Resources and Programs for NIH Grant Applicants

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center for Scientific Review (CSR) recently shared various tips to assist scientists seeking NIH grants. Tips include utilizing tools like the Assisted Referral Tool (ART) and Assignment Request Form; reviewing the targeted NIH institute or center (IC) sample applications; consulting with experienced colleagues; and submitting early to allow time to address unforeseen issues. Read all suggestions under the “Tips for Scientists” section of the Resources and Programs for NIH Grant Applicants infographic. For Early Stage Investigators (ESI), additional resources were shared, including enrolling in the Early Career Reviewer (ECR) Program, which helps scientists become more competitive for tenure, and extending your ESI status for certain life events.

 

Upcoming NSF Virtual Grants Conference

The National Science Foundation (NSF) will be hosting the Spring 2023 NSF Virtual Grants Conference, a 4-day virtual conference that aims to provide important insights into a wide range of current issues to all attendees, especially new faculty, researchers, and administrators. The conference will cover the most recent information on policies, procedures, and specific funding opportunities. Additionally, attendees will have opportunities to ask questions to NSF staff. Registration is free and will open on Wednesday, May 10, at 12:00 PM EST.

  • Monday, June 5, 2023, to Thursday, June 8, 2023Online

What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Version 5.0 Training and Certification

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) recently launched online training and certification for the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, Version 5.0. The training informs about key elements of the WWC group design standards, increase transparency of our review process, and trains reviewers wishing to become certified in the WWC’s group design standards. Three levels of certification are available for trainings – Group DesignAdvanced Group Design, and Single-Case Design. The trainings are free and available through a series of video modules online. For more information about online training, contact the WWC Help Desk.

New Dimensions and Almetric Research Tools

UF Research recently announced new subscriptions to Digital Science’s Dimensions database and Almetric tool, which will provide greater insights into the University of Florida’s research enterprise. The tools allow individuals to track their work’s impact, seek collaborative opportunities, and understand funding trends. Dimensions is a research information platform providing access to millions of publications, datasets, patents, and policy documents. Almetric is embedded in the Dimensions search results – tracking research mentioned in online articles, documents, and social media. Visit the UF Research Databases page to learn more and access the schedule of training sessions.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Fraud Alert

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) are warning the public about a fraud scheme that uses social media and fake websites to steal money from individuals by offering fake HHS grants. The scammers may pose as a friend or someone from the HHS. Although the exact message may vary, the scammer will send you a fake HHS employee’s information or a link to a fraudulent HHS website, tell you that you will receive a free grant from the government and then ask you for money or personal information. More information about the scam and ways to protect yourself can be found here.

NSF Dear Colleague Letter: Expanding Institutional Diversity in Support of STEM Research and Education Capacity

Proposals must be submitted in response to NSF’s Dear Colleague Letter: Expanding Institutional Diversity in Support of STEM Research and Education Capacity by June 1, 2023. “This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) highlights types of proposals that may be submitted to the following Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM (EES) programs: Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST), Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI), Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), HBCU-Research Infrastructure for Science and Engineering (HBCU-RISE), and Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) to align with the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (Public Law. 117-167). Section 10325 (b) of this Act authorizes the Director to support innovative approaches for building research capacity in order to engage and retain students from a range of institutions and diverse backgrounds in STEM.” Read more about the DLC here.

Fulbright Awareness Month 2023

The UF International Center and the UF Fulbright Lectures Committee announced that Fulbright Awareness Month (FAM) will be celebrated from March 7-31, 2023. FAM will include multiple informational sessions on the application process and will provide opportunities to hear experiences from Fulbright participants for scholars, faculty, staff, and students. Further information and registration for the events throughout March can be found here. Additionally, grants and fellowships are available in all fields of study. Please visit the Fulbright Scholar Program for Faculty to learn more. Those interested in applying for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program can gain more information by contacting Claire Anumba at canumba@ufic.ufl.edu.

Human Subjects Indication in UFIRST Proposals

UF Research’s Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP) recently provided the following guidance for non-human studies in UFIRST. PIs, or those with first-hand knowledge of human work, are responsible for using the IRB tool to seek determination and for identifying the appropriate answers to the UFIRST Proposal SmartForms. If the work is determined to be non-human, users should attach the determination form from the IRB tool to the UFIRST internal documents and indicate the appropriate responses on the Human Subjects Page in the UFIRST Proposal SmartForms. Please direct any questions to DSP at ufproposals@ufl.edu.

IES Director’s Blog Post

Mark Schneider, director of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), shares in his blog post the new vision of IES to “Innovate in Education Sciences” and the most recent efforts to create an Advanced Research Projects Agency in Education (ARPA-ED). Without the passage of the NEED Act, which called for the creation of the National Center for Advanced Development in Education (NCADE) within IES, Dr. Schneider discusses the next possible steps utilizing current funds. The post discusses improving current programs, building programs for the future state of education research and development, staffing IES with the correct mindset captured by the Heilmeier Catechism, and influencing the field to harness the power of AI. The new innovative-focused unit of IES has been internally dubbed “BabyCADE”, with IES open to suggestions for an official new name.

NSF’s Research.gov Account Management Expansion

The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) grants management system, Research.gov, recently announced an expansion in the Account Management system to include reviewers, which will streamline researcher’s profile information from several NSF systems into a single NSF account self-managed in Research.gov. For more details about the integration of reviewers into Account Management and additional training resources on the process, please click here.

New Dimensions and Almetric Research Tools

UF Research recently announced new subscriptions to Digital Science’s Dimensions database and Almetric tool, which will provide greater insights into the University of Florida’s research enterprise. The tools allow individuals to track their work’s impact, seek collaborative opportunities, and understand funding trends. Dimensions is a research information platform providing access to millions of publications, datasets, patents, and policy documents. Almetric is embedded in the Dimensions search results – tracking research mentioned in online articles, documents, and social media. Visit the UF Research Databases page to learn more and access the schedule of training sessions.