The Keck Electron Microscopy Lab was established in 1994 through a grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation along with funding from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Research Office, and the Gillette Company. The lab serves the polymer and material research communities on campus, other regional colleges and universities, and industry. More than 100 researchers use the facility each year, including faculty and graduate students, many of whom use the lab for collaborative industry/university projects through the Center for UMass/ Industry Research on Polymers (CUMIRP). Read more.

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Collaborative Biomedical Research (CBR) Grants
Deadline April 18. Baystate Medical Center and UMass Amherst share multiple points of contact for collaboration including a joint grant program to enhance collaborative research between Baystate clinicians and UMass Amherst faculty. Administered through the Collaborative Biomedical Research Program (CBR), CBR Grants provide seed funding to jumpstart projects and to help collaborative teams gain a competitive position for extramural funding. The awards help fund the work of a graduate student or physician on the collaborative project. The maximum award amount is $25,000 and several awards are given in both the fall and spring. Visit the CBR Web site for more information.

IBM Eclipse Innovation Awards
Deadline April 21 for initiating a proposal, April 28 for submittal. IBM has announced the 2006 IBM Eclipse Innovation Award program. The competition is designed to encourage the use of open source and open standards-based tools for academic curricula and research. Proposals are accepted from faculty and researchers for work with applications in teaching, research or community building around Eclipse. More than 50 awards ranging from $10,000-$30,000 are granted each year. Visit the IBM Web site for more information.

MTTC Technology Investigation Awards
Deadline April 21 for Statement of Intent, May 15 for full proposals. Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center (MTTC) will present five Technology Investigation Awards of $25,000 this spring/summer. MTTC will issue grants to selected Principal Investigators in Massachusetts’s institutions to undertake targeted development on technologies that have been disclosed to their institutions. Visit the MTTC Web site for more information.

$4.8 Million in Research Funding Available Through Foundation
Deadlines from May-July. The American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AwwaRF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the science of drinking water, has issued 23 requests for proposals (RFPs) totaling $4.8 million in research funding. The RFPs, available on the AwwaRF Web site are due in May or July 2006, as specified in each RFP. Collectively, the projects represent a wide range of topics of critical importance to the drinking water community, including: asset management, water use patterns, water source protection, impact assessments, etc. The grants require a 25% match from the proposing institution in either cash or in-kind. UMass Amherst was specifically targeted for this solicitation by the AwwaRF. For more information contact Chris Rayburn (303-347-6188), Director of Research Management.

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Deadline May 1. UMass Amherst graduate students working in the field of cellular engineering are invited to showcase their expertise by participating in a poster session at the first annual Institute for Cellular Engineering (ICE) Conference. The conference is designed to create a forum for interdisciplinary discussions around the science and applications of cellular engineering and to foster relationships between UMass Amherst researchers and external partners. Please send poster titles and a short abstract to ICE by May 1. Registration is complementary for campus faculty and students who register by May 1. Visit the conference Web site for more information.

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The final competition of this inaugural challenge will be held on Wednesday, May 3. In December 2005, $5,000 was awarded to HydroMatrix for their elevator pitch and executive summary. The remaining $45,000 will be awarded to the winning team presenting their business plan. The following teams will compete:

• HydroMatrix is a concept company which plans to commercialize a nanostructured polymer technology designed to rebuild healthy cartilage in damaged or degenerated human joints.
• BASEC Technologies is a concept company which plans to commercialize a product, DenitriBase, developed around a novel nitrogen removal technology for the residential septic system market.
• Pharma Solutus (RxSol), a biomaterials company, designs and develops innovative and unique drug delivery technology. Their proprietary technology enables the controlled sustained release of drugs by using nanoscale stealth micelles.
• Smart Cane is a concept company dedicated to the commercialization of assistive technology for the visually impaired. Their product is a functional long cane with an integrated collision detection system that warns the user of obstacles they can not normally identify.

Visit the Technology Innovation Challenge Web site for more information and to RSVP for the final event which will be held May 3 from 5:00-7:30 P.M. in the UMass Amherst Campus Center, Room 163C.

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Graduate Student Employment Website
The Graduate School has launched an employment and assistantship website. This new website includes an updated listing of available positions, information concerning policies and procedures for graduate student appointments, benefits and cost calculations and other relevant requirements and announcements. In the future, new features will be added to help graduate students, faculty and staff manage graduate student employment and associated benefits.

NIH Newsletter
The NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices newsletter is an excellent way to keep abreast of NIH announcements of new funding initiatives, extensions of deadlines for programs, etc. Check out the latest edition at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/WeeklyIndex.cfm

Campus Joins Online Internship Site
UMass Amherst is now an official sponsor of Internhere.com a free online resource for internships in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. The site is a valuable tool for employers, students, and career service departments to bridge the gap between higher education and permanent employment and help keep talented students in the region.

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Check the UMass Events Calendar for a more comprehensive list of campus events.

April 12: Public Forum on Climate Change. "What We Should Be, Can Be, and Are Doing as a Nation, Region, and Community." Student Union Ballroom. 2:30-5:00 P.M.

April 20: "Priming the Pump for Innovation." Mullins Center, Massachusetts Room. 2:30-8:30 P.M. Two complementary events to foster higher education and industry collaboration.

May 2: TEI Spring Lecture Series. Rutherford H. Platt presents "Learning from Disasters: The Synergy of Geography and Public Policy." Goodell Hall, Bernie Dallas Room, 4:00 P.M.

May 2: How to Find and Apply for External Funding Graduate Student Workshop. Graduate Student Grants Service office, DuBois Library, 2:00-5:00 P.M. Pre-register by April 24.

May 5: "New England Knowledge Corridor. Is Hartford-Springfield-Positioned for Success?" Mass Mutual Corporate Center, Enfield, CT. 7:30 A.M.-11:30 A.M. Visit the Hartford-Springfield Economic Partnership site for information and to register.

May 10: Conference on Cellular Engineering. Campus Center. 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Complimentary registration is available for campus faculty and students who register before May 1.

May 15-17: Spring 2006 Meeting of the Center for UMass Industry Research on Polymers (CUMIRP) and Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC). For more information and to register visit the event site.

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May 1: Research Leadership in Action grant proposals due.

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Welcome new faculty in the School of Education (SOE) and Natural Science and Mathematics (NSM).

Benita Barnes, SOE, Educational Policy, Research, and Administration (EPRA). Professional Interests: graduate education, student development theory, research methods, historically Black colleges and universities, mentoring and academic advising.

Jacqueline Mosselson, SOE, EPRA. Professional Interests: International Education.

Claire E. Hamilton, SOE, Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies (TECS). Professional Interests: Applied Developmental Psychology; Children's Relationships with Parents, Peers, and Teachers; Early Care and Learning; Early Childhood Education; Emergent Literacy; Social and Policy Contexts of Early Learning.

Florence Sullivan, SOE, TECS. Professional Interests: Educational Technology.

Magdalena Bezanilla, NSM, Biology. Research Interests: Molecular Mechanisms Behind Plant Cell Growth.

Ryan Hayward, NSM, Polymer Science and Engineering. Research Interests: Assembly of polymers and particles at interfaces; mechanical instabilities; surface micro and nano-patterning; hydrogel thin films; microfluidic processing of polymer assemblies; polymeric structures for encapsulation and delivery.

Gerome Miklau, NSM, Computer Science. Research Interests: Privacy, confidentiality, and integrity for data stored in databases and exchanged on the Web.

Qian Yu, NSM, Geosciences. Research Interests: GIS, remote sensing and spatial modeling to study environmental systems.

Lorenzo Sorbo, NSM, Physics. Research Interests: High Energy Theory.

CVIP Patents Filed January-March 2006
During the 3rd quarter of FY 2006, the Office of Commercial Ventures & Intellectual Property (CVIP) filed patent applications for inventions produced by UMass Amherst researchers. Congratulations to the following for their recognized accomplishments:

Abraham Esteve-Nunez (Microbiology graduate student) and Julian Sosnick (Veterinary and Animal Science graduate student) working with Assistant Professor Pablo Visconti (Vet & Animal Science) and Professor Derek Lovley (Microbiology). “Fluorescence Spectroscopic Methods to Detect Microbial C-Type Cytochromes” -- a methodology to detect these bacteria in the natural environment.

Susan Leschine (Microbiology) with Research Assistant Thomas Warnick. “Systems and Methods for Producing Fuels”-- a technology for processing biomass to ethanol using bacteria Clostridium phytofermentans.

Joseph Kunkel (Biology) with Alan M. Shipley (Applicable Electronics), and Allessandro Rubinacci (Science Inst. H. San Raffaele, Milan, Italy). “Neonatal Mouse Metatarsal Protocol for Measuring Bone Calcium Metabolism and Uses Thereof.”

Alfred J. Crosby (Polymer Science & Engineering) and graduate student Jessica Zimberlin. “Local Modulus Measurement Device in Soft Materials.”

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OCGA Proposal Histograms
February was a productive month proposal-wise for the campus and the Office of Grant and Contract Administration (OGCA). OGCA processed 170 proposals for a total of $20,729,104. How does that stack up against last year and previous months? Have a look at the histograms to find out.

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Cynthia L. Baldwin
Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Sponsor: Coop State Res, Educ and Ext Service
Title: US Veterinary Immune Reagent Network
Total Award: $500,000

Patricia Bianconi
Chemistry
Sponsor: Hexcel Corporation
Title: Fabrication of Superhard Graphite Fibers by Use of a Polymer Precursor to Diamond Carbon
Total Award: $260,028

Eileen Breslin
School of Nursing
Sponsor: Mass Hospital Research and Education Assoc.
Title: Increasing the Pipeline to Ph.D. Education for Student Nurses
Total Award: $24,948

Nilanjana Dasgupta
Psychology
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: CAREER: STEMing the Tide: Changing Educational Environments to Enhance Girls' and Women's Participation in Science & Mathematics
Total Award: $89,385

Todd S. Emrick
Polymer Science and Engineering
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Collaborative Research: A Polymer Synthesis/Membrane Characterization Program on Fouling Resistant Membranes for Water Purification
Total Award: $148,888

Naomi R. Gerstel
Sociology
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Explaining Job Hours and Schedules: Individual, Familial and Organizational Processes in Four Health Care Occupations
Total Award: $195,000

Joseph Hamill
Exercise Science
Sponsor: Schering-Plough
Title: Determining Quasi-Dynamic Arch Index and Foot Dimension Measurements
Total Award: $89,512

Neal Katz
Astronomy
Sponsor: Ohio State University
Title: Delivering the GOODS: Supporting the Interpretation of the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey
Total Award: $52,151

Michael F. Malone
Chemical Engineering
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Building a Diverse Graduate Pipeline Through Undergraduate Research and Mentoring
Total Award: $105,200

John R. Nambu
Biology
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
Title: Mechanisms of Protein Turnover in Apoptosis
Total Award: $240,895

Daniel H. Schaubert
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: Remote Sensing Solutions Inc
Title: Antenna Feed Design for Dual-Wavelength Precipitation Radar
Total Award: $80,001

Lynnette L. Sievert
Anthropology
Sponsor: Giner Inc
Title: Miniaturized, Wearable Skin Conductance Monitor
Total Award: $29,593

Richard P. Taupier
The Environmental Institute
Sponsor: Mass International Marketing Partnership
Title: Massachusetts and Pskov Russia Tourism Development Project
Total Award: $24,980

Nina A. Theis
Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Attracting Mutualists and Antagonists: Fragrance Emission in Cucurbita Pepo Subsp. Texana
Total Award: $89,903

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