Inside this Issue
- Updates and Reminders, a message from Dr. Gary Pierzynski, Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Ed.
- Volunteers are needed to serve as judges for posters submitted to the 2024 Annual CFAES Research Forum
- Start planning your 2024 AFRI Foundational and Applied Science proposal now with the GDSU!
- Save the Date for the Research Forum & Poster Competition during the 2024 Celebration of Research Week, 4/8-12.
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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Equipment Grant Program (EGP)
EGP serves to increase access to shared-use special purpose equipment/instruments for fundamental and applied research for use in the food and agricultural sciences programs at institutions of higher education, including State Cooperative Extension Systems. Only 2 applications/institution.
Limited Submission Deadline: February 15, 2024 -
Organic Transitions Program (ORG)
The overall goal of the Organic Transitions Program (ORG) is to support the development and implementation of research, extension and higher education programs to improve the competitiveness of organic livestock and crop producers, as well as those who are adopting organic practices.
Deadline: March 7, 2024
View All Funding Opportunities
Updates and Reminders
Gary Pierzynski, Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education
I hope the winter season is treating you well. The sun shines on occasion but we know that warmer and brighter days are just around the corner. Several updates and reminders make up this month’s message from the Director. Keep up the good work.
- Save the date: Our office in cooperation with the James Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Foods for Health Discovery Theme will be hosting a workshop entitled “Diet, Nutrition and Cancer: Collaborating Towards a Cancer-Free World”. The primary purpose is to stimulate collaboration across multiple colleges in this topic area, taking advantage of the expertise within CFAES and across this very comprehensive university. The workshop will be held on April 25, 2024, at the Controlled Environment Agriculture Research Center. Details will be coming out soon.
- Last May I wrote about several pending actions at the federal level that might impact research funding including the debt ceiling debate, the Farm Bill, and the federal FY24 budget. The debt ceiling question has been addressed but unfortunately, we’re still operating on an extension of the Farm Bill and another continuing resolution for the FY24 budget. This uncertainty does have a negative influence on research as federal agencies are reluctant to make final decisions on funding projects or to release requests for proposals. Stay tuned.
- A reminder that principal investigators must complete and submit an ePA-005 form prior to submitting a request for funding to any source of funding. The importance of the ePA-005 cannot be overstated. Among other things, the form establishes how the project budget will be distributed and who gets credit for the funding as well as determining how effort on the project will be certified. Trying to make those decisions after the project is funded creates significantly more work for staff across multiple units including your home department, our office, and the Office of Sponsored Programs. The possibility exists that OSU would not accept the funding if the ePA-005 had not been completed before a proposal was submitted.
Spotlight
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Grants Budgeting
The federal minimum wage for contractors has now increased to $17.20 per hour. This update is for federal CONTRACTS only, and does not apply to grants or cooperative agreements. OSP has provided guidance on their website. -
NSF Issues New PAPPG
NSF’s new Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (NSF 24-1) is effective May 20, 2024. Among the changes are removal of the three-page limit for biosketches and acceptance of proposal documents in landscape format.
In the News
Growing Research Opportunities (GRO) 2024
Representing 10 colleges and units from around the university, 24 researchers have been selected through a competitive process for the 2024 GRO. This professional development program helps researchers develop the skills and confidence to work on and lead effective interdisciplinary research teams. Participants are recognized as GRO Research Leadership Fellows and gain self-knowledge, learn about leadership and team science principles, and develop practical skills for leading interdisciplinary teams.
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training Update
CITI RCR training must now be completed every four years. Beginning February 1, 2024, all research-eligible individuals will be required to complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) online training every four years. The updated CITI RCR course includes updated modules that reflect the changing nature of research compliance. Completing and passing the course every four years will be a requirement for continued access to key university activities related to research. Learn more about the requirement and how to become compliant.
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.
- Writing a Proposal’s Stakeholder Engagement Section – Many proposals require a stakeholder engagement section. Learn why funders may require this section and considerations when developing it.
- A Suggested Timeline for Producing Your NSF CAREER Proposal – NSF CAREER proposals are due 7/24/24. The temptation is to wait until the end of the semester to start working on your CAREER proposal. Learn why you shouldn’t make this common mistake, and get a suggested proposal production plan that will allow you to make steady progress on your proposal throughout this semester while managing all of your other responsibilities.
- If You Name It, Explain It – Referring to something that is relevant to the review process without adequately describing it is an easy way to annoy your reviewers. Learn how to avoid this common pitfall.
- Don’t Sell the Funding Solicitation Short – Learn how the solicitation can be a key resource in helping you structure and write your proposal (reprinted from the January 2020 issue).
Register for the 2024 CFAES Research Forum Poster Competition
We need volunteers to serve as judges for posters submitted to the Annual CFAES Research Forum! The poster competition is based on academic level: undergraduate, MS, PhD, postdoctoral, and research scientist. Judges are assigned based on their credentials (i.e. faculty can judge any submissions, postdocs can judge grad and undergrad submissions, etc.) All poster presentations will take place in Columbus on 4/9/24.
The schedule is as follows:
Undergraduate Research Poster Presentations (Columbus) - Tuesday, April 9, 2024 Location: Columbus, Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive Poster Set-up: 7:30-8:45 a.m. | Judging: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Graduate and Professional Poster Presentations (Columbus) - Tuesday, April 9, 2024 Location: Columbus, Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive Poster Set-up: 11:30-12:45 p.m. | Judging: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Judges must commit to attend in person to provide presentation scores for their assignees. If desired, judges will be able to preview their assigned posters online from April 1-5. Judges will provide scores using a modified version of the rubric found online. Faculty will not judge posters submitted by their own students.
The awards ceremony will be on Thursday, April 11 at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center.
Accelerator Award Pre-Proposals Due March 4, 2024
The technology-focused Accelerator Awards provide Ohio State inventors with grant funding to validate and de-risk their innovations with the goal of creating an Ohio-based startup company to license the technology. Eligible technologies should have laboratory stage proof-of-concept, viable market opportunity and startup potential in the following focus areas: advanced materials or manufacturing; biomedical/life sciences; energy; sensors; software or information technology.
NSF Security Training Modules
NSF has launched four interactive online research security training modules for community use. The individual modules are available at new.nsf.gov/research-security/training, with download files for integration into your organization’s learning management systems.
Get Ready for AFRI with the GDSU!
The AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program supports grants in the six AFRI priority areas to advance knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to ag. The six priority areas are: Plant Health & Production and Plant Products; Animal Health & Production and Animal Products; Food Safety, Nutrition, & Health; Bioenergy, Natural Resources, & Environment; Agriculture Systems & Technology; and Agriculture Economics & Rural Communities.
This RFA solicits Standard Grants, Collaborative Grants, Conference Grants, Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, whereas project types solicited in this RFA are Research, Extension and Integrated Research, Education and/or Extension projects. Grant types and project types solicited vary by program area priority and not all grant types are solicited within each program area priority. Announcement Number: USDA-NIFA-AFRI-010453 Deadlines and Closing Date: LOI, submission deadlines, and closing date vary by program area
Request GDSU Services for Your Next Proposal GDSU proposal development services help faculty find and secure funding for their research. The staff offers guidance to researchers in planning and conceptualizing externally funded research projects, finding funding opportunities, and submitting well-crafted and responsive applications. CFAES GDSU exists to assist researchers as they conceptualize, develop, write, and submit their proposals to federal agencies and other entities to seek funding. We work across all disciplines with the overarching goal of making the proposal development process as straightforward and streamlined as possible.
Addressing Equity and Inclusion in Your Research Mentoring
This workshop is designed for mentors of undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty. During this workshop, participating faculty will learn how to acknowledge the impact of conscious and unconscious assumptions, privilege, stereotype threat, and biases in the mentor-mentee relationship. Participants will use culturally responsive mentoring principles to guide them in talking about cultural diversity matters with their mentees. Through group discussion, case studies, and role play, mentors have the opportunity to learn and practice mentoring skills that deal with diversity matters. 2/15/24 | 3:00-5:00 PM
Paying Study Participants: Ethical and Practical Considerations
Do you compensate participants who take part in your research? The Office of Responsible Research Practices, College of Optometry, and Department of Psychology are offering an updated series about participant compensation considerations in both medical and non-medical research. Session 1: 2/22 | 2:00-3:30 p.m. Session 2: 2/29 | 2:00-3:30 p.m. via CarmenZoom.
New Webinar Dates and Registration Links
Due to technical difficulties with NIFA’s hosting platform, a number of events are being rescheduled or revised with new registration links. If you have already registered for any of these events, you must register again at the updated link to access the event. NIFA apologizes for the inconvenience and is working diligently to provide updated details as quickly as possible. Find all currently scheduled events here.
Upcoming events:
- 2/21, 2 p.m. EST: Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) RFA
- 2/23, 10:15 a.m. EST: Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program Listening Session
- 3/4-8, 11 a.m. EST: Second Annual Virtual Grants Support Technical Assistance Workshops
- 3/13, 2 p.m. EDT: Lessons Learned from Teams Using Transdisciplinary Approaches Webinar
Recent Awards
- Sudhir Sastry - FABE, Ahmed Yousef - FST, $61,245: Moderate electric field processing for improvement of quality and shelf-life of liquid eggs and egg products, American Egg Board
- Konrad Dabrowski - SENR, Chris Simons, Sheryl Barringer - FST, $97,326.00: Farmed fish fillet as a functional food: Technology for enhanced fish diets to create value-added fish projects, Iowa State University
- Tammy Jones - OSU Extension Pike County, $5,000: Pike County Court Drug Court Program, Pike County Court
- Holly Bandy - OSU Extension Stark County, $50,000: Empowering youth for a brighter future, North End Community Improvement Collaborative
- Robert Gates - SENR, $151,216: Ecology and management of waterfowl and wetlands, OH Division of Wildlife
- Benjamin Enger, Alejandro Relling - Animal Science, $170,768: Mintrex’s impact on mammary gland integrity under a challenge environment, Novus International, Inc.
- Mark Light - OSU Extension 4-H, $30,000: Computer science curriculum for CLOVER by 4-H online platform, National 4-H Council
- Ashley Leach - ENT, $74,444: Intercepting invaders: Keeping spotted lanternfly out of OH grape, Ohio Department Of Agriculture
- Jonathan Jacobs, Francesca Hand, Francesca Rotundo - Plant Path, $98,000: Next generation advances in seed health fortifying Ohio specialty crop resilience, Ohio Department Of Agriculture
- Farnaz Maleky - FST: $84,995: Characterization of 3d printed protein links with customization using machine learning, Texas Tech University
- Marilia Chiavegato - HCS, $295,765: Long-term effects of co-composted biochar on soil health, crop yields, and greenhouse gas emissions in an integrated crop-livestock system, Greenacres Foundation
Events & Opportunities
2024 Celebration of Research Week
Save the Date for the Research Forum Awards Ceremony & Poster Competition as part of the CFAES Celebration of Research Week. The 2024 Celebration of Research Week will take place April 8-12. Throughout the week, R&GE will highlight CFAES researchers via our social media platforms and host the 2024 Poster Competitions on the CFAES Columbus Campus. The festivities will wrap with an update on the CFAES research enterprise, followed by the recognition of the research award winners and the poster competition winners during the Research Forum Awards Ceremony, formally known as the Annual Research Conference. The awards ceremony will be held in person at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center in Columbus.
- An Overview of Compliance Issues in Sponsored Programs
Time and effort certification, missteps in program management, handling red flags properly
February 6 from 12:00-1:00 PM - Introduction to Office of Secure Research
Join NIFA for the Div. of Animal Systems Technical Assistance Webinar for AFRI Programs
February 22 from 9:00-10:00 AM - Purchasing on Sponsored Programs
Purchasing on sponsored programs vs. general funds, basic rules & regs, human subjects, etc.
March 7 from 2:00-3:30 PM