| 2nd SBIR/STTR Extension - Reauthorization to Bring Change |
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Congress has approved a two-month extension to Sept. 30 for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) /Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program, which was set to expire on Friday, July 31, 2009. These competitively awarded, three-phase Federal Government programs are designed to stimulate technological innovation and provide opportunities for small business to join with the nation's premier nonprofit research institutions on joint ventures.
According to recent Capital Hill briefings the reauthorization bill will include significant changes that could impact the amount of funding, the makeup of applicants and technology innovation. The reauthorization bill also increases percentages of funding allocated to the programs by the federal agencies that contribute to the programs.
See the SBIR Gateway Insider, prepared by Rick Shindell at Zyne Systems for more details. The Association of American Universities also issued a letter on 7/6/09 regarding the impact of these changes to basic research.
Interested in pursuing an SBIR/STTR grant? Consult the Office of Grants and Contracts Administration Proposal Policies, Tools and FAQs website. Go to Top |
| Mass Life Science Center Celebrates First Year |
June 16th marked the one-year anniversary of Governor Deval Patrick's signing of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Initiative. During the Initiative's first year, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) has invested $46 million in state funding, leveraging $357 million in private and federal investment, and helping to create a prospective 950 jobs across Massachusetts.
According to the MLSC website, the Center was established to promote the life sciences within the Commonwealth and is tasked with investing in life sciences research and economic development. A number of funding programs are available to public and private institutions for life sciences research, development and commercialization as well as building ties between sectors of the Massachusetts life sciences community.
UMass Amherst has benefited by receiving part of $7 million in matching research grants to Massachusetts institutions, including a MLSC New Investigator Grant to Jesse Mager, Veterinary and Animal Sciences and a New Faculty Start-Up Grant in systems biology to Danny Schnell, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
"The New Investigator grant has jump-started my research in a way that has allowed me to move forward aggressively. It's great to be in a place where there is state support for research in addition to the traditional sources of federal research funding," says Mager. Read the press release about the anniversary and learn more about Mass Life Sciences Center opportunities at their website.
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| As Summer REUs Wrap Up Fall Solicitation Opens |
This summer, campus labs hosted undergraduates from the Five-Colleges and from universities and colleges across the United States and Puerto Rico. Most are NSF-sponsored programs administered through campus research centers and institutes. (See the current REU solicitation notice and RFP at NSF.gov.) Some are supported by individual scientists' undergraduate research supplements. As the programs drew to a close recently, students showcased their projects in poster sessions and other presentations open to the university community.
REU programs are part of the campus effort to recruit students for graduate school in science and engineering, with a focus on attracting women and under-represented minorities to those fields. Until as recently as three years ago, there were only a handful of REU programs on campus during a given summer with 50-60 students total. Since 2007, the number of programs has more than doubled, with closer to 150 student participants, and almost that many faculty and graduate student mentors. Research labs carve out a piece of their on-going research projects for the students to work on, and students also participate in professional development meetings to give them a broad sense of what scientific research and graduate school will be like.
More information about existing programs can be found at the REU portal. Faculty members who would like to tap into the campus support network for programs and individual supplements should contact RL&D Academic Liaison, Barbara Pearson (bpearson@research.umass.edu) for more information. Go to Top |
| MassChallenge Venture Fund Competition Launched |
In July, Gov. Deval Patrick announced the formation of a $25 million business plan competition for entrepreneurs, called the MassChallenge Venture Funds Competition. Backed by funding from public and private sources, the competition is designed to catalyze growth and jobs in Massachusetts across six tracks:
- Healthcare, and Life Sciences
- IT, Software, and Gaming
- Clean Technology and Energy
- Social Development and Non-profit
- Open Category, Seed Stage
- Open Category, Expansion Stage
As part of the competition rules, winners must establish their startup headquarters in Massachusetts and create a minimum of five jobs in the state. More Massachusetts tech companies means more job opportunities for our students and opportunity for research collaboration.
Read more about the competition at the MassChallenge website.
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| Funding Opportunities |
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**Remember to create or update your Community of Science profile to get customized funding opportunities via email. **
UMass Medical School Moment Fund Deadline: August 19, 2009 letters of intent September 23, 2009 full proposals Award Amount: Varies
The UMass Life Sciences Moment Fund has issued its second round funding RFP. The Moment Fund supports projects that are inter-campus in orientation, each with a collaborator from the Worcester campus and directed towards life sciences projects related to clinical and translational research.
This is an internal grant to be submitted via our Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research & Engagement to the Medical School. Therefore, it does not require an internal processing form but any research that involves animals or human subjects will need to be in compliance with University policies. To find a collaborator, search the Medical School's website or contact Marla Michel via email or phone at 545-2706. To be eligible for the Moment Fund you will need to be a member of the Center for Clinical and Translational Science. To become a member click here. For more information regarding the Moment Fund visit their website. Alaska Native, American Indian, Native Hawaiian Writing Competition Deadline: September 15, 2009 Award Amount: $10,000
The Alaska Federation of Natives, in partnership with the National Congress of American Indians and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, has launched "Native Insight: Thoughts on Recession, Recovery & Opportunity," a writing competition designed to encourage Native Americans to share their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in the current economic and political landscape. The competition is open to Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and American Indians of all ages. For more information visit their website. Cottrell College Science Awards Single Investigator Awards / Research Corporation for Science Advancement Deadline: September 15, 2009 Award Amount: Between $25,000 and $45,000 The Cottrell College Science Awards support research in astronomy, chemistry, physics and closely related fields that significantly overlap with research in these three disciplines at public and private, predominantly undergraduate colleges. The overarching goal of the Cottrell College Science Award program is providing "seed" funding for significant research that will enhance the professional and scholarly development of beginning faculty at predominantly undergraduate institutions, along with their students. For more information visit their website.
Animal Welfare Institute Deadline: October 1, 2009
Award Amounts: Up to $5,000Grants of up to $5,000 each will be awarded for the purpose of improving farm animal welfare, with a focus on three areas: increased outdoor access, improved genetics, and improved slaughter facilities. The Animal Welfare Approved program, an independent food label, audits and certifies family farms whose farmers raise their animals, on pasture or range, with the highest welfare standards. For more information click here. Picturing America School Collaboration Projects Grant Opportunity
Deadline: October 7, 2009
Award Amount: Up to $75,000
The National Endowment for the Humanities invites proposals for local and regional projects that foster collaboration between K-12 educators and humanities scholars for the purposes of encouraging "engagement with the rich resources of American art to tell America's story." The Picturing America School Collaboration Projects grant opportunity is designed to help teachers and librarians form connections between the Picturing America images and coursework in the school's core curriculum. For more information on theis grant opportunity visit the NEH website.
Lung Disease and General Lung Biology Biomedical Research Grant
Deadline: October 21, 2009
Award Amount: $40,000/year for up to two years The American Lung Association is offering a Biomedical Research Grant to seed monies for investigators researching the mechanisms of lung disease and general lung biology. For more information click here.
Getty Research Institute's 2009-10 Theme for Research Grants for Getty Scholars and Visiting Scholars
Deadline: November 1, 2009
Award Amount: Varies
The Getty Research Institute seeks applications from established researchers as well as those at the pre-and postdoctoral levels who are interested in questions bearing on the display of art and wish to be in residence at the Getty Research Institute or Getty Villa during the 2009-10 academic year. "The Display of Art" will remain the theme for the Getty Research Institute in 2010-11; postdoctoral applicants are welcome to apply for both years. For more information click here.
FELLOWSHIPS
September 1: Southeast Europe Policy Scholars and Contributing Scholars The Wilson Center
September 8: Peace and Conflict The Jennings Randolph Program for International Peace
September 18: David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowships Smith Fellows
October 1: Academy Film Scholars The Academy Film Scholars Program
October 15: Medieval Studies The Schallek Fellowship
FOUNDATION FUNDING
November 20: Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Health Reform, or Workers' Rights Public Welfare Foundation
Varies: The Grand Challenge for the Healthcare X Prize X Prize Foundation
Varies: Postdoctoral Fellowship Program The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)
Varies: Fellowships for Postdoctoral Researchers Humboldt Research Fellowship
Varies: Fellowships for Experienced Researchers Humboldt Research Fellowship
Varies: Bilateral Engagement Projects Between Germany and US Checkpoint Charlie Stiftung Foundation
Faculty interested in applying for the above foundation-sponsored opportunities are encouraged to contact Susan Worgaftik (413-577-2956) for assistance or more information. The application deadline is listed before each funding opportunity.
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| Announcements, Awards, Calls for Nominations |
Approved Indirect Cost Rates Announced
Campus researchers should be aware of the new indirect cost rates currently in effect. These predetermined rates should be used to calculate the indirect cost rates for all proposals submitted for each applicable period. Click here to access the rates. SAVE-THE-DATE: 2nd Annual Clean Energy Connections Conference Tuesday, November 10, 2009 The 2nd Annual Clean Energy Connections Conference will be held on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, MA. The Clean Energy Connections is a career and business development information and networking event. Click here to learn more about the event.
AUTM Foundation's 2009-10 Graduate Student Literature Review Prize Competition
A cash award will be given by the AUTM Foundation for top graduate student literature reviews of scholarly literature on some aspect of academic technology transfer and commercialization. Resources will also be available for winners to present their work at a special AUTM annual conference session.
Call for Nominations: AAAS Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award The award is given to scientists or engineers or their associations whose exemplary actions have served to foster scientific freedom and responsibility. Such achievements can include: acting to protect the public's health, safety or welfare; focusing public attention on important potential impacts of science and technology on society by their responsible participation in public policy debates; or establishing important new precedents in carrying out the social responsibilities or in defending the professional freedom of scientists and engineers. The Deadline is September 1, 2009. For any questions please email Deborah Runkle.
New Book Promotes Best Practices for Undergraduate Research
Engaging undergraduate students in research, scholarship, and creative activity is a proven and powerful practice for enhancing educational outcomes and expanding frontiers of knowledge. A new book published by the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), "Broadening Participation in Undergraduate Research: Fostering Excellence and Enhancing the Impact," promotes the engagement of non-traditional and underrepresented students. This book is a rich collection of best practices featuring diverse higher-education institutions that are maximizing the impact of this practice. For more information and to order the book, visit the CUR Web page. Call for Nominations: 8th Annual Janet L. Norwood Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Statistical SciencesThe Section on Statistical Genetics and the Department of Biostatistics in the School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are pleased to request nominations for the Eighth Annual Janet L. Norwood Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Statistical Sciences. Eligible individuals are women who have completed their terminal degree, have made outstanding contributions to the statistical sciences, and, if selected, are willing to deliver a lecture at the award ceremony. Additional details about the award here.
Call for Nominations: MA Family Business Awards Program
The Massachusetts Family Business Awards Program is accepting nominations for its 2009 competition. Applications are due in mid-August. The program focuses on celebrating the success of multi-generational family-owned enterprises. Click here for more info
Adams Arts Program
The Massachusetts Cultural Council is accepting applications for the Adams Arts Program. The Adams Arts Program fosters and promotes the use of cultural assets as an economic development tool. The goal of the program is to maximize the economic impact of the cultural sector in Massachusetts by funding initiatives that connect artists and cultural organizations to local and state economic development efforts, nurture new arts and cultural enterprise development, raise awareness of the Commonwealth's cultural products, and increase arts and cultural visitors to the state. To learn more about this program and apply to this program click here. National Science Foundation Request for Reviewers The National Science Foundation is requesting merit review expertise for proposals under the stimulus funding in the Academic Research Infrastructure - Recover and Reinvestment (ARI-R²) program.
ARI-R² is designed to support 21st century research and reasearch training infrasturcture in our Nation's academic institutions and non-profit research organizations, such as research museums, research laboratories, and research consortia. If you are interested in participating in the merit review process please click here. The 7th Annual Water Resources Research Center Conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will address the needs for water monitoring, assessment, and management of water resources in New England in the face of variability due to changes in climate, land use, population, and other environmental stressors. For deadline dates and information please click here. Massachusetts Launches Business CompetitionGovernor Deval Patrick; in an effort to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in Massachusetts, has announced the creation of a business competition that will assist Massachusetts-based startups with a combination of cash and coaching from local technology industry professionals. The MassChallenge Venture Funds Competition winners will be required to establish headquarters in Massachusetts and create at least five jobs in the state. For more information go to their website. SAVE-THE-DATE: 5th Annual Conference on Clean Energy on November 12-13, 2009The Fifth Conference on Clean Energy: Financing and Partnering for Emerging Businesses will feature over two dozen early stage companies seeking investment for business opportunities in carbon management, smart grid applications, renewable energy generation, biofuels and other hot areas. The Conference on Clean Energy invites clean energy entrepreneurs, inventors and startups to take full advantage of the Conference by pitching or exhibiting to the anticipated audience of more than 600 attendees. Each company accepted to pitch will have the opportunity to give a ten-minute investor presentation during the Conference as well as having a table in the Exhibit Hall. Companies that do not wish to pitch may choose to participate in just the Exhibit Hall. The conference will be held at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA. For more information about the conference please go to their website. Francis Collins, Leader of Genome Project, new director for NIHFrancis S. Collins was nominated by President Barack Obama to be director of the National Institutes of Health. The nomination of Dr. Collins came nine months after the departure of Elias A. Zerhouni, the agency's previous director. Go to Top |
| Events |
September 22: PFIZER Seminar Series - Regenerative Engineering: New Avenues for Tissue Repair
4:30pm to 7:00pm at the Low Learning Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT. This is the fourth meeting of the Pfizer Seminar Series. Here Dr. Yusuf Khan will talk about the field of Regenerative Engineering. For more information please visit their website.
September 24: Environmental Sensors Workshop 2009: Sensing our Environment and Responding to Change
September 24, 2009 10am - 4:30pm at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. This workshop is for researchers and company executives in Massachusetts who are developing and deploying new technologies to monitor the environment. For more information please click here. |
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June and July Grants & Contracts Snapshot |
Each month ACCESS includes a selection of grants and contracts awarded to faculty from across campus to provide a sense of what's going on in Research at UMass Amherst. These listings reflect only a small fraction of the total sponsored activity for any given month. Since this is just a snapshot in time and grant/contract terms vary, actual award totals may be higher than the amounts listed.
The campus has begun to receive stimulus funds for research. Those grants identified as ARRA are stimulus.
Juan Anguita
Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
Title: Control of Macrophage Responses to Borrelia Burgdorferi by IFNg (ARRA)
Total Award: $309,952
Michael D. Barnes
Chemistry
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Single Molecule Spectroscopy of Chiral Nanosystems: Understanding Heterogeneities in Chiroptical Interactions
Total Award: $150,000
William Bruce Croft
Computer Science
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: III: Small: Transforming Long Queries (ARRA)
Total Award: $499,829
Edward P. Debold
Kinesiology
Sponsor: American Heart Association
Title: The Molecular Basis of Depressed Cardiac Contractility During Acute Myocardial Ischemia
Total Award: $65,337
Jane E. Fountain
Political Science
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: National Digital Library for Ethics in Science and Engineering
Total Award: $249,999
Deepak Ganesan
Computer Science
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: CRI: II-NEW: Design of a Solar-Powered River Sensor Network Tested (ARRA)
Total Award: $662,663
Lori S. Goldner
Physics
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Capturing the Ephemeral: Transient and Irreversible RNA-Protein Interactions Studied One-At-A-Time (ARRA)
Total Award: $552,908
Ryan C. Hayward
Polymer Science and Engineering
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Using Instabilities of Fluid Interfaces to Assemble Amphiphilic Block Copolymers (ARRA)
Total Award: $282,010
Michael F. Malone
Dean-School of Engineering
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: REU Site: Preparing for Graduate School through Interdisciplinary Summer Research (ARRA)
Total Award: $228,000
Kevin McGarigal
Natural Resources Conservation
Sponsor: MA Exec Off of Transportation and Const
Title: Critical Linkages-Evaluating Landscape Connectivity in Massachusetts to Inform Proactive Transportation and Natural Resource Planning
Total Award: $196,000
Katherine W. Reeves
Public Health
Sponsor: University of Mass - Medical School
Title: The Effect of Weight Loss on Change in Mammographic Breast Density in Post Menopausal Women
Total Award: $24,000
Margaret Ann Riley
Biology
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
Title: Evolution of Stress-Induced Bacterial Toxins (ARRA)
Total Award: $52,366
Christian Santangelo
Physics
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: CAREER: Geometry of Directed Folding and Soft Packing (ARRA)
Total Award: $411,000
Danny J. Schnell
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Sponsor: MA Life Sciences Center
Title: Isenberg Professorship in Systems Biology
Total Award: $750,000
Paul Siqueira
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: National Aero and Space Administration
Title: A Segmentation Approach for Combining RaDAR Backscatter, InSAR and LiDAR Measurements to Determine Vegetation 3D Structure
Total Award: $231,792
Elsbeth L. Walker
Biology
Sponsor: National Science Foundation
Title: Metal Ion Partitioning Via the Yellow Strip-Like (YSL) Family of Transporters (ARRA)
Total Award: $400,000
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