Sponsored Programs Newsletter — May 2017
In this issue: NIH makes the most of limited resources, NSF Career Grants, NIH cycle 2, Doing business with DARPA, TeCK Fund LOI's, Pivot: advanced searches, Personnel changes at RASP, and more...
TECH COMMERCIALIZATION NEWS
TeCK Fund LOI’s being accepted
In early April, the Ohio Third Frontier Commission awarded Kent State University and Cleveland State University a grant to create a hybrid technology commercialization accelerator program, to be called the TeCK Fund. This $800,000 fund will assist university faculty and startup companies in bringing innovative new products to the market.
The TeCK Fund board is now accepting letters of intent to submit proposals. Read more about the program on the Office of Technology Commercialization website.
AGENCY UPDATES AND FUNDING TRENDS
NIH seeks to make the most of limited funding with new approach
“There are reasons to believe that supporting more researchers working on a diversity of biomedical problems, rather than concentrating resources in a smaller number of labs, might maximize the number of important discoveries that can emerge from the science we support and thus, returns on the taxpayers’ investments.”
Congressional Spending
“Congress has finally reached a deal on spending bills for the 2017 fiscal year, which ends on 30 September. Overall, the deal staves off major cuts for federal science agencies that President Donald Trump had requested last month. A few, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NASA science programs, actually receive substantial increases.”
Diversity in NSF Funding
“NSF receives an average of 59 nominees a year—from a high of 86 last year to a low of 42 and 43 in 2005 and 2006. Roughly one-quarter of the pool is deemed worthy of closer scrutiny. And women make up 26% of those finalists, called top performers.”
Open Mike: Biomedical Funding
“NIH realizes that, as stewards of the American investment in biomedical sciences, we must do all we can to protect the future of the biomedical research enterprise, taking additional measures regardless of our budget situation…”
PROPOSAL DEADLINES AND DETAILS
National Science Foundation (NSF) Career:
The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from early-career faculty at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The Cycle 2 due dates for NIH Parent Announcements (broad opportunities for unsolicited or Investigator-initiated applications) are quickly approaching:
R01 Research Grants – June 5 (new); July 5 (resubmission)
R03 Small Grant Program - June 16 (new); July 17 (resubmission)
R21 Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program - June 16 (new); July 17 (resubmission)
R15 June 26 (new and resubmission)
Additional information and links to the RFPs.
Guidance on contacting Staff at NIH.
Planning to submit to NIH this summer? The time to contact Sponsored Programs is now. Please notify Diana Skok of your intention to submit.
You will be added to our calendar and an Administrator from Sponsored Programs will be assigned to guide you through the submission process.
Diana L. Skok, MBA, CRA
Assistant Director, Sponsored Programs
Kent State University
207 G Schwartz Center
Kent, OH 44242-0001
Phone: 330-672-0700
dskok@kent.edu
PROPOSAL RESOURCES
Doing Business with DARPA
"Current programs encompass disciplines as diverse as applied mathematics, materials science, cyber defense, machine learning, and biological technologies.
But we look to you to tell us what’s bubbling on the frontiers of your discipline, and what the next big technology idea might be."
See opportunities for DARPA-sponsored research.
NSF Early Career Development Program
This site has information on resources that can help researchers prepare and submit a successful NSF Career proposal.
See the NSF Career grant guidelines
Would you be willing to be part of a panel presentation regarding Career Awards, take a more active one-on-one mentoring role, or provide an internal review of a Career Award application prior to its submission?
Experienced faculty who would like to help their colleagues can reply to Doug Delahanty, Associate Vice President for Research Faculty Development, at ddelahan@kent.edu.