ResearchHighlights Newsletter

January 2006

Welcome to ResearchHighlights, the online newsletter of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at The University of Mississippi. Archives of past issues are available here. For more information, or to submit news items or story ideas, please email the editor.

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
University of Mississippi
662.915.7482 voice
662.915.7577 fax
Quotation Corner ~
Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.
FOCUS: SURA — Engine for Collaboration

Since its inception in 1980, the 60-member Southeastern Universities Research Association, known as SURA, has sought to foster collaboration among researchers at universities from Delaware to Texas. SURA’s precept — that collaboration is the engine for scientific discovery — is borne out in its mission to grow and strengthen the scientific and technical capabilities of the nation and the Southeast.

The original goal for SURA’s 13 pioneering universities was to secure the contract for a new nuclear physics research lab being planned by the U.S. Department of Energy. University physicists developed a new technology — superconducting radiofrequency — and the SURA team used it to build a mile-long high-powered electron accelerator at what became the DOE’s Jefferson Lab (JLab) in Newport News, Virginia. By the mid-1980s, SURA had fostered scientific research that strengthened the computer resources needed to facilitate internet scientific collaboration via the internet, and SURAnet was born. By the mid 1990s SURA had identified a way to bring the intellectual talent of the coastal research community together, thus forming the SURA Coastal Ocean Observation and Prediction initiative, or SCOOP.

No longer confined to the southeast, SURA’s mission has grown to encompass university research collaborations outside of the South from Massachusetts to Texas, and has widened its focus with opportunities beyond its three primary areas of nuclear physics, information technology and coastal research.

Dr. Alice Clark, UM Vice Chancellor for Research and Sponsored Programs, currently serves on the SURA board of trustees and its development and relations committees. “The development committee plans to continue providing our university members with expanded opportunities for tech transfer, joint research and commercialization of intellectual property through licensing and startups,” said Dr. Clark. “As a member institution with representatives on each of the standing committees of SURA, our faculty have a voice in the future direction of the consortium and their activities. I am eager to hear ideas from our faculty about programs we might seek to advance through SURA.”

According to the SURA website, projects considered for SURA sponsorship must meet the following criteria:

  • High standards of scientific excellence;
  • Contribute significantly to the nation’s research capabilities and the advancement of science;
  • Best be handled by a consortium, rather than a single institution;
  • Strengthen the scientific stature of the participating institutions and benefit the Southeast; and,
  • Draw on inspired, dedicated leadership.

For more information, visit the SURA web site at www.sura.org.

Speaking of COS

COS Acquired by CSA
Community of Science (COS) is now a division of CSA, a worldwide provider of information to the research community based in Bethesda, Maryland. An announcement to COS subscribers issued on December 20, 2005, reads in part:

The acquisition of COS by CSA will provide additional opportunities for our customers, enabling COS to offer you a new generation of products and services. For more than 30 years, CSA has provided information for researchers to help them be more effective in their work by aiding the management and organization of quality information. If you haven't heard of CSA, your library staff surely has. CSA specializes in publishing and distributing more than 100 bibliographic and full-text databases and journals in four primary editorial areas: natural sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, and technology. For more information about CSA, please visit www.csa.com.

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs has subscribed to COS since 2003 as a service to all UM researchers and scholars.

Don't know about Community of Science?
Check out our COS page, the newsletter article published in January 2005, and/or the COS home page at www.cos.com.

Some Upcoming Events

National Ecological Observatory Network Seminar at UM ~ 323 Shoemaker Hall, 2:00 p.m. January 23
William K. Michener ~ Co-Director, NEON Project Office, American Institute of Biological Sciences

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a research platform designed to advance understanding of how ecosystems and organisms respond to variations in climate and changes in land use. NEON is the first long-term ecological observatory conceived as a continental-scale network; equipped with standardized sensors, cyberinfrastructure, and data-collection protocols across the network; and designed to simultaneously address a common set of research questions and support investigator-driven ecological research in all regions of the United States. Observatory data will also be part of a national education program created in conjunction with NEON science to advance ecological science literacy and to engage citizen scientists in hands-on ecological learning experiences. For background information on the National Ecological Observatory Network, visit www.neoninc.org.

American Society for Microbiology Biodefense Research Meeting ~ February 15–18
The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) will hold its fourth annual Biodefense Research Meeting in Washington, DC in February. The purpose of this meeting is to bring together researchers from academia, industry, and government agencies who are carrying out research to defend against the growing threat of bioterrorism and decision makers shaping the future biodefense research agenda. It is intended for scientists, public health researchers and policy makers who need to be informed about the latest scientific developments. The meeting will include a series of keynote addresses by leaders in the field of biodefense and poster sessions presenting up-to-the-minute cutting-edge research on biothreat agents, vaccines, detection and diagnostic procedures, animal and plant pathogens, biosecurity facilities, global surveillance, the training of individuals in BL3 and BL4 labs, and other vital topics. Complete information and registration is at www.asmbiodefense.org.

National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Annual Meeting ~ March 23-25
The NCIIA fosters invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship in higher education to create innovative, commercially viable, and socially beneficial businesses and employment opportunities in the U.S. The program was founded on the premise that invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship are essential components of the higher education curriculum, and vital to the nation's economic future. In March the NCIAA will celebrate 10 years of innovative education at U.S. colleges and universities at its three-day annual meeting. www.nciia.org

Reinventing Mississippi: The Role of Nonprofits and Volunteers ~ April 19-21, 2006
Original manuscripts that address issues pertaining to the importance of volunteerism with an emphasis on social, cultural, political, historical and economic dimensions of volunteering will be considered for publication in an anthology and/or presentation at this conference, to be held in Jackson. Empirical and conceptual/theoretical papers written with practitioners, community groups or individuals from an array of disciplines are strongly encouraged. Sponsored by the Mississippi Volunteer Service Commission in conjunction with the Jackson State University Department of History and Philosophy. Abstracts of no more than two pages, double spaced, or queries, may be submitted by January 15, 2006, to Dr. Elizabeth Overman.

Social Capital Foundation Seminar on Social Fragility ~ June 26-28, 2006
The Social Capital Foundation invites all interested persons or organizations to present a paper at its upcoming international, interdisciplinary seminar on social fragility that will be held on June 16-18, 2006, at the American University in Bulgaria, in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. Additionally, the THRACE project (Targeting Human Research for Anchoring Cooperative Evolutions in Europe ) supported by The Social Capital Foundation will be presented at the seminar. It is an investigation on how to use social capital to favor transborder cooperation in the border regions of Europe, and to elaborate appropriate tools for doing so. For more information please go to http://www.socialcapital-foundation.org/conferences/synopsis.htm.

A Few Program Announcements and Deadlines

Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards ~ UM Internal Deadline January 26
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) has announced the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award competition for 2006. These awards are intended to enrich the research and professional growth of junior faculty and result in new funding opportunities. Full-time assistant professors at ORAU member institutions within two years of their initial tenure track appointment ( 2/3/2004 through 2/3/2006 ) at the time of application are eligible to be nominated by their institution. The research project must be in one of the following five disciplines: Engineering and Applied Science; Life Sciences; Mathematics/Computer Sciences; Physical Sciences; Policy, Management, or Education.
:: UM is limited to two nominations for this program. In order to be considered for nomination you must follow the instructions given at the following web site: http://www.orau.org/academic/financial/Poweinstruc.htm. Submit your three documents via email attachment to Maribeth Stolzenburg before 5:00 p.m. on January 26, 2006. Potential nominees should also confirm that their department chair or dean has sent their required letter of recommendation (in Word or WordPerfect format) via email attachment to Maribeth Stolzenburg before the January 26 internal deadline. These letters can be addressed to Dr. Alice M. Clark, Vice Chancellor for Research and Sponsored Programs, University of Mississippi. All application materials will be reviewed, UM nominees will be selected, and prospective applicants will be contacted by the ORSP prior to the February 3 ORAU deadline. Questions can be directed to Maribeth Stolzenburg, Lesha Agnew, or Mickey McLaurin in the ORSP.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Fresh Ideas: Community-Based Approaches to Improve Care for Vulnerable Populations ~ Continuous Solicitation (letters of intent accepted until further notice)
The Vulnerable Populations Portfolio of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is seeking new community-based approaches to health and health care problems that intersect with social factors--such as inadequate housing, poor education and poverty. The foundation is interested in projects that serve hard-to-reach individuals and families, especially new immigrants and refugees, frail older adults and at-risk adolescents. www.rwjf.org/applications/program/cfp.jsp?ID=19480

James S. McDonnell Foundation: Studying Complex Systems - 21st Century Science Collaborative Activity ~ Continuous Solicitation (letters of inquiry accepted any time)
The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) offers Collaborative Activity Awards to initiate interdisciplinary discussions on problems or issues, to help launch interdisciplinary research networks, or to fund communities of researchers/practitioners dedicated to developing new methods, tools, and applications of basic research to applied problems. The Complex Systems program supports scholarship and research directed toward the development of theoretical and mathematical tools that can be applied to the study of complex, nonlinear systems. It is anticipated that research funded in this program will address issues in fields such as biology, biodiversity, climate, demography, epidemiology, technological change, economic development, governance, or computation. www.jsmf.org/programs/cs/

Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation Grants ~ Deadline February 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. The mission of the ABMRF grant program is to energize the field by helping researchers begin their careers and position them to attract greater funding from other sources with the track record resulting from a Foundation grant. Highest funding priority is given to young investigators, new to the field or trained in the field, 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. www.abmrf.org

Alliance for Prudent Use of Antibiotics: Reservoirs of Antibiotic Resistance ~ Deadline February 1
The Reservoirs of Antibiotic Resistance (ROAR) Project, coordinated by the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, is an unprecedented effort to improve scientific understanding of the role of commensal bacteria in the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. Preference will be given to those studies which produce a volume of data sufficient to facilitate risk analysis and mathematical modeling, providing a basis for ROAR’s quantitative assessment of the relationship between resistance in commensals and resistance in pathogens. Preference will be given to proposed projects that address one or more of the following areas: (1) modeling of antibiotic resistance; (2) characterization of antibiotic resistance in commensals; (3) development of phylogenetically informative genome-based typing schemes. www.roarproject.org

Whitehall Foundation Grant Programs ~ Deadline April 15
The Whitehall Foundation, through its program of grants and grants-in-aid, assists scholarly research in the life sciences. It is the foundation's policy to assist those dynamic areas of basic biological research that are not heavily supported by federal agencies or other foundations with specialized missions. The foundation is currently interested in basic research in neurobiology, defined as follows: Invertebrate and vertebrate (excluding clinical) neurobiology, specifically investigations of neural mechanisms involved in sensory, motor, and other complex functions of the whole organism as these relate to behavior. Research Grants are available to established scientists of all ages working at accredited institutions in the United States. The Grants-in-Aid program is designed for researchers at the assistant professor level who experience difficulty in competing for research funds because they have not yet become firmly established. Grants-in-Aid can also be made to senior scientists. www.whitehall.org/grants/

National Institute of Standards and Technology Electronics and Electrical Engineering Grants ~ Deadline June 30
The Electronics and Electrical Engineering Grants Program solicits proposals to support specific programs in the areas of metrology for semiconductors (including mainstream silicon, power devices, and compound semiconductors), superconductors (including cryoelectronics and bulk superconductors), electronic instrumentation, radio-frequency technology (including microwave and millimeter-wave, antennas, and electromagnetic compatibility/interference), optoelectronics, magnetics (including bulk magnetic materials and magnetic data storage), video (including flat-panel displays), electronic commerce as applied to electronic products and devices, the transmission and distribution of electrical power, national electrical standards (fundamental, generally quantum-based physical standards), and law enforcement (clothing, communication systems, emergency equipment, investigative aids, protective equipment, security systems, vehicles, speed-measuring equipment, weapons, and analytical techniques and standard reference materials used by the public safety community). a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-24424.htm

National Science Foundation Ecosystem Science ~ Deadline July 9
The Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) supports fundamental research on the origins, functions, relationships, interactions, and evolutionary history of populations, species, communities, and ecosystems. Scientific emphases include biodiversity, molecular genetic and genomic evolution, mesoscale ecology, conservation biology, global change, and restoration ecology. The Ecosystem Science Cluster supports research on natural, managed, and disturbed ecosystems, including those in terrestrial, freshwater, and wetland (including salt marsh) environments. The Ecosystem Studies focus area supports investigations of whole-system ecological processes and relationships in ecosystems across a diversity of spatial and temporal (including paleo) scales. www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12822&org=DEB

Find MORE on the ORSP Funding Opportunities Recent Announcements page

SEARCH for Funding Opportunities using Community of Science

Bits & Pieces

NIH AREA Grants Transitioning to Electronic Submission in February
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA/R15) grant program is transitioning to electronic submission. All AREA grant applications for the February 25, 2006 submission date and beyond will require electronic submission through Grants.gov using the SF424 (R&R) application. Paper PHS398 applications will no longer be accepted. For detailed information regarding the NIH electronic submission program, please visit era.nih.gov/ElectronicReceipt/, or contact your Program Development Specialist in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.

REMINDER: UM Transmittal Sheet No Longer Uses SS Number
Last October the UM Transmittal Sheet for Sponsored Projects was revised to eliminate the need to enter the investigator's Social Security Number, requiring instead the UM Employee ID Number (available from Human Resources or your department office, and also printed on each pay stub). Please discard any previous versions of the transmittal sheet you may have stored on your computer and download the current version from the ORSP website (link above). [NOTE: The PDF version of the transmittal sheet has not yet been updated, pending other proposed changes. If you need to use the PDF version instead of the MS Word version, just enter your Employee ID Number in the blank marked “Social Security Number.”]

Travel Mileage Rate Decreased
The travel mileage allowance was decreased from $.485/mile to $.445/mile, effective 01/09/2006.  Updated travel reimbursement forms are available on the Procurement website.

ORSP News

Division of Research
:: Travel Funding ~ In the first six months of FY06, the ORSP Faculty Travel Support program has helped fund 39 research-related trips by UM faculty across all disciplines, for a total of $23,302. The primary purpose of Faculty Travel Support is to provide funds for UM faculty members to take part in development activities that will lead to new or extended research, scholarly or creative work. Applications are due in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs by 5:00 p.m. on the 15th of each month (see guidelines for deadline details). Highest priority for awards is given to junior faculty members (below Associate Professor rank). For senior faculty, supplemental funds may be available in exceptional cases when the travel is also supported by other institutional sources.
:: December Activity ~ Proposal Development Specialists Lesha Agnew and Mickey McLaurin processed 22 external funding proposals during December 2005.

Division of Sponsored Programs Administration
:: December Activity ~ SPA Division staff (Scottie Casey, Euphiazene Gray, Anita Randle, Linda Stone) processed 9 external funding awards during December 2005.

Division of Technology Management
:: Since the beginning of FY06 the Division of Technology Management has added several new departments to the list of those that have reported inventions and that have been involved in cultivating relationships with industry related to UM's research strengths. The interest from companies based in Mississippi has been particularly strong this year, and we look forward to continuing that trend.
:: To date in FY06, UM faculty, staff, and students have reported 10 inventions, had two new patent applications filed, and have been issued one patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and several patents outside the U.S. Several other patent applications are in the draft stage.
:: Our office has also executed more than 35 agreements with other institutions, government agencies and corporate partners. These agreements have involved 19 different Principal Investigators from five different research areas. There are currently more than 60 additional agreements in negotiation related to technology transfer and business development activities.
:: Faculty, staff and students who are interested in discussing intellectual property protection, starting a company around one of their technologies, or other topics related to technology management can contact our office at any time to schedule a visit. Our staff has made several overview presentations to individual departments and schools and welcomes further opportunities. The Technology Management page on the ORSP website has been recently updated to include additional information on these topics.

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

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 Signature

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

PI Name
PI Department/Unit
Co-PI Name/s
Ethridge, R. Sociology and Anthropology
Johnson, L. MS Judicial College
Morris, B. Journalism
Oakley, C. National Food Service Management Institute
Rimoldi, J. Medicinal Chemistry Fitch, J.
Seiner, J. National Center for Physical Acoustics
Uddin, W. Civil Engineering
Vanderlip, M. Small Business Development Center Gurley, W.
Ward, J. History

December Proposals Submitted: 22

December Awards Received: 9 totalling $453,206

FY06 Awards Total (July 1-December 31, 2005): $34,065,483

Copyright ©1999-2005 The University of Mississippi. All rights reserved.
Please send comments and suggestions to ORSP web page manager.
Back to ResearchHighlights Issue Listing