Inside this Issue
- Proposal Submission Updates, a message from Dr. Gary Pierzynski, Assoc Dean for Research & Grad Ed.
- Kick off the fall semester with a hands-on workshop on using the R programming language.
- 13 Interns Complete the 2024 OSU Research Internship Program on the CFAES Wooster Campus.
- NSF has updated the requirements for all proposals submitted/ due 5/20/24, and after, and resulting awards.
Funding Opportunties
As funding opportunities are announced we will compile a full list on our website. The web page will be updated periodically as new opportunities are discovered.
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Co-operative Research Programme
The OECD's Co-operative Research Programme: Sustainable Ag and Food Systems (CRP) exists to strengthen scientific knowledge and provide relevant scientific information and advice that will inform future policy decisions related to the sustainability of agriculture, food, fisheries and forests.
Deadline: September 10, 2024 -
Council for Int’l Exchange of Scholars
The Fulbright Global Scholar Award allows U.S. academics and professionals to engage in multi-country, trans-regional projects. As a truly worldwide award, U.S. scholars will be able to propose research or combined teaching/research activity in two to three countries within two different world regions.
Deadline: September 16, 2024
View All Funding Opportunities
Proposal Submission Updates
Gary Pierzynski, Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education
I welcome our nine-month faculty back for the academic year. For all of our principal investigators, I share good news that CFAES realized a 13.5% increase in research expenditures for FY24 over FY23, reaching $67 M. Thank you for your productivity!
While the increase in research expenditures is welcomed, we are experiencing some growing pains. As a reminder, a memo was distributed in early July about some changes or enforcement of existing rules regarding proposal submissions. The main takeaways are as follows and the full memo can be accessed below. Please read carefully.
In general, CFAES provides a heavy and complex workload to our sponsored project officers (SPOs) within the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), and OSP is experiencing a shortage of staff. When the processes and deadlines listed below are not followed, it creates additional stress and work for all involved. Faculty are encouraged to seek pre-award assistance through either their SPO, department personnel, or the CFAES Grant Development Support Unit (GDSU). Your cooperation on these matters is greatly appreciated.
Main Takeaways:
- Notification to OSP: PIs must notify the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) of their intent to submit a proposal at least 2 weeks before the due date. For GDSU assistance, submit the intake form at least 3 weeks in advance or work with your department grant manager within this same time frame.
- Budget Review: Proposal budgets must be reviewed and approved by your Sponsored Program Officer (SPO) before submission. Final budgets and justifications must be provided to your SPO no later than 3 business days before the due date. If the proposal involves subawards, notify your SPO at least 3 weeks prior and submit all related documents with the final budget.
- ePA-005 Form: Initiate the ePA-005 form, including the approved budget and justification, prior to proposal submission to confirm departmental and college support. If the ePA-005 is not submitted prior to the proposal, your proposal may not be submitted or if funded, accepted.
- Final Proposal Review: The full proposal package must be finalized for SPO review by 5 PM, one business day before the due date. This allows the SPO to check compliance with sponsor requirements and for the PI to make any necessary corrections.
- Award Declination: After July 15, If the process is not followed and such a proposal is subsequently funded, OSP will decline to accept these awards on behalf of the University.
Spotlight
Research Security Program Guidelines
Universities and academic research institutions must implement programs for cybersecurity, foreign travel security, research security training, and export control training.
From the NCURA e-Xtra Volume XI, No. 30 - 7/29/2024
Potential Reclassification of Marijuana
The Department of Justice seeks to recategorize marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act from Schedule I to Schedule III. Doing so would reduce some barriers to its study in university laboratories.
From the NCURA e-Xtra Volume XI, No. 28 - 7/15/2024
In the News
R for Scientific Reproducibility
Kick off the fall semester with a hands-on workshop on using the R programming language to make your research more efficient and reproducible! Whether you’re new to computing or just looking to pick up a new language, getting started with R is a great way to expand your research toolkit. Participants will learn: The basics of using R in RStudio Best practices for code and project management Explore, manipulate, and visualize data in R
This workshop will be held via Zoom on 8/19 starting at 9 AM. There will be optional co-learning sites hosted on the CFAES Columbus Campus, West Campus, and on the CFAES Wooster Campus. This opportunity is open to graduate students, faculty, and staff researchers from all disciplines and no prior experience is required. Installation instructions and information about co-learning sites will be sent to registrants approximately one week before the workshop. This event will be taught by Jelmer Poelstra, Horacio Lopez-Nicora, and Jessica Cooperstone from OSU Code Club and is presented in partnership with the Imageomics Institute and the Institute for Population Research.
13 Interns Complete the 2024 OSU Research Internship Program on the CFAES Wooster Campus
The 2024 ORIP cohort presented their research findings to an audience of more than 70 individuals including their mentors, lab colleagues, families, and peers at the ORIP Final Presentations Luncheon. From Biocontrol Properties of Bacteria to the persistence of eDNA to the influence of stress on the fecal pH of horses, the breadth of research that the ORIP interns were engaged in was diverse and a fantastic representation of the work that takes place in our college every day.
Each presenter showcased their work and fielded questions with brilliance. It was truly astounding to see how much the students learned in just ten short weeks. Read more about ORIP 2024 and find a complete list of student projects on the R&GE website.
Lori Kaser’s Retirement
As of Thursday, August 1, Lori Kaser has officially retired from The Ohio State University. Lori held the position of Associate Director of the CFAES Office for Research and Graduate Education (R&GE). Since joining CFAES in 2009, Lori played a pivotal role in coordinating pre- and post-award functions, as well as compliance management for the college. In addition to her operational responsibilities, Lori has been instrumental in the development and execution of strategic initiatives that drive sponsored program management and research administration. These efforts contributed to enhancing the college's research capacity, aligning with its mission, objectives, and priorities, as guided by the Vice President and Dean and the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education.
Collaborating extensively with senior leadership, faculty, departmental administrators, and administrative offices, Lori's impact resonated across various levels of the university. Her significant contribution to the successful completion of the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) Peer Review has led to the implementation of multiple recommendations for R&GE, underscoring her influential role in research administration. One of Lori’s contributions to the faculty and staff of CFAES was the growth of the Grant Development Support Unit (GDSU). Under Lori's leadership since its establishment in 2009, GDSU has been the driving force behind securing a remarkable $199 million in new funding for CFAES with the submission of 1,250 proposals. This unit has grown from a staff of one, Lori herself, to a team of seven. We wish Lori the best in her next adventure during retirement! In the interim, should you need assistance, please contact Branden Ritter with inquiries regarding Hatch projects or multi-state travel. For all other matters, contact Pam Schlegel, Shannon Hollis, or Gary Pierzynski.
Updates and Impacts to Storage Limits and University Email Services
Ohio State is making changes to storage allowances for email, OneDrive, and Teams. In addition, email account forwarding policies will be changed. On Dec. 31, 2024, email account forwarding to outside email services will be discontinued. Learn more
On June 1, 2025, new storage limits will become effective for current university faculty, staff, and students. If you exceed the required limits for email, you will no longer be able to send email and if you exceed the required limits for OneDrive, you will no longer be able to save to OneDrive. Learn more
From the CFAES News on 7/31/2024
Teaching & Learning Community Gathering
Monday, August 12 at 1:00 p.m. | Kottman Hall, Columbus Campus
Save the date and plan to participate in the CFAES 2024 Teaching & Learning Community Gathering. This collaborative event between the college and the Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning will focus on the topic of Artificial Intelligence in the Teaching and Learning Exchange. We hope you will plan to join other members of the college’s teaching community for insights and dialogue on this evolving topic.
As a component of the Community Gathering, we hope to share some findings regarding the college’s current attitudes and utilization of generative AI within the teaching and learning exchange, so we would also like to encourage all to complete the Engagement Survey: Attitudes About AI.
From the CFAES News on 7/31/2024
Inaugural ‘State of the Science’ Speech Charts Headwinds Facing the US
In the inaugural 'State of the Science' address last month, National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt argued the U.S. needs to reinforce its position as a leader in scientific research to ensure continued national security, economic security, and soft power on the global stage. McNutt made the case for a new era of societal support for science that she termed “The Endless Frontier 2.0,” a successor to Vannevar Bush’s post-World War II call to action for the government to nurture the scientific enterprise.
From the NCURA e-Xtra Volume XI, No. 29 - 7/229/2024
NSF guidance for Faculty and Staff PIs
As you may have recently seen, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has updated the requirements for all proposals submitted or due May 20, 2024, and after, and resulting awards. This has added two new requirements (PAPPG (Chapters VII.B.7 and VII.D.1.b[iv])) that apply to graduate students and/or postdoctoral scholars who receive at least one person-month of support in any grant year (mentees).
Requirement 1 – Mentoring Plans
An NSF proposal must include a Mentoring Plan for mentees that may include: orientation; career counseling; proposals, publications and presentations training; improving teaching and mentoring skills; collaboration on interdisciplinary teams; and responsible professional practices. You can download a copy of an Ohio State-specific version of the NSF Mentoring Plan template (name.# login required), which includes suggestions on how to address the required components. More training and resources are also available:
Ohio State Mentoring Initiative: Research Mentoring Training- Ohio State Center for Clinical and Translational Science: Research Mentor Training
- National Research Mentoring Network (online, self-paced, free courses)
Requirement 2 – Individual Development Plans (IDP)
All mentees involved on an NSF award have an IDP to help them formulate career goals and identify activities and resources that will aid them in meeting those milestones. IDPs should be considered a flexible document designed to evolve over time as trainee needs, interests and goals change.
While creation of the IDP is primarily the mentee’s responsibility, PIs and other project faculty should take a collaborative role in developing the plan. Additionally, PIs must certify in all annual and final reports that all mentees affiliated with their award have an annually-updated IDP on file that maps to their educational goals, career exploration and professional development in annual and final reporting processes.
Mentees have access to several online tools that aid in the IDP development and creation process:
- myIDP is a well-established, free, online resource for STEM scholars. The site also provides advice for creating an IDP.
- ImaginePhD is a free, online career exploration and IDP tool for social and behavioral sciences, arts and humanities, but also can be used for STEM fields.
- iBiology’s Career Planning for Early Career Scientists is a free, self-paced, online course includes nine short videos with tips for career planning.
Our teams are here to help if you have questions. For help with federal requirements for future NSF proposals, please reach out to your Sponsored Program Officer. For help with the specific tools or materials shared in this email, please email the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
From an email from the Grad-School Communication Engagement Listserv on 7/22/2024
Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity Awarded to Renowned Soil Scientist Rattan Lal
A globally renowned soil scientist at The Ohio State University, Rattan Lal, has been awarded the 2024 Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity for his significant contributions to global food security, climate resilience and ecosystem protection.
Lal, a Distinguished University Professor at Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and the founding director of the CFAES Rattan Lal Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration, was also recently named the No. 1 scientist in the world and the United States in the field of plant sciences and agronomy by Research.com.
From the CFAES News on 7/12/2024
Research Development & Grant Writing News
We invite you to access the current issue of Research Development and Grant Writing News. The Enterprise for Research, Innovation, and Knowledge | Research Development Office provides access to this subscription-based newsletter for the entire campus community.
- July 2024 Select List of Humanities, HSS, and Arts Opportunities & News
- NEH Humanities Connections Projects: A Funding Opportunity for Curricular Innovation at Two- and Four-Year Projects
- Funding Strategies: National Climate Resilience Framework by Federal Agency
- An Overview of ED’s FIPSE Program
- Last-Minute NSF CAREER Proposal Checklist 2024
- Preview of FY 2025 House Research Spending Bills
- Does an NSF MRI Fit Your Situation? (Reprinted from the November 2020 issue.)
- Editing the Proposal Introduction: the What, Why, How, and So-What of a Preliminary Review (Reprinted from October 2020 issue.)
Upcoming NIFA webinars
8/6/24 | 11:00 AM EDT, Technical Assistance Webinar: NIFA AFRI Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships Q&A
This session will address the RFA for the Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowships grant programs within the Education and Workforce Development program area within the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
8/8/24 | 1:00 PM EDT, AFRI Plant Health and Production and Plant Products—Plant Protection
In this technical assistance webinar, program staff will provide an overview of the PHPPP programs related to plant protection and discuss details included in the RFA. Time will be reserved to respond to questions.
8/20/24 | 3:00 PM EDT, Environmental Justice Listening Session
This listening session is being held to receive input on potential agency actions related to environmental justice. Input and insights collected through this session will be used to strengthen NIFA’s program delivery.
9/9/24 | 1:00 PM EDT, Leveraging Extension and University Engagement: Developing and Implementing Novel Projects Using Transdisciplinary Approaches
Join NIFA for a webinar series highlighting opportunities and challenges of transdisciplinary approaches within agricultural research.
From USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Daily Digest Bulletin 8/1/2024
Recent Awards
- Jonathan Jacobs - Plant Pathology, $32,000: Improving detection and resistance screening of current bacterial pathogen threats to the geranium industry, Horticultural Research Institute
- Rafael Jimenez-Flores - FST, $44,618: Effect of homogenization on the properties of a dairy coffee drink, Nestec, Ltd
- Ale Relling, Jeffrey Firkins, Zhongtang Yu - Animal Sciences, $640,000: Rumen-native bacteria as an alternative to translate lower methane emissions to feed efficiency improvements, National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Rachael Fraley - Lawrence County Extension, $20,900: OSU Extension, Lawrence County healthy aging digital literacy, Lawrence County Commissioners
- Shoshanah Inwood - SENR, $999,814: Agriculture Innovation Center Program, USDA Rural Development
- Samuel Ward - Entomology, $26,942: Slow the spread trapping & treatment program, Gypsy Moth Slow the Spread Foundation
- Peter Piermarini - Entomology, $652,785: Collaborative research: ORCC - Physiological evolution & demographic rescue to survive the climate crisis, National Science Foundation Div of Integrative Organismal Biology
- Osler Ortez, Laura Lindsey - HCS, Eric Richer - ANR, $300,000: Corn and soybean replant guidelines: Research & extension to help farmers make informed decisions, National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Christopher Simons - FST, $595,176: The use of immersive technologies to improve reliability of consumer assessments of food quality and liking, National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Eugene Law - HCS, $119,799: Advancing integrated weed management research with computer vision technology, National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Megan Meuti - Entomology, Jacqueline Nolting - Vet Med, Laura Pomeroy - Public Health, $675,027: Modeling biotic and environmental drivers of seasonal West Nile virus transmission, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases