular Imaging in LASI-DAD, Gates Ventures, LLC

***Limited Submission***
(Up to 2 nominations per institution)

 

American Diabetes Association
Program: Pathway to Stop Diabetes: Accelerator Award
Synopsis: Supports early-career researchers, with flexible, long-term salary and research support, who are proposing innovative and ambitious diabetes-related research programs, and who have distinguished themselves as exceptionally talented and promising research investigators. For this award, demonstration of independent productivity should include that the candidate is currently in an independent faculty position, has demonstrated the ability to perform a particular set of experiments at a high-quality level, including senior author publications (independent of training mentors) and/or has demonstrated the ability to obtain independent funding/support for their work. Rare exceptions may be made on a case by case basis for researchers who are not in a full-time position.
Award details: $325K per year for up to 5 years. Awardee must devote 75% of effort to research.
USC Internal announcement: https://rii.usc.edu/limited-submissions/ada-accelerator-awards/
External announcement on website: https://professional.diabetes.org/research-grants/current-funding-opportunities-pathway-stop-diabetes
USC Internal due date: May 23, 2025.
External due date: July 23, 2025.
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***Limited Submission***
(Up to 2 nominations per institution)

 

American Diabetes Association
Program: Pathway to Stop Diabetes: Initiator Award
Synopsis: Supports early career researchers who have distinguished themselves during their research training as exceptionally talented and promising research investigators with a high likelihood of establishing successful, independent research programs and making seminal contributions in diabetes research. Applicants must currently be in research training positions (i.e. post-doctoral fellowships, research fellowships) and can have no more than seven (7) years of training since their doctoral degree. Initiator award recipients cannot concurrently hold an NIH K99 / R00 grant. All other Career Development awards are allowable (unless holding of concurrent awards is prohibited by the other granting agency). To assure continued excellence and diversity among applicants and awardees, the Association welcomes applications from all qualified individuals and strongly encourages applications from persons with diverse backgrounds, including minority groups that are underrepresented in biomedical research.

Award details: Up to $100K per year in Phase 1, up to $325K per year in Phase 2. Applicants may request up to seven (7) years of combined funding support for phases one and two. The proposed project budget should not exceed the maximum total budget up to $1,625M. Awardee must devote 75% of effort to research.
USC Internal Announcement: https://rii.usc.edu/limited-submissions/ada-initiator-awards/
External announcement on website: https://professional.diabetes.org/research-grants/current-funding-opportunities-pathway-stop-diabetes
USC Internal due date: May 23, 2025.
External due date: July 23, 2025.
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Academy of American Poets
Program: Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize
Synopsis: Supports and recognizes the most outstanding book of poetry published in the United States in the previous calendar year. The Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize honors the memory of Lenore Marshall (1897-1971), a poet, novelist, essayist, and political activist.  The 2025 contest is open to any book of original poetry, in English, published in the United States during 2024 in a standard edition (48 pages or more) by a living poet. Please see the announcement for additional guidelines, including the requirement that the author be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or have Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Legal Permanent Status (LPS), or any subsequent categories designated by the U.S. authorities as conferring similar enhanced status upon non-citizens living in the United States.
Award details: In addition to $25K, the prize includes a ten-day residency at Glen Hollow in Naples, New York, and distribution of the winning book to hundreds of Academy of American Poets members.
Announcement on website: https://poets.org/academy-american-poets/prizes/lenore-marshall-poetry-prize
Submission due date: May 15, 2025.
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Virginia Center for the Creative Arts
Program: 2026 Spring Fully-Funded Residential Fellowships
Synopsis: Supports writers of various interests for Fellowships — depending on the specific named fellowship — running 2, 3 weeks or a month duration. Categories of fellowships include fellowships for writers who are also caregivers; gay and lesbian caregivers; writers of creative nonfiction and writers of the visual arts, with preference given to those with Latin or African American descent.
Award details: Private bedroom with private bath, a separate individual studio, and all meals provided in a community of cross-disciplinary artists. Some fellowships also include $1K honorarium.
Announcement on website: https://www.vcca.com/apply/fully-funded-fellowships/
Application due date: May 31, 2025. Fellowships are taken during Spring 2026, at various periods between January and April). Nominal application fee is applied.
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Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood
Program: Research Grants Promoting Children in Parenting Education; Early Childhood Welfare; and Early Childhood Education and Play
Synopsis: Supports promising research and development projects that appear likely to improve the welfare of young children, from infancy through 7 years, in the U.S. Successful proposals are funded if successful project outcome will likely be of significant interest to other professionals, within the grantee’s field of interest. The Foundation’s goal is to provide seed money to implement those imaginative proposals that exhibit the greatest chance of improving the lives of young children, on a national scale.
Award details: 2024 awardees received awards ranging from $45K to $75K.
Announcement on website: https://earlychildhoodfoundation.org/
Letter of Intent due date: May 31, 2025.
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Good Food Institute
Program: Alternative Protein Research Grants
Synopsis: Supports alternative protein research through a strong open-access research environment and talent pipeline, which are essential to fostering good food innovation. Specifically, GFI seeks to advance the science and technology of the plant-based, fermentation-derived, and cultivated meat industries. “Meat” includes seafood such as fish and shellfish. Each RFP identifies priorities for research and can be submitted from any sector (academia, government, industry, nonprofits, etc.). Graduate students or postdoctoral researchers are eligible to lead the proposed project, contingent upon the inclusion of a Letter of Commitment signed by a faculty member from the student's or postdoc's higher education institution. GFI has identified 2 priorities for this initiative, which are, broadly,
  -  Priority A: Functionality from Fermentation: Ingredients for Plant-based Meats
  -  Priority B: Pathways to propel cell line development
Award details: Awards will be $250K or less.

Announcement on website: https://gfi.org/researchgrants/
Proposal due date: May 15, 2025.
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Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Program: Addressing Violence and Trauma Topical PCORI Funding Announcement -- Cycle 2 2025
Synopsis: Supports high-quality, patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research projects that address violence and trauma within the following 3 Special Areas of Emphasis, broadly described here
- Intentional Trauma focusing on intimate partner violence; abused children and youth; older adults subject to abuse.
- Unintentional Trauma targeting people who have experienced traumatic brain injury; care models for fall prevention and recovery among older adults; impaired mobility and physical function due to trauma.
- Substance use and Trauma comparing existing strategies for pain management to mitigate instances of substance abuse.
Applications for the conduct of research and management of funding may be submitted by appropriate academic research, private sector research, or study-conducting entities.
Award details: Up to $12M (for direct costs) for up to 5 years project period.
Announcement on website: https://www.pcori.org/funding-opportunities/announcement/addressing-violence-and-trauma-topical-pcori-funding-announcement-cycle-2-2025 

Letter of Intent due date: May 13, 2025.
Application due date (invited): September 3, 2025. Earliest project start date is July 2026.
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Science / SciLifeLab
Program: Prize for Young Scientists
Synopsis: Supports annually one young scientist for outstanding life science research for which they were awarded a doctoral degree in the previous two years (2023 or 2024). The topic of the entrant's thesis research must be in one of the following categories: Cell and Molecular Biology; Genomics, Proteomics, and Systems Biology approaches; Ecology and Environment; Molecular Medicine. Submissions are evaluated on graduate school work. Please see the announcement for other eligibility requirements.
Award details: $30K for grand prize winner and 2 $10K prize winners for 2 of the categories. Grand prize winner’s essay will be published in Science, and the 3 category winners’ essays will be published online.
Announcement on website: https://scienceprize.scilifelab.se/
Submission due date: July 15, 2025.
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American Physiological Society
Program: Early-career Advocacy Fellowship
Synopsis: Supports early-career investigators in advocacy activities and provides them with skills to become long-term advocates for scientific research. In addition, experienced members of the American Physiological Society (APS) Science Policy Committee (SPC) will provide mentorship to the Fellows. Examples of supported activities include (partial)
  -  Participate in a virtual spring orientation session to learn about the Society’s advocacy efforts and receive preliminary training for their Capitol Hill meetings.

  -  Participate in Capitol Hill meetings with SPC members and APS staff. 

  -  Receive regular emails from APS on science policy issues.  

Eligible applicants are members of good standing in the Society, students in a graduate-level program, or have received their doctoral degree within the previous 12 years; live in the U.S. during the two-year award fellowship.
Award details: $1.5K
Announcement on website: https://www.physiology.org/professional-development/awards/researchers/early-career-advocacy-fellowship?SSO=Y
Application due date: December 16, 2025.
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Department of Defense (DoD) / Defense Health Program
Program: Alzheimer’s Research Program — Transforming Research Award (FY25 AZRP TrRA)
NOFO #: HT942525AZRPTrRA
Synopsis: Supports non-incremental research designed to reduce the risk of or prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease and / or Alzheimer's disease-related dementias (AD / ADRD). Allowable research includes projects utilizing animal models as well as clinical research projects. The program allows for multiple PIs under the Career Initiation or Transition (CIT) Partnership Option. If utilizing this option, only the initiating PI will submit a pre-application, but each PI will need to submit a full application. All associated applications for a research project may be withdrawn if the initiating or partnering application is rejected or administratively withdrawn. The FY25 AZRP TrRA is intended to support studies that will make transformative contributions to risk reduction and prevention of development of AD / ADRD. The AZRP challenges investigators to appreciably accelerate efforts in AD / ADRD risk and prevention research and demonstrate tangible impact toward improving patient care and/or quality of life.
Award details:  Approximately $4M to fund approximately 4 Transforming Research Award applications with total cost caps of $1M for the single PI option, and $1M for the CIT Partnership Option. The maximum period of performance is 3 years.
Announcement on website: FY25 AZRP TrRA 
Pre-Application due date: June 12, 2025
Application due date (invited): August 29, 2025.
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Department of Defense (DoD) / Defense Health Program
Program: Breast Cancer Research Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2
NOFO #: HT942525BCRPBTA12
Synopsis: Supports promising research that has high potential to lead to or make breakthroughs in breast cancer. All applications must address at least one of the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) overarching challenges, unless adequate justification for exception is provided. Applications must address the challenge in a way that can lead to or make a breakthrough and have major impact. These challenges  include (partial)
- Prevent breast cancer (primary prevention)
- Identify determinants of breast cancer initiation, risk, or susceptibility
-   Revolutionize treatment regimens by replacing them with ones that are more effective, less toxic, and impact survival
- Eliminate the mortality associated with metastatic breast cancer.

Award details: Level 1: $540K in direct costs over 3 years for single PI to perform high risk / high reward research developing novel ideas; $900K for direct costs over 3 years with partnering PI. Level 2: $1.2M in direct costs over 3 years for single PI for research already supported by substantial preliminary or published data in breast cancer; $1.8 for direct costs over 3 years with partnering PI.
Level 2 Population Science and Prevention: $1.8M in direct costs over 3 years for single PI for research already supported by substantial preliminary or published data in breast cancer; $2.4M for direct costs over 3 years with partnering PI.
Announcement on website: Breast Cancer Research Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2 
Pre-Application due date: June 13, 2025.
Application due date: June 27, 2025.
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NSF / Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences - Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences
Program: Archaeology Program Senior Research Awards (Arch-SR)

Solicitation #: 23-566
Synopsis: Supports anthropologically relevant archaeological research to increase understanding of past behaviors. This means that the value of the proposed research can be justified within an anthropological context. It is the responsibility of the investigator to explain convincingly why the focus of their research is significant and has the potential to contribute to anthropological knowledge. Without restrictions on geographic areas, or  theoretical questions or orientations, most proposals either request funds for field research or the analysis of archaeological material through multiple approaches. While postdoctoral researchers may apply to this program, there is a specific postdoctoral fellowship program. Graduate students may apply to a different program for dissertation research. Links to those programs are included in the solicitation.

Award details: Program funding is $6M to $5M. Estimate up to 30 standard or continuing grants will be awarded. Duration and size of the award are subject to the availability of funds.
Announcement on website: https://nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/solicitations/pubs/2023/nsf23566/nsf23566.pdf?VersionId=BQcCiCh1jHIBv34oq4Lq5sFblbuMHJon
Proposal target dates: July 1, 2025 and December 1, 2025.
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NSF / Directorate for Engineering – Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation
Program: Mind, Machine and Motor Nexus (M3X)
Solicitation #: PD 25-058Y
Synopsis: Supports fundamental research that enables intelligent engineered systems and humans to engage in bidirectional interaction in a physics-based environment, to enhance and ensure safety, productivity, and well-being.  Intelligent engineered systems, a human-designed system, collect data, analyze it to make informed decisions, and take actions that enhance safety, efficiency, and well-being. They may operate autonomously or collaboratively with humans, adapting their actions based on the data they collect.  A key requirement for the M3X program is that these systems must function within a physics-based environment, whether physical or virtual, where interactions exhibit recognizable physical behaviors, such as those associated with gravity, friction, force, and inertia. Proposals submitted to the M3X program must clearly articulate how the proposed work advances knowledge of bidirectional interactions between humans and intelligent engineered systems.
Award details: ~ $325K to $700K for unsolicited proposals; $550K to $700K for CAREER awards.

Announcement on website: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/m3x-mind-machine-motor-nexus
Proposal due date: Proposals accepted anytime.
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NSF / Directorate for Geosciences – Division of Earth (GEO / EAR)
Program: Education and Broadening Participation in Earth Sciences ((EAR EBP)

Solicitation #: PD 25-1575
Synopsis: Supports and facilitates activities that engage a wide range of audiences in Earth Sciences research efforts, which are
  -  Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Teachers
  -  EAR Postdoctoral Fellowships
  -  CAREER awards
Funding opportunity also supports creative efforts to support recruitment and retention of talented individuals in Earth sciences that are considered “ad hoc” proposal submissions.
Award details: Recent California REU awards have ranged up to ~$256K; California CAREER awards have ranged up to ~$629K.

Announcement on website: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/ear-ebp-education-broadening-participation-earth-sciences 
Proposal due date: Proposals accepted anytime.
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NSF
Program: The Research on Research Security Program  (RoRS)
Solicitation #: PD-25-275Y
Synopsis: Supports interdisciplinary, evidence-based research to enhance understanding of security risks, practices, and policies to safeguard the U.S. research enterprise and foster a strong academic field in research security. Collectively, the research that RoRS funds will foster a broad community that builds collaborations between the STEM research community, research security researchers, and research security practitioners. Interdisciplinary approaches are encouraged, and proposers should address how they will leverage the range of expertise, theories, and methods of the team to engage in evidence-based research on research security. Proposers are encouraged to identify collaborators across a wide range of sectors, and to consider projects in collaboration with international partners that share U.S. concerns with research security, when appropriate.

Award details: Supports Conferences, Workshops and EAGER proposals.
Announcement on website: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/rors-research-research-security-program
Full Proposal due date: Proposals may be submitted anytime.
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Office of Research and Innovation

 

Department of Contracts and Grants

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) have issued a new mandatory research security training that applies to all active DOE awards and new proposals submitted to DOE on or after May 1, 2025. Individuals currently working on DOE or NNSA funded projects who contribute in a substantive and meaningful way to the development or execution of the project scope are considered “covered individuals” and are required to complete the training. At a minimum, this includes the Principal Investigator/Project Director(s) and any Co-Principal Investigator/Project Director(s). For more information see the DCG NewsFlash! here.

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Center for Excellence in Research

 

CER offered their excellent workshop “Pivoting with Purpose: Reframing Research in Changing Times”. The workshop provided a snapshot of the evolving landscape in federal funding opportunities, and how universities and investigators may retrofit their proposals to new agency priorities, as well as identifying funding opportunities from foundations and other organizations. The video recording for this workshop will become available as are all of the workshops in the Spring 2025 series are available on the CER webpage.

One of the presenters shared with participants a Forbes article that provided a curated list of potentially “triggering” words or phrases PIs may now want to reconsider using when crafting their federal proposals so as not to get flagged for not being in compliance with new agency priorities. We provide the link to this serious, if somewhat amusing, Forbes article here.

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Office Hours for Help with Research Administration Questions
Every Wednesday from 3 to 4 p.m. via Zoom: USC Dornsife Research Administration is now offering weekly office hours via Zoom. Feel free to join to ask questions and connect with research administration staff.

 

Zoom: https://usc.zoom.us/j/94648152007?pwd=M1ZPQU81QmtWc3VZaHp6QnhnK0RSdz09
Meeting ID: 946 4815 2007
Passcode:  989008

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