Greetings Dornsife Faculty,

In this issue we include: 
– High honors for two Dornsife faculty;
– Three investigators have won funding awards;
– Current and diverse external funding opportunities, including 3 limited submissions;
– Upcoming Center for Excellence in Research workshop; and
– Standing invite to connect with Dornsife research administration staff.

 

Best regards,

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

Luke Fidler, Art History, has been named a 2025-2026 Year of the Scale Fellow for the Society of Humanities, Cornell University

 

Arieh Warshel, Chemistry, has been elected a Member of the National Academy of Artificial Intelligence. Warshel has also been elected honorary member of the Serbian National Academy of Sciences.

Canaan Breiss, Linguistics, Abstract and Item-Specific Knowledge Across Domains and Frameworks, National Science Foundation

 

Myron Goodman, Molecular and Computational Biology, An Analysis of ICE R391 Pathogen-encoded Rum DNA Polymerase in Generating Mutations Driving Rapid Acquisition of Antibiotic Drug Resistance in Diverse Recipient Bacterial Species, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences

 

Karen Lloyd, Earth Sciences, Controls on Aerobic Methane Oxidation in the Deep Sea, National Science Foundation

***Limited Submission***

 

Survival & Flourishing Fund (SSF)
Program: SSF-2025-S-Process Grant Round
Synopsis: Supports projects that help ensure that advanced AI serves fairness and freedom. Specific areas of interest include
  -  Protecting meaningful freedom of speech
  -  Ensuring the continuation of other individual liberties such as privacy, private property, and freedom of association
  - Empowering the global majority with regard to uses, risks and benefits of AI technology
  -  Anticipating, understanding, and addressing/resisting monopolistic practices in the development and control of advanced AI
  -  Defusing and preventing unnecessary conflicts and abuses of power occurring on the basis of unfair discrimination
  -  Fostering and demanding inclusivity and diversity of representation in benefits from AI-enabled services; power over AI governance; and access to AI technologies.
Award details: $400K, plus eligibility for an additional grant.
USC Internal announcement: https://rii.usc.edu/limited-submissions/survival-and-flourishing-fund/
External announcement on website: https://survivalandflourishing.fund/2025/application
USC Internal due date: March 28, 2025.
External due date: May 2, 2025.
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***Limited Submission***

 

Department of Health and Human Services / Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)
Program: Drug-Free Communities Support
NOFO #: CDC-RFA-CE-25-0114
Synopsis: Supports the efforts of community coalitions who work to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. The program has two goals:

- Support community coalitions that work to prevent and reduce substance use among youth 18 years and younger by establishing and strengthening collaboration among communities, public and private nonprofit agencies, and federal, state, local, and tribal governments.
- Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance use among adults by: (1) Addressing the factors in a community that increases the risk of substance use and (2) Promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance use.
Award details: Up to $125K per year for 5 year project period.
USC Internal announcement: https://rii.usc.edu/limited-submissions/cdc-rfa-ce-25-0114/
External announcement on website: Drug-Free Communities Support Program 
USC Internal due date: April 7, 2025.
External due date: May 5, 2025.
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***Limited Submission***
(Limited to one application from Dornsife)

 

William T. Grant (WTG) Scholars Program
Program: Reducing Inequality & Improving the Use of Research Evidence
Synopsis: Supports tenure track scholars from a range of disciplines, fields, and methods for research studies that aim to build, test, or increase understanding of programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people ages 5-25 in the United States. WTG prioritizes studies that aim to reduce inequalities that exist along dimensions of race, ethnicity, economic standing, sexual or gender minority status, language minority status, or immigrant origins. For focus area, Reducing Inequality, WTG encourages investigations into various youth-serving systems, including justice, housing, child welfare, mental health, and education. For focus area, Improving the Use of Research Evidence, WTG supports research on strategies focused on improving the use of research evidence in ways that benefit young people ages 5-25 in the United States. WTG wants to know what it takes to get research used by decision-makers and what happens when research is used.
Award details: $425K over 5-year project period, including up to 7.5% indirect costs.
USC Internal Announcement: https://rii.usc.edu/limited-submissions/william-t-grant-scholars-program/
External Announcement on website: https://wtgrantfoundation.org/funding/william-t-grant-scholars-program
USC Internal due date: Contact Divisional Dean William Deverell if interested.

Mentor and reference letter due date: June 11, 2025.
Nominations due date: July 1, 2025.

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Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Program: 2026 Humanitarian Prize—Nominations
Synopsis: Supports nonprofit organizations by presenting this honor recognizing the organization’s leadership in efforts to alleviate human suffering. The Prize celebrates organizations setting a global benchmark for excellence and advancing the collective progress of humanity. While academic institutions per se are not eligible for this prize, academic-affiliate organizations are eligible.
Award details: $2.5M
Announcement on website: https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/work/humanitarian-prize/nominations/
Nominations due date: April 30, 2025.
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National Geographic Society / Freshwater Initiative
Program: Freshwater Storytelling
Synopsis: Supports storytellers from across the world interested in creating and disseminating content that raises public awareness and engagement of important issues around the sustainable use of freshwater resources. A variety of content formats, including, but not limited to, Photography, Film and Video, Mapmaking, Data Visualization, Written Word, Spoken Word, etc. will be considered. Projects that dig deeper into the challenges facing specific communities such as last mile households, low-income households, women and girls, and children face in achieving equitable access to freshwater and how these issues are worsening as freshwater scarcity increases are encouraged. Applications are also encouraged for projects that highlight specific solutions to these challenges, and elevate the voices of individuals, organizations and communities at the forefront. Applicants should show a record of successful media projects and must submit a portfolio as part of their application packet.
Award details: Applicants may request between $20K (Level I) to $100K (Level II) per grant. Early career applicants (5 years or less) are encouraged to apply at the $20K level. National Geographic Explorers (individuals who have already received a grant) cannot apply at the lower level.
Announcement on website: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/grants-and-investments/rfp-freshwater/
Application due date: April 22, 2025.
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Centennial Center for Political Science and Public Affairs
Program: Spring Centennial Research Awards
Synopsis: Supports research in all fields of political science. The intent of these grants is to provide funding opportunities for research conducted by
  -  Political scientists in non-tenure track or contingent positions who are ineligible for departmental funding.
  -  Political science faculty of all ranks who are employed in departments that do not grant doctorates.
  -  Graduate students in Political Science or a related discipline such as Politics or International Relations.
Applicants must be members of the American Political Science Association (APSA) members at the time of the application, and when funds are dispersed.
Award details: $2.5K.
Announcement on website: https://connect.apsanet.org/centennialcenter/spring-centennial-center-research-grant-program/
Application due date: April 15, 2025.
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Health and Aging Policy Fellows
Program: 2025-2026 Fellowships
Synopsis: Supports a diverse cadre of leaders who will serve as change agents in health and aging policy to ultimately improve the health care of older adults. The year-long fellowship offers a rich and unique training and enrichment program that is focused on current policy issues, communication skills development, and professional networking opportunities to provide fellows with the experience and skills necessary to help affect policy. The HAPF program has a broad interdisciplinary focus and past fellows have included physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, dieticians, healthcare administrators, epidemiologists, economists, and lawyers from academic and practice settings. Applicants at all career stages are eligible to apply. However, this fellowship is primarily designed for individuals who have completed professional training or who have a significant career track in the health and aging fields. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or its territories who have career plans that anticipate continued work in the U.S. after the fellowship period. The program has two new tracks (1) The Behavioral Health Policy Track enables Fellows to become effective leaders who help shape and implement behavioral health policies at the state and federal levels that improve the lives of older adults and those who care for them, and (2) The Caregiver Policy Track enables Fellows based in and serving Western New York and Southeastern Michigan to become effective leaders who help shape and implement family caregiving policies at the state and federal levels that would improve the lives of caregivers and for whom they care.
Award details: Residential Fellowships: Stipend of up to $100K, plus $4.5K relocation expenses for a 9-to-12-month placement in Washington, D.C. or at a state agency. Non-Residential Fellowships: Expectation that Fellow can secure their institution’s support to participate in the activities of the program, including a six week orientation in DC and 20% of time to focus on project of a key policy issue with brief placements throughout the year at relevant policy settings. In some cases a $15K stipend can be available to offset expenses that cannot be covered by the institution.

Announcement on website: https://www.healthandagingpolicy.org/fellowship-application/fellowship-overview/
Application due date: April 15, 2025.
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American Psychological Association (APA / Division 47) / Society for Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology
Program: Graduate Student and Early Career Professional (ECP) Travel Awards
Synopsis: Supports graduate students ECPs who have 10 years of less professional experience, and are APA members with demonstrated abilities in
  -  Leadership
  -  Presentations at symposia and seminars
  -  Publications
  -  Research
  -  Applied Work
  -  Public Service and community activities.
Award details: $250 awarded to one ECP and one graduate student to assist in housing and registration for professional meetings.
Announcement on website: https://www.apadivisions.org/division-47/awards/convention-travel?tab=2
Application due date: May 1, 2025.
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American Psychological Foundation
Program: John and Polly Sparks Early Career Grant for Psychologists Investigating Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED)
Synopsis: Supports early career psychologists( ≤ post doctoral) conducting research in the area of early intervention and treatment for serious emotional disturbance in children. Seeks the production of scientifically-based research and programs that could provide models for broad-based applications across the country.
Award details: Up to $22K. Anticipate 3 awards will be made.
Announcement on website: https://ampsychfdn.org/funding/sparks/
Application due date: April 24, 2025.
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Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF)
Program: 2025 RFA for General and Youth
Synopsis: Supports activities in NAAF programmatic areas of business assistance, agricultural education, technical support and advocacy services (excluding lobbying activities of any kind), and as these activities relate to American Indian farmers and ranchers, broadly defined. NAAF was created from cy pres funds attributable to the settlement of litigation, which resulted in the 2018 NAAF Trust Agreement. NAAF is directed to fund grant projects for a total of 20 years until the year 2038, and in so doing, hopes to make a significant impact across as many Native communities as possible. Potential proposers are encouraged to read the Trust Agreement before beginning an application, in addition to the RFA.
Award details: $10M program funds f0r 2025. Awards range from $100K to $250K. Indirect cost rate is 15%.
Announcement on website: https://nativeamericanagriculturefund.org/2025-rfa/
Application due date: May 1, 2025
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Nomis and Science (Repost from week of February 24, 2025)
Program: Young Explorer Award
Synopsis: Supports and recognizes recognize bold young researchers who ask fundamental questions at the intersection of the life and social sciences; scientists who have performed interdisciplinary work with an enthusiasm that has catalyzed cross-field collaboration; researchers who take risks to address relevant and exciting questions with creative approaches, regardless of the research outcome. Examples of successful applications include applying techniques developed in one domain to answer questions in another; or, applying information acquired in the life sciences to questions related to the collective or individual behavior of humans in the fields of psychology, economics, political science or sociology. Eligible applicants must hold a Ph.D. that was received in the past 10 years.
Award details: 2 Grand Prize winners will receive cash prize of $15K and provided travel and accommodation to the award ceremony, if any, as well as an invitation to apply for funding from Nomis. Winners will also receive a 5-year digital subscription to Science.
Announcement on website: https://www.science.org/content/page/how-enter-nomis-science-young-explorer-award
Application due date for entries: May 15, 2025.
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Science and SciLifeLab
Program: Prize for Young Scientists
Synopsis: Supports and recognizes a young scientist for outstanding life science research for which they were awarded a doctoral degree in the previous two years. 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. Eligible entrants must have been awarded their doctoral degree in 2023 or 2024, and the subject of their thesis should match one of the aforementioned subject categories.
Award details: Grand Prize Winner: $30K, plus the winner’s essay will be published in Science. Category Winners: $10K, plus essays from each of the winners will be published online.
Announcement on website: https://www.science.org/content/page/how-enter-science-scilifelab-prize-young-scientists?utm_medium=email&utm_source=publishing-sfmc&utm_campaign=prizes2024&utm_content=scilifelab&utm_id=recyAUk5cctAcZYQy&et_rid=1099806582&et_cid=5570180
Application due date for entries: July 15, 2025.
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MIT Solve
Program: 2025 Global Learning Challenge
Synopsis: Supports solutions that leverage technology to improve learning outcomes for all, with a particular interest for 2025 in solutions that
  -  Increase access to quality learning experiences and materials, especially for those living in emergency and conflict-affected areas or with limited internet
  -  Improve engagement and enable better learning outcomes for those with disabilities and learning differences, while benefiting all learners
  -  Provide the skills that people need to thrive in a complex world, from problem-solving to AI literacy, with adequate training and support for educators.
Award details: $10K
Announcement on website: https://solve.mit.edu/challenges/2025-global-learning-challenge?tab=prizes
Application due date: April 17, 2025.
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The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research
Program: Emerging Leader Award
Synopsis: Supports early career investigators for high-impact, high-risk projects that are distinct from investigators’ current research portfolio. Eligible candidates are three to eight years from the start of an independent faculty appointment as of December 31, 2025 (i.e., the official start date of the appointment must fall within the calendar years 2017-2022). Only one submission per applicant is permitted. As this is a single-investigator award, co-investigators are not allowed, though collaboration with others to carry out the project is permitted, and will be evidenced by letters of support from a collaborator(s).
Award details: $250K per year for 3 years. The maximum 10% indirect cost is included in the total $750K over the 3 years.
Announcement on website: https://themarkfoundation.org/emerging-leader-award-2/
Letter of Intent due date: May 5, 2025.
Proposal due date (invited): July 8, 2025.
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The Ohio State University / College of Arts and Sciences / Center for Cosmology and AstroPartical Physics (CCAP)
Program: Price Prize Award
Synopsis: Supports and recognizes graduate students for research excellence and exceptional promise in areas related to CCAPP initiatives. OCAPP welcomes nominees working in all areas of cosmology and astroparticle physics, broadly defined. Of particular interest are nominations of members of groups historically excluded from physics and astronomy. CCAPP hosts awardees for a week at which they give a Price Prize seminar on their research and establish long-term collaborative relationships.  Graduate students who are expected to receive their doctorate within the year are not eligible.
Award details: In addition to the week-long visit to present a Price Prize seminar, recipients are presented with a $2K honorarium.
Announcement on website: https://ccapp.osu.edu/students/price-prize-award
Nominations due date: March 28, 2025. Once a nomination letter is received (and an optional letter of support), the program will contact the student to request their curriculum vitae.
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Forecasted Opportunity

 

National Endowment for the Humanities
Program: Summer Stipends
NOFO #: 20250917-FT

Synopsis: Support continuous full-time work on a humanities project for a period of two consecutive months.  NEH funds may support recipients’ compensation, travel, and other costs related to the proposed scholarly research. The award
- Provides small awards to individuals pursuing advanced research that is of value to humanities scholars and / or general audiences.
- While supports projects at any stage of development, is preferential to early-stage projects.
- Funds a wide range of scholars including independent and non-teaching staff at universities.

Award details: $8K. NEH will make award payments to individual accounts.
Announcement on website: https://www.neh.gov/grants/research/summer-stipends
Anticipated application submission: June 17, 2025 to September 17, 2025. Projects starts May 1, 2026 - September 1, 2027.
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National Endowment for the Humanities
Program: Scholarly Edition and Translations
Synopsis: Supports organizations to support collaborative teams who are editing, annotating, and translating foundational humanities texts that are vital to generating new scholarship but are inaccessible or only available in inadequate editions or translations. Works from any humanities field may be the subject of an edition. Typical project expenses include salary for editorial and research activities, travel to collections to verify source material, and consultant fees for translation, editorial work, and the implementation of a digital edition. Editions and translations may be print, digital, or a combination of both, but all editions and translations must contain additional and new scholarly material such as introductions, annotations, and critical apparatus. 

Award details: $300K in outright funds; up to $450K may be available in requesting at least $150K in matching funds.
Announcement on website: https://www.neh.gov/grants/research/scholarly-editions-and-translations-grants
Optional draft due: September 29, 2025.
Application due date: December 3, 2025. Project start date: October 1, 2026 to September 1, 2027.
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U.S. Geological Survey
Program: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program External Research Support Announcement for Fiscal Year 2026
NOFO #: G26AS00244
Synopsis: Supports research in earthquake hazards, the physics of earthquakes, earthquake occurrence, and earthquake safety policy. The majority of projects will begin January 1, 2026 and end December 31, 2026.
Award details: $5M total program funding. The majority of grants range between $30K and $120K.
Announcement on website: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program External Research Support Announcement for Fiscal Year 2026
Proposal due date: May 28, 2025.
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Department of Commerce (DoC) / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) / Ocean and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
Program: FY2025 Sea Grant Contaminants of Emerging Concern
NOFO #: NOAA-OAR-SG-2025-30385
Synopsis: Supports future competed research that addresses Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) across a shared geography, biogeography or watershed. Applicants should propose future completed research competitions to select projects that meet the scope below. Proposed work should be completed in the U.S., U.S. territories and U.S. waterways and prioritize the following areas
  -  Focus on species of ecological importance, particularly those with strong socio-economic and/or human health dimensions (e.g., subsistence, recreational, or commercial shellfish and/or finfish);

  -  Focus on the prevalence, transportation, and biogeochemical transformations of CECs across a watershed or ecosystem, especially those with pathways that involve drinking water and/or wastewater;

  -  Consider the in situ multi-stressor and/or interactive effects of CECs that organisms likely experience in their natural environments; and/or

  -  Perform short-term monitoring assessments to help steer more focused, long-term monitoring initiatives.

  -  Ensuring that appropriate priority is assigned to mitigating exposure risks in communities, due to current and legacy industrial pollution that impact various waterbody designated uses (e.g., recreation, fish consumption), as well as aging wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.
Award details: Awards are scalable up to $1.4M over 3 years.

Announcement on website: FY2025 Sea Grant Contaminants of Emerging Concern 
Application due date: May 2, 2025.
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NSF / Across Multiple Directorates (including TIP, STEM, MPS, BIO and SBE)
Program: Future Manufacturing (FM)
Solicitation #: 24-525
Synopsis: Supports inventive approaches to invigorate the manufacturing ecosystem and seed nascent future industries that can only be imagined today. Future Manufacturing supports research and education that will enhance U.S. leadership in manufacturing by providing new capabilities for companies and entrepreneurs, by improving our health, quality of life, and national security, by expanding job opportunities to a diverse STEM workforce, and by reducing adverse impacts of manufacturing on the environment. A convergence approach that involves cross-disciplinary partnerships among

engineers, scientists, mathematicians, social and behavioral scientists, STEM education researchers, and

experts in arts and humanities are encouraged. The three thrusts areas include
  -  Future cyber manufacturing research;
  -  Future eco manufacturing research; and
  -  Future bio manufacturing research.

Award details: Awards will be made on 2 tracks: Future Manufacturing Research Grants (FMRG) - up to $3M for up to four years; and Future Manufacturing Seed Grants (FMSG) - up to $500K for up to two years.
Announcement on website: https://nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/solicitations/pubs/2024/nsf24525/nsf24525.pdf?VersionId=dl5Ch8TfU8vI5BWXuoY6baNNJjiqLZ6A
Proposal due date: June 18, 2025.
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Office of Research and Innovation / Center for Excellence in Research

 

 

Upcoming Workshop

Effective Research Communications for External Stakeholders
Learn how to communicate effectively with non-expert audiences, including foundations, corporations, government officials, and the general public. You will learn how to craft effective communications strategies for discussing research with people who are not experts in your field, to help you create engaging and persuasive arguments for your research priorities.  At the end, you will have an actionable framework for writing, speaking, and presenting your work effectively to non-academic audiences.

Date:   April 2, 2025                                             Time: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

Registration: https://rii.usc.edu/cer/

Presenter: Llewellyn Cox, Executive Director of Corporate Relations, University Advancement.
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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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