Mass Spectrometry is a powerful analytical technique used to identify unknown compounds, to quantify known materials, and describe the structure and chemical properties of molecules. The technique has widespread application and is employed by researchers from more than ten different departments at UMass Amherst. From analyzing for environmental pollutants to sequencing biopolymers, the Mass Spectrometry Facility is used by hundreds of researchers each year. Read more.

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S&T Initiatives Fund
Campus Deadline: February 26. President Jack Wilson has renewed the UMass Science and Technology (S&T) Initiatives Fund for 2006 in the amount of $1 million. The S&T Fund provides seed funding to campuses or groups of campuses in order to help position them to develop and compete for major new S&T initiatives in such areas as research and development, commercialization and business development, workforce development, and international S&T alliances. These funds may be used to support faculty release time, sabbaticals, travel, hiring of staff or consultants, and other such expenses associated with developing major new S&T initiatives. Starting this year, applicants are required to submit brief concept papers. Concept papers must be submitted to the Vice Provost for Research to uncover potential collaborations, ensure minimum fund criteria are being met, and suggest external connections prior to writing a full proposal.

Research Liaison and Development can help with strategic planning and development of your proposal. Contact RL&D (413-545-2706) to learn how we can enable your bid for S&T Initiative funds. 2006 S&T RFP details are available here.

The Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) Annual Award
Deadline: February 28. This annual award of $5,000 recognizes an individual whose efforts have encouraged the advancement of girls and women in the natural and physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, computer science and technology. Visit the Maria Mitchell Association website for more information.

CVIP Technology Development Grants
Deadline: March 15. The UMass System Commercial Ventures and Intellectual Properties (CVIP) Office is accepting proposals for the spring 2006 Technology Development Fund. The fund was established by the President's Office in 2004 to provide UMass researchers with supplemental funding to advance previously disclosed University technologies toward commercialization. The grant is intended to move technologies to the proof of concept stage or allow the investigator to take other critical steps to make the technology attractive for licensing or other forms of commercialization. The fund is NOT intended to support basic research but rather close the gap between the research discovery and proven technology. A minimum of four awards at a maximum of $20,000 will be granted. Only investigators from the five UMass campuses are eligible. More information, including eligible technologies, selection criteria, and application instructions are available on the UMass Amherst CVIP website. The Research Area provides support services for your Technology Development Fund proposal. Contact Lyne Laliberté (413-545-3606) for more information.

Academic Technology Grants Available
Deadline: March 17. Sponsored by the President's Office, the Information Technology Council and the campuses. Proposals are being sought from UMass faculty and staff for new initiatives that demonstrate the use of electronic technologies to improve learning and enhance academic experience. The goals of the program are to encourage effective use of instructional technology by faculty; advance the assessment of technology-mediated student learning outcomes; disseminate best practices about new ways of teaching students; advance the delivery of high- quality academic instruction to broad constituencies regardless of geography; and to demonstrate the marketability of courses, seminars and electronic tools beyond the campuses and University system. Awards range from $2000 - $8000 for Professional Development Grants and $8000 - $25,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants. Click here for the RFP and to learn about previous grant recipients. Contact Mark Schlesinger (617-287-7102) for additional information.

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Report on Research Available
The campus’ first annual Report on Research (FY05), produced by the Vice Provost for Research, is now available in print and on the web. This 24-page full-color publication reports on the campus’ FY05 sources of research support and highlights UMass Amherst faculty and research centers and programs. Copies are being sent nationally, regionally, and locally. Extra copies are also being sent to schools and colleges across campus to distribute as they deem appropriate.

The online version of the report is accessible from the research website. For additional hardcopies, contact Becky McNiven, (413-545-2706), Research Liaison and Development.

Please give us your feedback and suggestions for features for next year.

Compliance News Available Online
The January 2006 edition of Compliance News is now available online. This latest edition reports on national events and agency initiatives that could impact animal users, IRB news, changes in the oversight of research with biosafety implications, at present limited to Boston that could eventually be state-wide, and introduces a new person and program in EH&S.

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Industry Continues to Tout Campus IT Innovation
The campus’ innovative use of technology for teaching and research is again being nationally showcased—this time in a marketing case study by Gateway Computers. The study features innovative curriculum being developed and delivered by Professor Gino Sorcinelli, Isenberg School of Management and Richard Rogers, Faculty Advisor to the Provost for Undergraduate Education. Sorcinelli and Rogers are using Gateway Tablet PCs and other leading-edge technologies to improve interaction and collaboration in the classroom.

The campus is looking for more opportunities to showcase our innovative uses of technology for teaching and research. If you have a story to tell, contact Karen Hayes (545-9586) in Research Liaison and Development.

President Wilson Offers Prescription for Massachusetts Life Sciences Industry
Although Massachusetts is among the top five states for life sciences research and industry, the Commonwealth has been losing jobs in this sector while New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, and California continue to make gains. On January 12, in Boston, UMass President Jack Wilson participated in the Massachusetts Biz Bio panel event, "A Prescription for Growth and Maintaining Our Edge”, to address this troubling trend. Wilson said the key to realizing the state’s tremendous life science industry potential is, "partnership, leadership, research, commercialization, and innovation."

Providing the investment community’s perspective, Kollol Pal of PureTech Ventures, said Massachusetts research institutions provide a competitive advantage in the biologic pharmaceuticals sector, but in order to reap the downstream rewards of commercialization and manufacturing the state must more effectively leverage its intellectual capital. Abigail Barrow, Director of the Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center further recommended that the state "increase interaction between universities and small companies." Kevin O’Sullivan, president of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives, pointed out that while other states are doing a great job of selling themselves, Massachusetts needs to improve. "The upside is that we're aware of the problems, and we're taking giant steps forward," he said. Tom Finneran, President of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, closed the panel discussion saying, "We need to be persistent and consistent in selling and marketing Massachusetts. This should be our focus for the coming years."

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Poster Presentation Can Invalidate Your Patent
Although many people think that a poster presentation poses no problem for a later U.S. patent application on the same subject matter, it is now clear that the law is to the contrary. J. Peter Fasse, Esq. of Fish & Richardson explained that a 2004 court ruling established posters as "prior art" which can invalidate a patent. Posters are publicly accessible and constitute a "printed publication." Be sure to file your patent application prior to presenting a poster. Call CVIP (545-3606) with questions or for more information.

CVIP Patents Filed October-December 2005
During the last quarter of 2005, CVIP filed patent applications for two inventions by UMass Amherst researchers.

Maria Santore (Polymer Science and Engineering) with post doctoral student, Natalia Kozlova--developed a new method involving “Patchy Surfaces for Selective Adhesion, Sensing and Separations.” The discovery operates on the nanoscale level for the separation and/or sensing of molecules and particles for classical chemical separations, pharmaceutical or biomedical applications. It can be used to analyze very small volumes, as a substitute for, or to enhance, chromatographic separation.

Herbert O. Hultin (Food Science, Gloucester facility) with research assistants Shuming Ke, Yan Huang, Sinan Imer and Patroklos Vareltzis--developed a novel process to improve tenderness and water holding capacity of muscle tissue foods. The goals of the invention are to improve lower quality cuts of meat and to enhance the quality of pre-cooked, oven-ready foods.

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All campus events are also listed on the UMass Events Calendar.

Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) Spring Seminar Series
UMass INFORMS is hosting eight seminars this spring on Fridays at 11:00 A.M. in the Isenberg School of Management, Room 112. Seminars are scheduled February 10, 24, March 3, 17, April 21, 28, and May 12. Each seminar is followed by lunch with the speaker at the University Club. Visit the INFORMS website for a list of speakers and topics.

Translating Research in EXercise Science (TREx) Lectures
TREx is a community service project designed to provide up-to-date information about the latest research results on exercise, physical activity and health. Refreshments and conversation will follow each lecture.
February 13: 7:00 P.M. Isenberg SOM, Room 137. "Healthy Aging: Use those Muscles!" Jane Kent-Braun, PhD
March 28: 7:00 P.M. Isenberg SOM, Room 137. "Incorporating Physical Activity into Your Lifestyle: Why and How?" Frank Rife, PhD

AAAS Annual Meeting Hosts American Women in Science (AWIS) Events
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting, February 16-20, 2006, St. Louis, MO.
February 19, 5:00-6:30 P.M. AWIS Reception.
February 20: 7:30-11:30 A.M. Networking Breakfast and Discussion Panel on "Mentoring Across the Lifespan: Student to P.I., Industry to Academia."
For detailed program information on the above events, visit the AWIS website.

The Environmental Institute (TEI) Lecture Series
Natural Disasters and the Environment is the theme of TEI's Spring Environmental Lecture Series. The public lectures will be held at 4:00 P.M. in the Bernie Dallas Room of Goodell with a reception to follow. Lectures are scheduled for February 27, March 13, April 10, and May 2. Visit TEI for a listing of lecture titles, related courses, and more information.

February 10: The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Fellowships for Science and Engineering
March 3: Faculty Research Grant/Healey Endowment Grant Program
April 8: Public Service Endowment Grant

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Of special note: Three faculty have received the prestigious and competitive National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) awards during the Dec/Jan period. CAREER awards recognize outstanding scientists and engineers who, early in their careers, show exceptional potential for leadership.

Oliver Brock
Computer Science
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: CAREER: Motion Capabilities for Autonomous Mobile Manipulation
Total Award: $103,114

Deepak Ganesan
Computer Science
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: CAREER: Addressing Data and Energy Management Challenges in Hierarchical Sensor Networks
Total Award: $82,789

Janice C. Telfer
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Title: CAREER: Runx-Mediated Silencing of CD4 Transcription
Total Award: $128,793

Louis A. Carpino
Chemistry
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
Title: New Amino-Protecting Groups and Coupling Reagents
Total Award: $291,833

John J. Cunningham
Provost’s Office
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Northeast LSAMP Phase II Proposal
Total Award: $400,026

Don Johan DeGroot
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Developing International Protocols for Offshore Sediments and their Role in Geohazards: Characterization, Assessment and Mitigation
Total Award: $481,928

Allan Feldman
Teacher Ed & Curriculum Studies
Sponsor: Commonwealth Information Technology Initiative
Title: Teachers Implementing Imaging & Imagery for Classroom Learning
Total Award: $101,976

Andrea S. Foulkes
Public Health
Sponsor: Wistar Institute
Title: Pediatric Immune Correlates of Early Anti-HIV Therapy
Total Award: $21,790

Markos Katsoulakis
Mathematics and Statistics
Sponsor: University of Delaware
Title: Multiscale Modeling of Spatially Distributed Biological Systems
Total Award: $101,976

David Brayton Kittredge Jr.
Natural Resources Conservation
Sponsor: Coop State Res, Educ and Ext Service
Title: Acorn (a CoOperative Resource Network): Internet to Promote Ecosystem-Level Cooperation Among Private Forest Owners
Total Award: $420,000

Michael F. Malone
Chemical Engineering
Sponsor: KSE Inc
Title: Conceptual Design for Reactive Distillation of Vinyl Ethers
Total Award: $198,000

Mitchell T. Mulholland
Anthropology - Archaeological Services
Sponsor: MA Highway Department
Title: Washington, Valley Road Bridge Replacement Project
Total Award: $12,940

Stephane Willocq
Physics
Sponsor: Brookhaven National Lab
Title: Atlas Experiment at the Large Hadron Collider
Total Award: $123,889