Hello colleagues, and welcome back! We hope your Winter 2026 semester is off to a great start. Be sure to check out all that GVSU is doing to reflect on the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during a week of January 19-24. Read more about it in GVNEXT.

Proposal Deadlines

The second round deadline for the Catalyst Grant for Research and Creativity, Collaborative Research and Creative Activity Initiative, and Affiliate Faculty Support Fund will be here before you know it. There are two remaining submission cycles this year with deadlines on February 2nd and March 16th.

Office Hours for Writing a Successful Catalyst/Collaborative/Affiliate Fac Support Grant Proposal

Tuesday, January 27, 2026 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM ZOOM SIGN UP NOW
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ZOOM SIGN UP NOW

Do you have questions? We have answers. We are here to help you prepare your proposal for Round 2 of the grants due on February 2nd. NOTE: while the offerings say in-person, they are not. You will receive a ZOOM link upon enrollment.

30th Annual Student Scholar Day - Registration Opens Soon

All GVSU students are encouraged to present their scholarly and creative work at the 30th Annual Student Scholars Day (SSD). The Registration period is from February 9th to February 27th, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The deadline includes all presentation details, including a finished abstract. All faculty mentors and co-presenters must approve their students' presentations by this date. No late submissions or changes will be accepted.

The 30th Annual Student Scholars Day (SSD) will happen on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Please join us in recognizing the curiosity, dedication, and intellectual risk-taking that define our scholarly community.

OURS and Lakers Athletics Launch Partnership to Expand Research Opportunities for Students and Faculty

Grand Valley State University’s Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarship (OURS) and GVSU Athletics are launching a new partnership that opens the doors for students and faculty to use athletics as a vibrant, real-world laboratory for high-impact research. Rooted in the University’s Reach Higher campaign—which emphasizes empowered learning and holistic student success—this collaboration positions Laker Athletics as a powerful hub for academic inquiry across multiple disciplines. To learn more, visit the OURS website.

Fulbright U.S. Scholar Information Session - Friday, February 13, 2026

Are you preparing for an upcoming sabbatical or other form of leave? Join our Fulbright Scholar information session to hear from GVSU colleagues about the Fulbright Scholar and Fulbright Specialist awards. You'll also meet our campus Fulbright liaison, Dr. Tooley.

Date: Friday, February 13, 2026
Time: 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Place: Kirkhof Center 2266 (Allendale campus)

Please register so that we have a count for our food order! Email tooleyb@gvsu.edu if you'd like to connect about the application process or brainstorm possibilities.

Save the Date: Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Workshop (In-person!)

The ORCI, in conjunction with the Responsible Conduct of Research Advisory Committee, is planning an RCR workshop for Friday, February 27, 2026, 9 am - 2 pm, in KC 2204. More details and a registration link will be announced later this month.

Classroom Presentations

The ORCI is currently scheduling classroom presentations for the Winter semester. If you are interested in having a representative from the ORCI and/or the Institutional Review Board (IRB) serve as a guest presenter in your classroom to discuss research ethics/compliance topics (i.e., human subjects research, responsible conduct of research, etc.), please contact the ORCI at rci@gvsu.edu. We will try to accommodate as many requests as possible.

New Federal Restrictions on Uncrewed Aircraft Systems/Drones

The Federal Communications Commission recently announced new restrictions on the purchase and operation of foreign-sourced uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and UAS components. These restrictions essentially ban the import of new UASs and related critical components, regardless of country of origin, and have the potential to restrict certain operational aspects of previously purchased foreign-sources UASs (e.g., data sharing, repair, etc.). If your research involves UASs, please contact the ORCI to discuss if and how these new restrictions may impact your work. Also note that any drone purchase and/or operation requires approval from Public Safety per SLT Policy 6.20.

New Research Security Training Requirements for Federal Grant Submissions

Many federal agencies have implemented, or are in the process of implementing, new research security training requirements mandating that all Principal Investigators and Key Personnel listed on grant submissions to complete Research Security training PRIOR TO GRANT SUBMISSION. To date, this includes the NSF (effective October 10, 2025), USDA (effective December 31, 2025), and NIH (effective May 25, 2026 [note: date recently extended]). The training takes approximately 1 hour to complete. Please be sure to account for this training when planning your grant proposal submission timeline. See the GVSU Responsible Conduct of Research website for more information.

Sponsored Activity Report for Q2

The quarterly report of grants and contracts submitted, awarded, and declines has now been compiled. We are excited to share that even with an uncertain federal funding environment, from July 1 - Dec. 31, 2025 our GVSU community submitted 109 grants and contracts, and were awarded 83 grants and contracts. That's $13,078,086 to support your research, programming, creative work, and training!

Limited Submission Notice: Dollar General

Dollar General offers small grants supporting literacy programs, and only one submission per institution is permitted. We are requesting that if any department or program at GVSU is interested in applying for the Family Literacy Grant (deadline Feb. 5), please submit a notice of interest with approx. 150 words explaining your interest in the program and what you intend to accomplish with the grant to kehoema@gvsu.edu by 9am on Tuesday, January 20th.

Welcoming International Students to Campus and Your Classrooms

GVSU has welcomed new international students for the Winter 2026 semester! Nearly 40 students attended the International Student Orientation- which oriented them to GVSU, Michigan, and the US! Included were activities with our PEEPS volunteers- student mentors who share insight, advice, and company!

Study Abroad Deadlines!

February 1, 2026 is the application deadline for the following Study Abroad opportunities
-GVSU Faculty Led Spring/Summer programs
-GVSU Exchange Programs for Fall, Spring/Summer, and Academic Year.

March 1, 2026 is the application deadline for -Spring/Summer Provider programs
-Spring/Summer Internships
-Spring/Summer Independent Studies

Please encourage your students to consider Study Abroad!

Save the Date: Establishing University-Industry Partnerships Workshop

On May 12 and 13, 2026, TCO will be hosting an opportunity for faculty engagement with an interactive, informative, and educational workshop on Establishing University-Industry Partnerships at the Bike Factory in downtown Grand Rapids. The workshop will focus on the Why, the What and the How of establishing valuable partnerships to advance faculty research and student engagement. Watch this space for registration information. For more information on the workshop itself, please connect with Linda Chamberlain.