In this issue
Research highlights | Innovation spotlight | New awards
Unsung heroes | Faculty kudos | Recognition roundup
Research development | Nuts & bolts | Events
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Welcoming KU's next research leader |
The University of Kansas has selected Shelley Hooks as the next vice chancellor for research. Hooks is the associate vice president for research at the University of Georgia and a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Sciences at UGA’s College of Pharmacy. She will begin her new role Aug. 4.
 “Throughout her career, Shelley has been a champion of multidisciplinary research, serving as an advocate for the advancement of innovation and discovery, and supporting the development of faculty, scholars and students,” said Barbara A. Bichelmeyer, KU provost and executive vice chancellor. “Shelley’s leadership will be essential in fostering a bold and unifying vision for the future of research, creative activity and engaged scholarship at KU. We are excited to welcome Shelley to the Jayhawk community.”
As vice chancellor for research, Hooks will lead KU’s research enterprise on the Lawrence and Edwards campuses and oversee research administration. She will help align the Office of Research with the university’s mission to educate leaders, build healthy communities and make discoveries that change the world.
"I am delighted to join the vibrant University of Kansas community,” Hooks said. “I am eager to partner with KU faculty, staff and students to drive forward our shared goals of advancing research, fostering innovation and nurturing creativity in all fields."
She will succeed Belinda Sturm, who has served as KU’s interim vice chancellor for research since November. Sturm is the director of the Kansas National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Office and a professor of civil, environmental & architectural engineering.
“I greatly appreciate Belinda’s leadership and dedication to advancing our research enterprise and supporting our scholarly community during this time," Bichelmeyer said. "I also thank the search committee for their great work and commitment throughout the search process.”
Learn more about Shelley Hooks
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Lead exposure rates are twice the national average for children in Kansas, especially for those in rural areas, indicating the need for prevention and remediation.
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A new $11.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will establish a multidisciplinary biomedical center at KU to research big data’s potential to improve women’s health. “We’re talking about diseases like ovarian cancer, breast cancer, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease, which are more prevalent in women.”
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Water. Plants. Energy. The galactic home of our planet. Our very existence as human beings relies on the availability and health of these resources, and five early-career scientists at KU are doing their part to help us better understand, conserve and improve them.
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The special issue features articles from people who are advancing inclusive research and includes six firsthand accounts from researchers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “People with disabilities have unique insight into topics concerning disability."
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Rebecca Rovit, associate professor of theatre, visited archives, museums and historical sites for her forthcoming book, “Theatre from the Rubble of War: Cultural Crossings in Berlin and Vienna, 1945-1955.”
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Patent primer: From ideas to intellectual property |
You may have heard the term "patent" and know that it's a tool to safeguard intellectual property (IP) that's novel, useful and non-obvious. But did you know there are various types of patent applications? They include:
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- Utility patents: Covering new or improved and useful processes, machines, articles of manufacture, or compositions of matter.
- Design patents: Protecting new, original, and ornamental designs for articles of manufacture.
- Plant patents: Applying to invention or discovery and asexual reproduction of any distinct and new plant variety.
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- Utility and plant patents: Valid for up to 20 years from the date of filing the first non-provisional patent application. Maintenance fees must be paid periodically after issuance to keep them in effect.
- Design patents: Granted for 15 years from the date of issue, with no maintenance fees required.
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International patents
While patenting internationally can be costly due to differing laws across countries, applications may be filed in specific countries or through regional patent offices like the European Patent Office (EPO).
Is your invention patentable?
Your invention may be patentable if it aligns with the criteria above, is new, or improves upon existing inventions. The decision to file a patent application is made by the KU Center for Technology Commercialization, in consultation with the inventor(s). The determination is based upon the scope of the invention, its likely patentability, and its commercial potential. In some cases, a patent may not be the most effective intellectual property strategy for a particular idea. For example, a patent may not be pursued if other forms of intellectual property (e.g., copyright) are more suitable for protection, if it would be easy for someone to design around the patent, if the patent might be unenforceable, or if further development of the invention would lead to stronger patent protection.
Have an idea or discovery that might be patentable?
If you believe your research or innovation has potential for protection and need guidance, please visit KUCTC’s Disclosure webpage to complete the appropriate form, or contact us with any questions.
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KU researchers are developing novel methods to deliver drugs to the brain, examining the economic impact of grid-level energy storage in Kansas, studying chemical and microbial controls on methane emissions, monitoring the geospatial spread of tick-borne illness, and more — all with the aid of external funding awarded in April.
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Behind every successful award are teams of KU research development and administration staff who help investigators identify opportunities, prepare and submit complicated proposals under strict deadlines, and then help manage finances and compliance for funded projects. 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 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.
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Museum staff member helps researchers connect with the public |
Eleanor Gardner | Outreach & Engagement Coordinator | Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum
Eleanor Gardner brings KU research to the public.
Gardner has been the outreach and engagement coordinator at KU’s Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum (BI/NHM) since 2017. She holds a master’s degree in geology from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Agnes Scott College.
“Eleanor’s background in science is an important aspect to creating engaging visitor experiences and outreach activities,” said Teresa MacDonald, associate director of informal science education at the BI/NHM. “Her science knowledge — alongside years of experience, enthusiasm for sharing science and willingness to try new things — produces successful outreach programming and creates a positive and productive working environment with colleagues.”
Gardner’s responsibilities include helping researchers plan and execute broader impacts activities, which are required for National Science Foundation grants. These activities can include events and other educational programming aimed at enhancing scientific literacy, bolstering STEM education or increasing participation of underrepresented communities in science — anything that leverages research to provide tangible societal benefits.
One of the broader impacts activities that Gardner manages at the BI/NHM is the Scout Program. She works with local troops to pique young people’s interest in science while they earn badges. She also coordinates the Mobile Museum Program, which brings museum collections and hands-on activities to communities throughout Kansas. One mobile museum tour included specimens and casts of more than 90 species that allowed families who may not be able to visit the museum to explore microorganisms found in their local environments.
“Eleanor’s position involves coordinating a lot of different elements with multiple entities for our outreach programming, such as recruiting facilitators, liaising with numerous partners for onsite and offsite activities, providing support to presenters, setting up spaces and much more,” MacDonald said.
“She is adept at the patience, persistence and flexibility required to organize and plan all these moving parts to ensure a successful and positive experience for visitors and collaborators.”
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Ronald Barrett-Gonzalez, professor of aerospace engineering, received a 2024 Sustained Service Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics.
- Emily Casey, assistant professor of art history, became chair of the Association of Historians of American Art in February after being elected co-chair last year.
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Yi-Yang Chen, assistant professor of piano, was featured as the concerto soloist for Beethoven Concerto No. 3 with the Avanti Orchestra on March 9 in Washington, D.C.
- Danielle Christifano, assistant professor of dietetics & nutrition, was elected president of the U.S. chapter of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease.
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Jean Hall of KU’s Life Span Institute was appointed to the 2030 Census Advisory Committee. Hall is director of the Research & Training Center on Independent Living and the Institute for Health & Disability Policy Studies.
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“Rosalind’s Siblings: Fiction and Poetry Celebrating Scientists of Marginalized Genders,” an anthology edited by Bogi Perelmutter, is a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in the LGBTQ+ Anthology category. It has also been longlisted for the Locus and BSFA awards. Perelmutter is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Slavic, German & Eurasian Studies.
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Carlton Shield Chief Gover, acting assistant professor of anthropology, was among an interdisciplinary team of more than 80 researchers led by Indigenous scholars that received the 2024 AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize for an article that showcased findings about the rapid spread of horses through Indigenous societies in North America. The prize is awarded annually to the author or authors of an outstanding paper published in the research articles or reports sections of the journal Science.
- David Tamez, assistant research professor and research program director for the Institute for Information Sciences, was selected for the 2024 Philosophy in Media Fellows cohort.
- Rebecca Whelan, associate professor of chemistry, received KU Chemistry's March 2024 Sutton Family Research Impact Award.
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X. Long Zheng, Russell J. Eilers MD Endowed Professor and chair of pathology and laboratory medicine at KU Medical Center, received the 2024 Chinese American Pathologists Association Distinguished Pathologist Award.
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Establishing a faculty recognition ecosystem at KU |
Creating a faculty recognition ecosystem at KU requires taking actions that reflect our commitment to supporting faculty and honoring their efforts to advance knowledge and achieve discoveries that make a difference in people’s lives.
There are a variety of ways to build a faculty recognition culture. Some of the avenues we are pursuing at KU include:
- Creating an awards mindset among faculty
- Holding a variety of faculty recognition events
- Establishing a Model Leaders program featuring nationally recognized cross-disciplinary researchers
- Offering professional development opportunities
- Involving emeritus faculty
- Elevating stories of notable research discoveries across a broad array of audiences
Click the button below to learn in more detail what these activities entail and how Robin Lehman, director of faculty recognition & awards, is working to develop them in collaboration with partners across campus.
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Do you know about these research development dollars? |
As you make research plans for the new fiscal year, please be aware of a few resources that the Office of Research offers.
We will pay an external expert $500 to review your grant application prior to submission to external funding agencies. Investigators in any field at KU can apply through our Proposal Evaluation & External Review (PEER) program. The program aims to help researchers obtain quality feedback on grant applications, strengthen the merits of proposals, and improve the likelihood of acceptance for funding.
We also know that off-campus travel for face-to-face meetings with potential funding agency officials can lead to future success in obtaining grants. Through the Faculty/Staff Research Development Travel Fund, the Office of Research provides up to $750 for an annual research development trip by any eligible faculty or staff member. The chief requirement is that the researcher must have a scheduled, focused meeting with one or more program officers to discuss the possibility of funding for a future sponsored project.
These are just a few of our internal programs designed to support your success in research, scholarship and creative activity. Please let us know if you have ideas for other mechanisms that would be helpful.
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Leverage KU resources for Safe & Inclusive Fieldwork plans |
As of May 20, all National Science Foundation proposals that include fieldwork must include a Safe & Inclusive Fieldwork (SAIF) plan.
In order to meet this requirement, PIs are encouraged to visit KU's SAIF web portal for assistance with developing a compliant plan. All investigators who engage in off-campus research will be encouraged to create SAIF plans, even if they are proposing to sponsors that don't yet require such plans to be included in proposals.
This informative video is a great place to start learning more about the resources that are available.
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Call for human subjects 'Researcher Highlights' |
Questions? Comments? Content suggestions?
Mindie Paget | Office of Research | mpaget@ku.edu
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KU Office of Research
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