Announcements

Pitch and Pilot: Fairfax County Innovation Challenge

Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 1pm - 3:30pm ET
Registration to Compete

Registration is now open for an innovation competition to develop smart city solutions centered on carbon neutrality & climate action.
Smart City Works Innovation Hub and Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives (DEI) and Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) in partnership with George Mason University's Office of Sustainability and Institute for Sustainable Earth, announce the launch of the Pitch and Pilot: Fairfax County Innovation Challenge.
The goal of the challenge is to find innovative solutions that improve energy efficiency, increase the use of renewable electricity, and accelerate the use of electric vehicles to shift from a carbon-based economy to a carbon-neutral community. The deadline for accepting applications is October 3, 2022, at 5pm ET.

    UN Foundation Launches Thomas Lovejoy Memorial Press Fellowship


    The United Nations Foundation announced a press fellowship that will bring a select group of journalists to the heart of the Amazon to explore issues of biodiversity, deforestation, and sustainable development. The trip will take place the week of October 17, 2022. 
    The Fellowship is named after the late Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, the renowned ecologist and Senior Fellow for the UN Foundation who first popularized the term “biodiversity. Ten journalists will travel to Manaus, Brazil before spending three days at the remote research station in the Amazon, known as Camp 41, where they will have the opportunity to take guided tours of the world’s largest rainforest.
    The press fellowship is intended for journalists interested in covering climate change, sustainable development, biological science, and environmental issues, including biodiversity, deforestation, agriculture, nature-based climate solutions, and land use. Journalists from all countries are welcome to apply.
    • Application
    • Application Deadline: August 5, 2022, 11:59pm ET 

    Gulf Research Program: Early-Career Research Fellowship


    The Gulf Research Program’s Early-Career Research Fellowship supports emerging scientific leaders as they take risks on research ideas not yet tested, pursue unique collaborations, and build a network of colleagues who share their interest in improving offshore energy system safety and the well-being of coastal communities and ecosystems
    Because the early years of a researcher’s career are a critical time, the $76,000 in relatively unrestricted funds and mentoring this fellowship provides help recipients navigate this period with independence, flexibility, and a built-in support network.
    • Application
    • Applications Deadline: August 24, 2022, 5pm ET

    The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Internship Opportunities


    The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) has several intership opportunities available. Internship placement depends on finding a match between your interests and a suitable research project mentored by scientists at STRI. See currently available STRI internships and the application process here

    Smithsonian Fellowships Focus on Climate Change and Environmental Justice

    Through a new initiative, Our Shared Future: Life on a Sustainable Planet, the Smithsonian aims to advance solutions that fill us with optimism for our planet and all species that call our planet home. As part of this initiative, the Smithsonian is launching two new fellowship programs: Smithsonian Climate Change Fellowship and Smithsonian Environmental Justice Fellowship. Each program will support a cohort of 2-5 fellows for a period of two years. Fellows will receive a stipend to conduct independent research that utilizes Smithsonian resources (e.g., data, facilities, expertise). Fellows with research projects that have the potential to produce rapid results and impact are especially encouraged to apply.
    • Application Deadline: August 31, 2022.
    • Eligibility: Applicants for Postdoctoral Fellowships must have or will have received the Ph.D. by the time the fellowship begins. Applicants must propose to conduct research in-residence for a period of no less than 12 months and no more than 24 months. Preference given to applicants with start dates before March 1, 2023.
    • Term: 24 months.
    • Stipend: Candidates will receive a stipend of $62,000 per year for Postdoctoral Fellows. Stipends are prorated for periods of less than 24 months. A maximum research allowance up to $5,000 is available.
    More information about the various research opportunities and eligibility guidelines can be found here: Our Shared Future: Life on a Sustainable Planet | Office of Academic Appointments and Internships (si.edu)

    MITRE Capstones Project Portal

    As part of its University Innovation Exchange (UIX) initiative, MITRE is partnering with universities to offer technical advisors and capstone project ideas that reflect real problems facing the United States government. The MITRE Capstones Project Portal is a web-based platform for university faculty and students to browse, select, and execute capstone projects with a MITRE technical advisor. There are several exciting opportunities currently on the Project Portal. You can review the full list here.

    25Live Guide – Feature Your Sustainability Events


    The Office of University Events, the Institute for a Sustainable Earth, and the Office of Sustainability collaborated to develop this 25Live Guide to increase the visibility of and engagement with your sustainability-focused events at Mason. 25Live is Mason’s institution-wide event and academic scheduling system which dovetails with unit calendars such as Today@Mason. Please use this 25Live Guide to ensure your sustainability-focused events, whether they are in-person or virtual, are featured on Today @ Mason and through ISE and the Office of Sustainability.

      ISE Faculty Profiles 


      The ISE faculty directory is a tool for you to find others with complementing expertise and for external and internal audiences to find you! If you haven’t yet submitted your research profile information for the directory, please complete your profile here.
      In the News
      Upcoming Events

      Science Communication Training for Faculty, Post-Docs, and Graduate Students

      Monday, August 1, 2022 - Wednesday, August 3, 2022, 9am - 5pm ET
      Registration

      Faculty in communication and psychology at Mason are offering free science communication training this summer. Participants learn to communicate with audiences about the value and importance of their work as well as science more generally.

        25Live Faculty/Staff New User Training

        Tuesday, August 2, 2022, 10am ET, Virtual Event
        Registration

        The Office of University Events is organizing a training intended for Faculty and Staff who will utilize 25live to request space for events on campus. We will cover how to search locations on campus, view location availability, and submit a space request. Additionally, we will address the event process and the many resources available to you while planning your event.

          Ask Me Anything - Environment and Sustainability Learning Community

          Tuesday, August 9, 2022, 6pm - 7pm ET, Virtual Event
          Registration

          Join us for a virtual Ask Me Anything (AMA) session to help you prepare for your upcoming year in the Mason Science Learning Community (LC).
          • Meet your Mason Science Learning Community Team
          • Learn about Mason Science LC courses, activities and event
          • Share your ideas for LC events and projects 
          • Get your questions answered

          Building a Research Agenda — How Does the Water Flow?

          Thursday, August 11, 2022, 1pm - 3pm ET, Virtual Event
          Registration
          ORAU’s Research and University Partnerships Office, in partnership with Florida State University (FSU), is hosting a virtual stakeholder engagement workshop on Water Quality and Public Health. We invite interested faculty, researchers, and students at your institution to attend this event focused on discussing research gaps and frameworks to advance water quality science.  
          The President’s Executive Order lays out a responsibility to “improve public health and the environment; to ensure access to clean air and water; and to limit exposure to dangerous chemicals and pesticides.” The Administration is establishing an Office of Environmental Justice within the Department of Health and Human Services, which will focus on climate change impacts to the environment and associated impacts to health based on where people spend most of their time.

            Society, Culture, and Environment Series

            Fall 2022 - Spring 2023
            Registration
            This academic year, the College of Science #EnviroSocSci Seminars are partnering with the Center for Humanities Research Environmental Justice Reading Group to host a jointly sponsored series. The online lunchtime talk series will continue with the same format as last year, with the addition of hybrid in-person options if the public health situation permits.
            Please let organizers know if you would like to join the #EnviroSocSci talk series this fall and/or the CHR Environmental Justice Reading Group. By signing up, you will receive event invitations and group information by email.  

              Trans-Atlantic Economy at the Local Level: The Case of Northern Virginia & Hamburg, Germany

              Tuesday, September 20, 2022, 11am ET
              Registration

              Join the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung USA and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission for an online event that will explore the dynamic of economic engagement between the United States and Germany at the local level through the work of Hamburg, Germany and Arlington County, Virginia
              The United States and Europe remain each other’s most important markets: the transatlantic economy is the largest and wealthiest market in the world with strong ties in foreign direct investment. While there are well documented metrics at the national and state-levels concerning global trade and investment, jobs and tourism, there is practically nothing at the local level. This void make strategic planning and regional marketing difficult for regional and local governments. This discussion will help shed light on experiences in Northern Virginia and Hamburg with foreign direct investment and subnational cooperation.
                Funding Opportunities

                NEW: Dear Colleague Letter: Critical Aspects of Sustainability (CAS): Innovative Solutions to Sustainable Chemistry (CAS-SC)


                The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces the establishment of the Critical Aspects of Sustainability (CAS): Innovative Solutions to Sustainable Chemistry Program (CAS-SC), under the CAS metaprogram umbrella. The CAS-SC Program recognizes the importance of sustainable chemistry in addressing many societal challenges and aims to encourage the expansion of the Nation’s research capacity in this topic area through submissions of research proposals. Proposals that emphasize a detailed and quantitative understanding of sustainable chemistry and include industrial partnerships are of particular interest. 

                RFA-ES-22-003: Research Coordinating Center to Support Climate Change and Health Community of Practice


                RFA-ES-22-003: Research Coordinating Center for the Climate Change and Health Community of Practice (U24 – Clinical Trial Not Allowed) The Research Coordinating Center (RCC) will support the development of an inclusive Community of Practice (COP) of climate change and health researchers and trainees that fosters collaboration, capacity building, innovation, and research.
                • Application Due: August 25, 2022
                • Earliest Start Date: March 2023 

                NOSI ES-22-009: STTR Innovative Technologies for Research on Climate Change and Human Health


                NOSI to develop or adapt practical technologies for capturing the effects of climate change and extreme weather events on human health and to reduce the health threats posed by climate change across the lifespan. 
                • First Available Due Date: September 5, 2022
                • Expiration Date: April 6, 2023

                NOSI ES-22-010: SBIR Innovative Technologies for Research on Climate Change and Human Health


                NOSI to develop or adapt practical technologies for capturing the effects of climate change and extreme weather events on human health and to reduce the health threats posed by climate change across the lifespan.
                • First Available Due Date: September 5, 2022
                • Expiration Date: April 6, 2023

                Call for Proposals: Integrated Approaches to Human Migration/Mobility


                The Future Earth US Global Hub is pleased to announce available funding for researchers and stakeholders from countries in Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Latin America and the Caribbean in the Belmont Forum Collaborative Research Action on Integrated Approaches to Human Migration and Mobility in an Era of Rapid Global Change. A list of countries eligible for Future Earth support can be found in the Future Earth annex on the Migration2022 call website.  These funds will help support these participants to join international, transdisciplinary consortia to address at least two of three areas of migration and mobility research: synthesizing; integrating; and supplementing data and models. 

                Proposals for this competition are due 29 July 2022 by 20:00 UTC in the Belmont Forum grant operations portal (BFgo). Each proposing team should have a minimum of three participants from three different countries able to draw on support from three of the annexes in the Migration2022 support table. The teams must include researchers from (1) social sciences, humanities, or economics and (2) natural or physical sciences, working on a co-developed and co-implemented project together with (3) societal partners or stakeholders.  

                You can find more information about proposal requirements tutorials on transdisciplinarity, data and digital object management, and how to navigate the BFgo system on the Belmont Forum YouTube Channel. Please e-mail the contact point in the Future Earth annex with any further questions. Good luck to all proposers!

                OJP FY2022 Solicitations: Strengthen public safety, prevent gun violence, and increase community trust

                This year, the Office of Justice Programs is making significant resources available to reduce violence, including $50 million in new grant funding to support street outreach initiatives, group call-in programs, hospital-based trauma interventions, and other Community Violence Intervention (CVI) strategies designed to reach those most at risk of committing or experiencing violence. A companion solicitation from OJP’s National Institute of Justice is also available to support research and evaluation of CVI programs. We are also inviting communities to take advantage of funding opportunities designed to strengthen the bonds of trust within communities while ensuring public safety.
                 
                Please click here for more information, and click on the links below to check out OJP’s other solicitations focused on:

                Joint DMS/NIGMS Initiative to Support Research at the Interface of the Biological and Mathematical Sciences National Science Foundation

                The Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) plan to support fundamental research in mathematics and statistics necessary to answer questions in the biological and biomedical sciences. Both agencies recognize the need to promote research at the interface between mathematical and life sciences. This program is designed to encourage new collaborations, as well as to support innovative activities by existing teams. The joint DMS/NIGMS initiative offers two submission tracks: Track 1 - for projects with a total budget of up to $600,000 for an award duration of 3 years, and Track 2 - for projects with a total budget of up to $1,200,000 for an award duration of 3-4 years.
                • Closing Date for Applications: September 19, 2022  
                • Estimated Total Program Funding: $5,000,000
                • Award Ceiling: $1,200,000

                Dear Colleague Letter: Design for Sustainability in Computing

                This recently issued Dear Colleague Letter (NSF 2022-60Design for Sustainability in Computing encourages the submission of novel and high impact proposals that advance sustainability in all aspects of computing to the CISE Core programs (NSF 21-616). The DCL invites transformative, cross-disciplinary and potentially clean slate approaches to enable sustainability across all levels of the entire computing stack from hardware to networking to software applications. Proposals should consider diverse notions of sustainability and propose suitable metrics for quantifying impact. Traditional energy efficiency and power savings methods alone are not in scope for this DCL. Computing techniques for sustainability in other fields are not in scope for this DCL. This DCL seeks ambitious and forward-thinking proposals on Design for Sustainability in Computing along multiple dimensions that go beyond energy efficiency.  

                This DCL neither constitutes a new competition nor a new program. Rather, interested proposers should prepare and submit proposals in accordance with the instructions in the CISE Core program solicitation (NSF 21-616) and the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Additionally, to call attention to responsiveness to this DCL, the Project Summary should include "SustainabilityDCL" in the keyword list. Proposals submitted to this DCL will count towards the proposal limits imposed in the CISE Core program solicitation. 

                  NSF Critical Aspects of Sustainability (CAS): Innovative Solutions to Climate Change


                  This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) encourages the science and engineering communities to develop forward-thinking research that will demonstrably aid in the Nation's goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and developing approaches for adapting to the change that is already occurring. CAS: Innovative Solutions to Climate Change is a call to action that encourages the submission of certain types of proposals to appropriate existing NSF core programs to lay the foundation for disciplinary and interdisciplinary research and to answer fundamental questions related to novel approaches and solutions to climate change.
                  • Funding source: National Science Foundation
                  • Anticipated funding amount: Up to $100,000
                  The Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE) aims to connect members of the Mason community with others across the Mason community–and with other communities, policy-makers, businesses and organizations–so that, together, we can more effectively address the world’s pressing sustainability and resilience challenges.

                  The ISE Newsletter provides up-to-date information on conferences, funding opportunities, and research pertaining to environmental science and sustainability. The biweekly newsletter aims to facilitate information sharing among researchers, practitioners, and relevant local, national, and international organization.
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