In this issue

Research highlights  |  Innovation spotlight  |  New awards
Unsung heroes  |  Faculty kudos  |  Recognition roundup
Research development  |  Nuts & bolts  |  Events

In collaboration with five other regional higher education institutions, KU has been awarded a five-year, $3.5 million National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation grant. The award will establish the Aligning STEM Trainees for Enterprising Research (ASTER) program, designed to “increase access and participation among promising students through engaging research experiences with faculty who are there to support and guide them.”

While teaching argumentation is a key part of education, a new study from the University of Kansas found that when students approach argumentation with empathy, they better understand their “opponents" and make a better case.

New research from a KU associate professor of architecture shows a better-designed operating room shaves time off of orthopedic surgery. Xiaobo Quan believes the findings can be used to optimize spaces that will produce better outcomes, via shorter surgeries, for patients and also boost hospitals’ bottom lines.

Two KU researchers have been awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to teach critical artificial intelligence literacy to secondary and higher education humanities instructors. The in-person institute, administered in partnership with the National Humanities Center, will occur in June 2025.  

Kansas Geological Survey scientists have been awarded nearly $900,000 in grants to spearhead the development of an innovative technology system that will leverage underused corners of farm fields to generate energy and collect water.

Hsi-Chuan Wang, postdoctoral researcher in the School of Public Affairs & Administration, provides insights to help Kansas communities prepare for disasters and recover as quickly as possible.

Wang is one of five KU postdocs from across disciplines that the Office of Research featured for National Postdoc Appreciation Week, Sept. 16-20. You can also read stories about Malena Orduña Alegría, Rebecca Johnston, Joel Swift and Shakila Peli Thanthri.

Faculty across all KU campuses are exploring questions in bioscience, engineering, human development, communications and more. Their answers lead to ideas that transform/save lives and make businesses work better.

KU Center for Technology Commercialization empowers innovators to bring their research and technology to the global community — one idea at a time.

51

active startup companies created from KU research

334

disclosures by KU inventors over the past 5 years (2019-2024)

77

license/option agreements for KU technologies in 3 years

KU researchers are examining the impacts of climate on species distribution, evaluating audience perceptions on journalistic ethics training, studying the role of gut-immune interactions in cancer, understanding the role of chemicals in brain plasticity, and more — all with the aid of external funding awarded in August.

Behind every successful award are teams of KU research support staff who help investigators identify opportunities, prepare and submit complicated proposals under strict deadlines, help manage finances and compliance for funded projects, and more. They are the unsung heroes of KU research, greasing the wheels of innovation and discovery.

In each issue of KU Discoveries, we shine a spotlight on a research support staff member deemed particularly outstanding by colleagues. Click the button below this month's story to nominate a deserving candidate from any unit on campus.

Jamene Brooks-Kieffer | Data Services Librarian & Coordinator of Digital Scholarship | KU Libraries 

When people think of research, they often think of the experiments, observations and archival visits that investigators perform to collect data. But how that data is organized once collected is also pivotal to researchers being able to analyze and publish it. That’s where Jamene Brooks-Kieffer comes in.

Brooks-Kieffer is KU’s data services librarian and coordinator of digital scholarship. She has been in the role for just over a decade and has shaped it over time.

“Jamene was hired into a newly created position as KU Libraries’ first data services librarian. She has defined, evolved and grown that role by being adept at identifying needs, building partnerships, and assessing outcomes with an eye toward improvements,” said Scott Hanrath, associate dean of research engagement at KU Libraries.

In her role, Brooks-Kieffer has created a variety of online resources to help faculty, staff and students better manage their files. One of these tools is a series of webpages with guidance on naming conventions, reliable data storage and fulfilling data management plans sometimes required in federally funded research. Brooks-Kieffer also customized an online DMP Tool to include KU single sign-on and guidance on data management requirements that are specific to agencies that commonly fund KU research. Investigators can request a consultation with her if they have further questions.

“Jamene genuinely wants to help researchers solve problems,” Hanrath said. “She’s an empathetic listener and skilled at unpacking new and hard-to-describe problems into actionable next steps.”

In addition to managing digital resources, Brooks-Kieffer leads KU’s institutional membership in The Carpentries, a nonprofit organization that helps researchers learn coding and other software engineering through instructional workshops. Brooks-Kieffer is certified to teach researchers these skills and develop new lessons for emerging skills. Since 2018 she has created a community of instructors and offered more than 30 workshops for 500 learners. She has streamlined these learning opportunities over time by working with colleagues to create online infrastructure that allows workshop participants to use specialized software during the workshop without needing to install software on their own devices. This means participants can spend the entire workshop learning the tools rather than waiting for everyone to complete the installation.

“Jamene is forward-thinking and curious, keeping colleagues informed about new developments,” Hanrath said. “She’s an excellent translator and connecter, helping bring individuals into teams to solve problems.”

KU’s fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science were well-represented at the AAAS Fellows 150th Anniversary Gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.  

The University of Kansas supported the Sept. 21 event as an institutional sponsor and invited a delegation of fellows to participate as a way to elevate the institution’s visibility in the organization and form connections that contribute to opportunities for engagement related to research and science policy, career development, and potential collaborations with peers. 

These awards recognize individuals for their accomplishments in research, scholarship and creative activity in the fields of humanities and social sciences, basic sciences, biomedical sciences, and applied sciences. Faculty from any Kansas Regents institution are eligible. 

Amount: $10K | Deadline: Nov. 1

This award honors an outstanding unclassified academic staff researcher on the KU-Lawrence campus who has had significant influence in their field and/or a productive record of important research that has expanded intellectual or societal insights. 

Amount: $10K | Deadline: Nov. 1

The Staff Achievement Award and the Postdoctoral Achievement Award are intended to recognize the numerous contributions of unclassified professional staff and postdoctoral researchers to the research mission of KU, honoring outstanding individuals who have had a tangible impact on the research labs and projects in which they work. 

Amount: $5K | Deadline: Nov. 1

This award is designed to help new faculty begin building a sustainable program of research, scholarship and/or creative activity. There have been some changes for the 2024-25 cycle of this award program; please carefully review the guidelines and application procedures.

Amount: Up to $10K | Deadlines: Oct. 1 + March 1

These awards support members of our research and creative community as they apply their expertise to profound and persistent challenges related to attaining the goal of racial equity. Eligibility is open to Lawrence and Edwards campus faculty and academic staff (whether or not tenure-track), without regard for field or discipline.

Racial Equity Awards Info Session
Thursday, Oct. 3 | 9:45 – 10:45 a.m.
Register on Zoom

Racial Equity Award Grant Writing Workshop
Monday, Nov. 4 | 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Register on Zoom

Amount: Up to $20K | Deadline: Nov. 15

NETWORKING

How well do you know University of Kansas core labs? Come to Coretoberfest to learn how these facilities and the experts who lead them can support your KU research.

Door prizes. Networking. Appetizers + drinks.

Coretoberfest 2024
Wednesday, Oct. 9 | 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Burge Union, Forum C

RESEARCH INTEGRITY

The RCR Basic course through KU's CITI Program subscription has been broken into two parts. This change was made in response to instructor requests to be able to assign smaller chunks of the RCR course at one time. The change does not reduce content or the time investment to complete the full course.

Researchers required to take the CITI training will need to register for and achieve a certificate of completion for parts 1 and 2 of the course to fulfill the National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements for RCR training.

Course topics include:

Questions? Please contact researchintegrity@ku.edu or 785-864-4148.

Annual COI reporting is a requirement of your KU employment or participation in KU research. Your participation in the process is essential and very much appreciated.

CAMPUS PARTNERS

KU’s Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships is now taking applications for Research-Intensive Course Mini-Grants to support faculty interested in incorporating larger research and creative projects into their spring 2025 undergraduate classes.

Recipients of Research-Intensive Course Mini-Grants will:

The program's goal is that every undergraduate student has the opportunity to do research. Incorporating research into classes provides more KU students the chance to develop their research and critical thinking skills.   

Recipients will attend a 1.5-hour workshop over Zoom at the beginning of January (date and time TBA). If you have questions or would like to discuss possibilities, email curf@ku.edu.

Questions? Comments? Content suggestions?
Mindie Paget  |  Office of Research  |  mpaget@ku.edu

KU Office of Research
2385 Irving Hill Road
Lawrence, KS 66045
KU is an EO/AA institution.