What is grid computing? There is more than one answer to this question. Typically, people tend to think of grids as networks of physically distant computing resources made to appear as one single computing resource by either having a single point of access (web portal, etc.) or by having multiple, cooperating access points. For instance, four clusters housed at four universities could be accessed by a researcher visiting a single website. This single access point would handle all user authentication and job scheduling. Alternatively, each university could operate its own authentication and access portal. The four separate access portals would all communicate to provide services like user authentication, resource allocation and job scheduling. It is important to consider that the term grid applies not only to computing resources, but also storage and data acquisition systems. Therefore, it is possible to have grid consisting solely of computing resources, grids consisting solely of data storage or acquisition, or combinations of all the above.

What are the benefits of grid computing? Grid computing can make available data acquisition, processing and storage resources not normally available within an organization. For example, if a researcher is involved in computational chemistry but lacks the local computing power to accomplish the task in a reasonable amount of time, that processing job could be submitted to a grid system and the work would be distributed among computing resources at other institutions, thereby reducing the amount of time required to solve a problem. In addition to making additional resources available, grids can also be employed to reduce the amount of knowledge required to properly operate the computing resources available at an institution. For example, at most institutions there are several computing platforms that offer similar services. In the past students and researchers have had to become familiar with the quirks of each system. An “interface” grid could be developed that would allow a user to submit a work file to a webpage and that system would decide which platform is best suited to doing the work required, submit the work to that platform, and email the results back to the researcher or student.

What are grids being used for now? There are grids in current use for genomics, weather and tide analysis, gas and oil exploration, and other research tasks. Many major scientific problems involving large amounts of computable data have associated grid computing projects. Universities also use grids as tools of outreach. For example, some state universities have developed weather monitoring grids and housed the data collection nodes at local high schools. This arrangement benefits the university by providing housing and operators for its data collection nodes as well as improving relationships between the university and state high schools. The high school benefits by being able to offer its students the opportunity to participate in real scientific research.

Where can you learn more? Earlier in the year, staff members from the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and the Mississippi Center for Supercomputing Research attended a conference on grid computing sponsored by Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA). The website for the conference (www2.gsu.edu/~wwwacs/suragridconf/) has .pdf files of most of the presentations offered there. These presentations offer a good starting point for learning more about grid computing.

Fourth Meeting on Constrained Dynamics and Quantum Gravity ~ September 12-16
UM is one of three university sponsors of this international conference to be held on the island of Sardinia in Italy; UM Physics professors Luca Bombelli and Marco Cavaglia are serving on conference committees. The purpose of this series of meetings is to bring together workers from field theory, general relativity, and related areas to discuss the present status and latest developments in the quantum treatment of gravitational systems. For more information, visit www.phy.olemiss.edu/GR/qg05/index.html.

Conferences on Economy and Community ~ September 21-22 and 23-24
The Social Capital Foundation invites all interested persons or organizations to present a paper to one or both of its upcoming international, interdisciplinary conferences that will be held next September in the beautiful island of Malta.
Conference on Social Capital ~ 21-22 September, 2005
Conference on Economy and Community ~ 23-24 September, 2005
Paper proposals may take the form of a one-page detailed abstract. For more information on either conference, visit www.socialcapital-foundation.org/TSCF/TSCF%20conferences.htm.

2005 World Biofuels Symposium, China ~ November 13-15
New energy legislation that includes biofuels provisions will become law in China in January 2006. This symposium will address China’s need to meet the anticipated demand and the latest information about biofuels production and use. Topics include: new biofuels production technologies; market development; research and development; environment and air quality; co-products; feedstocks; government policy and energy strategies; and more. More info is at www.worldbiofuelssymposium.com and www.wbschina.com.

2005 Fuel Cell Seminar ~ November 14-18
Over 2,200 participants representing over 36 different countries attend the annual Fuel Cell Seminar, presented this year in Palm Springs, California. Participants include technical leaders, scientists, educators, researchers, developers, investors, students and manufacturers of fuel cell products. The simultaneous technical sessions discuss progress in four main areas -- utility, residential, vehicle and portable -- and also challenges in costs, fuels, storage, reliability, lifetime and adoptability. An award is offered to recognize students (graduate or undergraduate) in the field of fuel cell related technologies and includes a medal, a cash award, and a complimentary registration to the seminar to present a poster presentation. More information is available at www.fuelcellseminar.com/student_award.asp.

National Science Foundation Microbial Observatories and Microbial Interactions and Processes ~ DEADLINE CHANGE
The submission target date for the NSF Microbial Observatories and Microbial Interactions and Processes solicitation is currently listed as August 1, 2005. However, a new program solicitation is being prepared for release that will necessitate a change in submission date, most likely to sometime in October 2005. The new solicitation will involve an added component to the program, a new partnership in which the USDA/CSREES will support Microbial Observatories proposals relevant to that agency’s mission. For further information, email mkane@nsf.gov or jsherwood@csrees.usda.gov.

Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation Grants ~ Deadline September 1
The Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation (ABMRF) accepts applications for grants to conduct research on the biomedical, biobehavioral and psychosocial aspects of alcohol consumption and its effects. Highest funding priority is given to young investigators to start a new line of independent research. The next level of priority is to investigators outside alcohol research bringing an innovative idea to the field. More information is at www.abmrf.org.

Columbia Society of Fellows in the Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowships ~ Deadline October 3
The Columbia Society of Fellows in the Humanities, with grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the William R. Kenan Trust, will appoint a number of postdoctoral fellows in the humanities for the academic year 2006-2007. Fellows newly appointed for 2006-2007 must have received the Ph.D. between January 1, 2000 and July 1, 2006. The stipend provides support for independent research and for teaching in the undergraduate program in general education. Application forms are available online at www.columbia.edu/cu/societyoffellows.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Science Education Competition ~ Deadline October 18
The University of Mississippi is among the 203 institutions invited to participate in the next round of the HHMI’s Undergraduate Science Education Competition. These institutional awards are intended to strengthen education in the biological sciences and other scientific disciplines as they relate to biology. Some of the program objectives are to:

• integrate research and teaching in undergraduate education and to support student involvement in faculty research.
• prepare undergraduates for graduate studies and for careers in biomedical research, medicine, and science education and to increase science literacy for all students.
• bring fresh perspectives to established scientific disciplines and to develop novel programs, curricula, activities, and courses in emerging areas, such as computational biology, genomics, and bioimaging.
• foster linkages between universities and elementary and secondary schools, community colleges, and other institutions in order to broaden access to science.
• develop approaches that encourage teamwork and mentorship experiences among faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates.

Additional details of the program are available at www.hhmi.org/grants/institutions/universities.html or from the ORSP. The deadline for submission of proposals is October 18, 2005. Four-year awards ranging from $1.2 to $2.2 million each will be announced by HHMI in the spring of 2006. If you are interested in becoming involved in the University of Mississippi’s intended application to this program, please contact Mickey McLaurin in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (phone 7482 or email Mickey).

National Science Foundation Computer Systems Research ~ Deadline November 11
The Computer Systems Research (CSR) program supports innovative research and education projects that have the potential to lead to significant improvements in existing computer systems by increasing our fundamental understanding of such systems; produce systems software that is qualitatively and quantitatively more reliable and more efficient; or, to produce innovative curricula or educational materials that better prepare the next generation of computing professionals. The CSR program is also interested in projects that expand the capabilities of existing systems by exploiting the potential of new technologies or by developing innovative new ways to use existing technologies. The CSR program contains four topical areas: embedded and hybrid systems, parallel and distributed operating systems, advanced execution systems, and systems modeling and analysis. Projects may range in size from single investigators to teams of several investigators. For more information: www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf04609.

ONR Cross-Disciplinary Approach to the Modeling, Analysis, and Control of Wireless Communications Networks ~ Deadline November 18
The Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program, including the Office of Naval Research (ONR), supports basic science and engineering research of critical importance to national defense. The program is focused on multidisciplinary research efforts that intersect more than one traditional science and engineering discipline. The objective of a cross-disciplinary approach to the modeling, analysis, and control of wireless communications networks is to use insights from multiple disciplines in networking and complex systems to develop analytical models and tools for describing, analyzing, predicting, and controlling the behavior of mobile ad hoc networks. Optional white papers are due August 12. For more information: www.onr.navy.mil/02/baa/.

Find MORE on the ORSP Funding Opportunities Recent Announcements page

SEARCH for Funding Opportunities using Community of Science

New FY06 Rates for Proposal Preparation
Effective July 1, 2005, the following new rates should be used in the preparation of budgets for proposals to be submitted for external funding:

Fringe Benefits:
28.88% of salaries and wages for faculty and staff; 3% for students
Tuition Remission:
$2,160/semester; $4,320/academic year

For more information on budget rates and policies and other institutional information for proposal preparation, see www.olemiss.edu../../../toolbox/current_rates.html.

Faculty Travel Support Leads to Funding for Biology PI
Tamar Goulet, Assistant Professor of Biology, recently received word that her National Science Foundation Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) proposal, re-submitted in December 2004, has been funded. Earlier in the Fall of 2004, the ORSP’s Faculty Travel Support program provided funding for Dr. Goulet to travel to Washington to speak with NSF program officers about the proposal. Although her first CCLI proposal had been declined, Dr. Goulet feels sure that her personal discussions with the program officers at NSF headquarters helped her revise the proposal in ways that led to its ultimate success. Travel to meet with program officers is only one of the ways in which the Faculty Travel Support program can help ~ others include networking with collaborators, learning a new technique or application, consulting with expert advisors, examining original sources or material evidence, collecting documentation, utilizing or evaluating special collections, conducting interviews or surveys, and more. For a complete description of the program’s purpose and what it supports, read the guidelines posted at the link above.

WARNING: Watch that Formatting!
One of our UM PIs recently had an NIH proposal returned so that corrections could be made to the document’s formatting. Updated instructions for the PHS 298 application package (used for DHHS Public Health Service proposals, including NIH) were announced last March (grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-039.html). Included was information about additional acceptable fonts. Applicants may now use an Arial, Helvetica, Palatino Linotype or Georgia typeface and a font size of 11 points or larger. A Symbol font may be used to insert Greek letters or special characters; the font size requirement still applies. Also make sure only standard character spacing is used (not condensed, no kerning). For the full text of instructions, see grants.nih.gov/grants/forms.htm.

NIH Announces New Closeout Feature
NIH recipients must submit within 90 calendar days after the last day of the final budget period a Final Financial Status Report, a Final Progress Report, and a Final Invention Statement and Certification (as applicable). The eRA Commons now includes the capability to electronically submit required Closeout Reports. ORSP staff members monitor the eRA Commons site for UM grants in Closeout status, and coordinate the preparation and submission of required reports (contact Anita Randle, Contracts and Grants Specialist, for more information). Grantees are reminded that Closeout is not complete until all reports have been submitted. For complete information, see grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-051.html.

NIH Announces New Functionality in Manuscript Submission System
Now a third party (e.g., assistant, librarian, publisher, etc.), with the author’s permission, can upload Public Access Policy related manuscripts to the NIH Manuscript Submission system on behalf of the author. To do so, click on “MyNCBI” from www.nihms.nih.gov/. For more information about the Public Access Policy, see www.nih.gov/about/publicaccess/.

All Together Now ~ Well, Almost
The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs has now consolidated most of its staff and services on the first floor of the Old Chemistry building. Visitors are requested to use the building’s west entry door (nearest the Lyceum) and go to the new ORSP Reception Desk in 113 Old Chemistry.

• The Division of Research Integrity and Compliance (IRB and IACUC) has re-located from Vardaman Hall to Old Chemistry.
• Vice Chancellor Alice Clark’s office (formerly 112 Lyceum) and staff have re-located to 304 Lyceum. 
• Division of Technology Management staff remain in their locations in the National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR). 

Staff telephone extensions and email addresses are unchanged, and all can be reached by phone through the main ORSP number, 915-7482.

Division of Research
The Research Division is pleased to welcome Lesha Agnew as our new Program Development Specialist serving the Schools of Accountancy, Applied Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, and Pharmacy. Lesha comes to UM and ORSP with a degree in paralegal studies, work experience in community development and corrections, and — most importantly — familiarity with federal grants and grants management. She joins Mickey McLaurin (College of Liberal Arts, Schools of Education and Law) offering support and services to UM faculty for proposal development and submission. Contact Lesha through the main ORSP number, 915-7482, or via email.

Division of Sponsored Programs Administration
§ In June, we said goodbye to Kim Driesbach, our Contracts and Grants Accountant, when she went to join her husband, Chuck, at Michigan State. Taking Kim’s place in the position is Linda Stone. Linda has been our Sponsored Programs Coordinator for several years, but with her degree in accounting, she will be a real asset to the ORSP in her new role. Her responsibilities will include working with PIs and grant administrators to develop proposal budgets and to address questions or problems with budgets after the award.
§ In July, we welcomed Sandra Allen as our new Administrative Secretary. Sandra comes to us from the School of Education with a world of experience and knowledge of university policies and procedures. You’ll find Sandra at the new ORSP Reception Desk in 113 Old Chemistry (use the building’s west entry door, nearest the Lyceum) — she will be happy to direct you to the appropriate staff person for your needs.

For complete information about the ORSP — mission, structure, services, responsibilities, and more — visit the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs page

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs oversees funding for research, service,
education projects. These activities complement the fundamental aspects of The University of Mississippi’s mission and are among its most tangible contributions to the future. Funding for these activities is one of the best measures of a university’s success in engaging with national and international communities.

All of us who have sought funding to test our ideas know that it is difficult and that the communities to which we belong are highly competitive. That spirit of competition is critical and it contributes more than a little to the relief and excitement a researcher feels on receiving a funding award.

Listed below are our colleagues who have been notified of external funding awards in the last calendar month. Please join me in congratulating them. The news of their discoveries and the importance of their contributions are part of all of our futures and the future of Ole Miss.

Alice M. Clark, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research and Sponsored Programs

June Proposals Submitted: 34

June Awards Received: 26 totalling $3,087,843

FY05 Awards Total (July 04-June 05): $67,986,974

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