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College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

CFAES

Research News - November 2023

Nov. 1, 2023
Yifei Wang and Ben Bohrer in lab coats cutting meat on a cutting board

Inside this Issue

  • Time for Reflection, a message from Dr. Gary Pierzynski, Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education
  • Save the Dates: AgTech Innovation Hub 2023 and ODHE HABRI proposals
  • Apply for the President's Postdoctoral Scholars Program (PPSP)
  • Nominate your Graduate Teaching Associates for the GATA

Download the PDF


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.

  • ODHE - Harmful Algal Bloom Research
    The Ohio Sea Grant College Program and the University of Toledo are requesting Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative (HABRI) pre-proposals for one- to two-year research projects. This request for proposals is seeking research and innovation that will aid the management efforts of state agencies and will support Governor Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio Initiative
    Deadline: November 9, 2023 (Pre-proposals)

  • Nationwide AgTech Innovation Hub
    The AgTech Innovation Hub is a partnership between Nationwide, Ohio Farm Bureau, and CFAES aimed at understanding, mitigating and managing climate risk in the agricultural community. This RFP supports applied research, technology transfer, and transdisciplinary innnovation in support of agriculture.
    Deadline: February 2024 (Letters of Intent)

View All Funding Opportunities


A lake reflecting mountains in the background at sunriseTime for Reflection

Gary Pierzynski, Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Education

The Office of Research and Graduate Education will be undergoing an external review in early December, so we have been hard at work preparing materials for the review team. I’ll write more on the results of the review after it is complete. For now, I would like to share a number of “fun facts” about the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station from our reflections that may interest you. This fiscal year we will receive $8.7 million in federal funds and $37.2 million in state funds, for a total of $46.7 million, as our capacity funds supporting research. Last fiscal year we spent 71.7% of our capacity funds on salaries and benefits for faculty and staff. Approximately 44% of the funds went to academic units, 21.5% to Wooster Campus Operations, 15.2% to the Agricultural Research Centers, 8.4% for central CFAES Administration and Support, 4.4% to fund the Office of Research and Graduate Education, 2.7% for core labs, and the remainder used for Projects and Support. Our research expenditures have steadily increased in the past five years going from $42.7 million in FY19 to $57.9 million in FY23, a 36% gain. Also, in FY23, the sum of our capacity funds and research expenditures exceeded $100 million for the first time. Since its inception in 2009, our Grants and Development Support Unit has assisted with 1,250 proposal submissions requesting $987 million in funding with $200 million awarded to CFAES. Historically, May is the month with the greatest number or proposal submissions with April through July being the peak period. Over the past five years we have averaged a 39% success rate for all proposals submitted to federal agencies. Graduate student enrollment has also been steadily increasing and this fall we surpassed 600 students for the first time when counting all students advised by CFAES faculty. The successes, of course, are due to theoutstanding efforts of our faculty, students, and research staff. We thank you for your efforts. It has been apleasure looking back and seeing our progress. Keep up the good work!


a person holding a small plant in a black potSpotlight

  • GRO Academy Seeking Applicants
    The Growing Research Opportunities (GRO) Academy is a nine-week in-person research leadership development program designed for faculty across disciplines. Applications are due Friday, November 17, 2023 at 5 p.m.

  • CFAES IGP Student Proposals Due
    As a reminder, the CFAES Internal Grants Program student proposals for FY 2024 are due in December. Attend an informational session in November for more information, application tips and a Q&A session.

  • OSU SPIN Funding Opportunities Database
    Looking for a funder for your idea? Ohio State University subscribes to a database called SPIN that makes it easy to sort through funders by your area of interest, location, and more. OSU Office of Research provides a campus-wide subscription.


A farm in the foreground with a city skyline in the backgroundAGTECH INNOVATION HUB 2023 RFP SAVE-THE-DATE: INFORMATION SESSION WITH NATIONWIDE EXPERTS

The AgTech Innovation Hub is a partnership between Nationwide, Ohio Farm Bureau, and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences aimed at understanding, mitigating, and managing climate risk for our agricultural community. As part of this effort, the Hub is releasing its second annual Request for Proposals to support applied research, technology transfer, the exchange of knowledge and experience, and transdisciplinary innovation in support of agriculture. Awards will be up to $150,000 and must be completed in a 12-month timeframe.

Official instructions will be released in December with the RFP, but you can anticipate the following:

  • Letters of Intent and a projected budget will be due early February.
  • Those selected for the next round will be asked to give a short pitch presentation on their idea in April.
  • Funded projects will be announced May 2024.
  • Funding will be available June 1, 2024, at the latest.
  • The lead PI must be an active CFAES appointed faculty or researcher with Principal Investigator status with the Ohio State University.
  • The number of submissions as a PI or co-PI is not restricted.

Mark your calendars for the AgTech Innovation Hub 2023-24 RFP information session on November 6th from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Hear from Nationwide subject matter experts, ask questions about the RFP, talk through new ideas, and engage with other College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences researchers.

Letters of Intent will be due early February 2024.

Learn More

Call for Pre-Proposals: Ohio Department of Higher Education Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative

On behalf of the Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE), the Ohio Sea Grant College Program and The University of Toledo are requesting Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative (HABRI) pre-proposals for one- to two-year research projects from Ohio colleges and universities. Ultimately, this request for proposals is seeking research and innovation that will aid the management efforts of state agencies and will support Governor Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio Initiative.

We anticipate approximately $5 million in funding to be available for this competition. Proposed project budgets will be evaluated/assessed based on the scope of work; there is no predetermined minimum or maximum funding amount per projects. ODHE HABRI encourages both large, multi-investigator, interdisciplinary proposals as well as smaller, more targeted proposals.

The Pre-Proposal Deadline: 5:00 p.m. EST, Thursday, November 9, 2023

Apply Now


In the News

Welcome Kathy Mann to the R&GE TeamPhotograph of Kathy Mann

Kathy joined the CFAES Office for Research & Graduate Education, Grant Development Support Unit as a Grants and Contracts Specialist. Prior to joining our team, she was a Career Development Events Program Assistant for the Ohio FFA Association. Kathy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education and a Masters of Science degree in Youth Development. Kathy has project management experience that is applicable to the grants management process and previously was a Program Coordinator with OSUE Ag Safety and Health program. She will provide both pre- and post-award support for our unit.

Apply for the President’s Postdoctoral Scholars Program (PPSP)

The President’s Postdoctoral Scholars Program (PPSP), supported by the Office of the President, was launched in January 2018 to recognize highly-qualified postdoctoral trainees who will become leaders in their fields. The program supports the scholarly efforts and training of terminal degree holders (PhD and others) who wish to pursue careers in research and creative inquiry, as well as providing professional development and networking opportunities. This program includes salary support and full benefits (health insurance, tuition assistance, and paid leave) provided by the Office of the President and the scholar’s faculty mentor and sponsor college. PPSP scholars also receive funds from the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs to support research, creative expression, and professional development-related expenses.

Interested faculty must complete a Form of Intent by December 1, 2023. Prior to completing the form of intent you should contact the college’s liaison, Kayla Arnold (Arnold.1065@osu.edu), to discuss your funding plan and go over the submission process.

Learn More

Workday Enhancements to Help Principal Investigators Manage Their Grants

Currently purchase requisitions and spend authorizations are reported as part of the weekly confirmation email sent to principal investigator on their relevant grants. Starting in October, non-PO invoices and expense reports without spend authorizations will be included to ensure that PI’s can review all non-personnel charges against their grants on a regular basis.

In addition, a new Effort Certification aggregate tab default view is now available. This new view summarizes effort certification events by earnings period in one view; displays rows by grant and award type, and eliminates extra data displayed in the Details tab.

Learn More

USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative

The Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) program addresses critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and Extension that address key challenges of national, regional and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas:

  • Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics and other methods to improve crop characteristics
  • Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators
  • Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing)
  • New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening
  • Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops

Application deadline is December 8.

Read More

BIIG Ideas Ideation Workshops - AI + X for Good

Faculty, staff, and postdocs are invited to join a three-part series of facilitated ideation workshops beginning November 1 on the development and use of responsible and trustworthy AI in one of three interest tracks: AI + Health, AI + Education, or AI + Environment. Participants will identify and refine interdisciplinary concepts, strengthen collaborations, create action plans, and have to opportunity to apply for a BIIG Start Award of up to $10,000 for continued team development support.

Sign Up

Nominate your Graduate Teaching Associates for the GATA

Nominations for the Graduate Associate Teaching Award (GATA) are open via Qualtrics. Every year, graduate students take on the responsibility to teach and find new ways to enrich the student experience at Ohio State. The Graduate School is excited to honor the incredible GTAs who have positively impacted the education of their students through their teaching and mentoring.

GTAs are able to self-nominate, so we would appreciate you sharing this communication with GTAs in your program. Nominations for the 2023-2024 GATA will close on November 15, 2023, at 5:00PM. After nominations have closed, Graduate School Fellowship Services will reach out to all eligible nominees with information regarding the GATA Student Workshop that will occur later in the fall semester.

GATA applications will begin being accepted via GradAwards for eligible, nominated GTAs on December 4, 2023. The final nomination packet may be uploaded by the student's Program Coordinator to the GradAwards system, or they may be emailed directly to grad-schoolfellowships@osu.edu by February 14, 2024, 5:00 p.m. EST. If you have any additional questions, please reference the Graduate Associate Teaching Award (GATA) webpage or email grad-schoolfellowships@osu.edu.

Read More

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.

  • Conservation Innovation Grants, a Niche Funding Program by USDA – Learn about this competitive program supporting the development of new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands.
  • Editing the Proposal Introduction: What, Why, & How (Reprinted from October 2022)
  • How a Good Website Can Help Faculty Win Grants (Reprinted from May 2018)
  • Research Grant Writing Web Resources - NSF invests $19.6M in emerging research institutions to grow their capacity to participate in regional innovation ecosystems and announces next funding opportunity
  • Don’t Let Your Proposal Wear a Disguise on Halloween (Reprinted from October 2012)
  • Overview: Defense Sciences Office 2024 BAA – The DSO released its 34-page 2024 Office-wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) in September.
  • Checking in With ARPA-H – Review what the new agency, ARPA-H, has funded so far.

Read More


Recent Awards

  • Kichoon Lee - Animal Sciences, $13,625: Genetic regulation of ovarian follicular progression in Japanese quail, USDA Agricultural Research Service
  • Nicole Debose - OSU Extension: 2023 Summer sprout community gardening, City of Cleveland Department of Economic Development
  • Ryan Winston - FABE, Andrew Tirpak - FABE, $5,527: Groundwater recharge monitoring for a sand filter in the Big Darby Creek watershed, VanTrust Real Estate, LLC
  • Yael Vodovotz - FST, Katrina Cornish - HCS/FABE, $50,000: Formulations for removing pesticide residues from polymeric surfaces and agrichemical equipment, Valent U.S.A. LLC
  • Reed Johnson - Ent., $39,992: Adjuvants to improve efficacy of varroa control active ingredients in managed honey bee colonies, California State Beekeepers Association
  • Chia Lin - Ent, James Jasinski - OSU Extension, Reed Johnson - Ent, $93,435: The golden forage: Mustard cover crop as a floral resource and potential control for Vairimorpha (Nosema) infection in honey bees, Project Apis
  • Aaron Wilson - OSU Extension, $80,000: Enhance Local Weather & Climate Data for Ohio Soy, Ohio Soybean Council
  • Robert Gates - SENR, Bill Peterman, Christopher Tonra, Risa Pesapane, Stanley Gehrt, Stephen Matthews - SENR, $1,609,880: Operational support for the terrestrial wildlife ecology laboratory, OH Division of Wildlife
  • Julie Fox - OSU Extension, Jeff Hattey - SENR, Michael Hogan - OSU Extension, $1,499,768: USDA urban and innovation agriculture, USDA Farm Service Agency
  • Reed Johnson - Ent, $3,942,159: Developing and deploying novel tools to support varroa mite IPM for enhancing honey bee health for pollinating specialty crops, National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Events & Opportunities


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