Greetings from the University of Mississippi’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP). We here at ORSP look forward to another exciting year as University of Mississippi researchers continue their long-term pursuits and take on fresh projects.

To kick off the year in research, Ole Miss is hosting a special visitor in conjunction with the Presidential Debate. On September 3, our community will have the opportunity to hear Norm Augustine speak about the state of research funding in the U.S. and the impact it may have on job opportunities during a lecture entitled “Can America Compete for 21st Century Jobs?” Augustine’s expertise on the subject previously led to his position as Chair of the Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century. The committee, created in 2005 by the National Academy of Sciences at the behest of several Congressmen, analyzed America’s research funding climate and determined what strategies will best secure our nation’s position as a leader in science and technology in the years to come. Augustine will highlight the pressing changes our country must make to ensure America remains a top competitor in research and development.

A committed proponent of science and engineering advancement, Augustine has served as the CEO and Chairman of the Lockheed Martin Corporation and is currently a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Advisory Council. Augustine’s work with the Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st Century resulted in the publication of a 2005 report, “Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future,” and ultimately led to the passage of the America Creating Opportunities To Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act (America COMPETES Act). Enacted in 2007, America COMPETES is expansive; among its many provisions, the Act increases federal research funding by as much as double in some areas, authorizes new grants at the elementary and secondary education levels, and expands existing graduate research fellowships. The allowances accorded by America COMPETES will enable the next generation of scholars to meet their fullest potential and generate the new ideas and innovations necessary to solve the complex scientific and technological challenges we face here and throughout the world.

Augustine’s lecture will focus on America’s ability to maintain a leading position in science, engineering, and innovation, and explain how insufficient government funding could weaken American competitiveness. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to hear Augustine speak and hope the Ole Miss community will take away a greater understanding of recent research funding advancements and the need to continue our dedication in order to propel future advancements.

“Can America Compete for 21st Century Jobs?” will be presented on September 3, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. at Fulton Chapel.

http://events.olemiss.edu/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=4346

RAMP Workshops ~ Fall 2008 Schedule

Would you like to ramp up your skills in research administration?   If so, then the ORSP’s Research Administration and Management Program (RAMP) is for you.   We are offering the following classes in the fall semester.   Class size is limited to ten participants.   Contact Sandra Allen at x7482 or swallen@olemiss.edu to register.

Thursday, September 11, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
208 Barr Hall
Module 1: The Basics
This module will discuss the research enterprise here at Ole Miss.   It will talk about our mission as a public research institution and how research ties into our mission.   It will give an overview of research at Ole Miss.   It will talk about how to distinguish between sponsored programs and gifts; it will give information on the ORSP, as well as other University offices that are part of the research infrastructure at Ole Miss.   It will explain the purpose of F&A (indirect costs) and explain how our F&A rate is determined.

Thursday, September 18, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
208 Barr Hall
Module 2: Proposal and Budget Preparation

Module 2 will discuss in detail each of the elements of a proposal, focusing intently on the proposal budget.   Discussion of the budget will include topics related to direct costs and F&A (indirect) costs.   This module will also explain allowable and unallowable costs.   It will address the specifics of cost sharing.   This module will also briefly talk about certifications and assurances that are commonly submitted along with proposals to external funding agencies.  

Thursday, October 9, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
208 Barr Hall
Module 3: Overview of Regulations and Compliance

This module will cover federal, state and other regulations governing grants, cooperative agreements and contracts.   This module will also cover federal agency-specific regulations governing research grants and cooperative agreements; university policies regarding common transactions on sponsored projects; and compliance issues in university research.

Thursday, October 23, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
208 Barr Hall
Module 4: Post-Award Administration of Sponsored Projects

This module will explain what happens after a proposal is funded including award receipt, award review, award negotiation, award acceptance, account set-up, and the basics of award management.   This module will also provide detailed information on some of the most common post-award administration activities including changes to an existing award, subawards, regrants, reporting, award closeout, and beyond closeout.

Thursday, November 6, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
208 Barr Hall
Module 5: Financial Administration of Sponsored Projects

This module will provide detailed information on post-award financial topics including account set-up; allowability, allocability, and reasonableness of costs; unallowable costs; special costing issues; account oversight; and account closeout.

Thursday, November 20, 2008
10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
208 Barr Hall
Module 6: Effort Reporting and Certification

Module 6 will provide detailed information on the effort reporting and certification process at The University of Mississippi.

Share Funding Information with Colleagues with COS Share Searches
If you publish an electronic newsletter or manage a listserv or website for colleagues and collaborators, you can easily create and share links to COS funding opportunities using the Share Searches feature. The Share Searches feature makes it easy to create dynamic links that always provide users with the most up-to-date information:

• Set up and run a funding search (starting at http://fundingopps.cos.com/ )
• At the top of the results page, click Save Search
• In the Saved Searches section of your COS Workbench, click the Share link
• Enter your email address to share the search with yourself
• You'll receive an email with a URL, which will always link to the most current results of that search, no matter when you click on it
• Include that URL in your newsletters and emails, or use it to create a link on your website

You can share a search as many times as you like, and you can save up to 40 searches, potentially creating searches for several different projects or groups of collaborators.

Don't Know About COS?
Check out our COS page, the January 2005, September 2006, and March 2007 newsletter articles, and/or the COS home page. COS is for all UM faculty in all academic disciplines and research areas.

Joint User Meeting: Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences and Shared Research Equipment User Facility ~ September 24-26 in Oak Ridge TN
The Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) <http://www.cnms.ornl.gov/>  and the Shared Research Equipment User Facility (SHaRE) <http://www.ms.ornl.gov/share/>  at Oak Ridge National Laboratory will hold their 2008 annual user meetings jointly on September 24-26, 2008 at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The annual user meeting combines oral presentations, poster sessions, tours, workshops and tutorials into a compact program designed to illuminate the frontiers of nanoscience research and acquaint researchers with the scientific resources for nanoscience and advanced electron microscopy that these two user facilities offer to them. The preliminary agenda is available on the User Meeting Website <http://www.cnms.ornl.gov/workshops/2008/announcement.shtm> . The CNMS and SHaRE user facilities are supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences <http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/BES.html>  to provide specialized instrumentation and expertise to researchers from universities, national laboratories, and industry that enables them to conduct forefront research that would otherwise not be possible with resources at their home institutions.

Homeland Security Workshop for Minority Serving Institutions ~ October 2 in Houston (Texas Southern University)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of University Programs will present a technical assistance workshop aimed to provide information on ways in which faculty and students from Minority Serving Institutions can take advantage of the different programs and initiatives available through the DHS Science and Technology Directorate.  These programs and initiatives are intended to provide funding for scholarships and fellowships, internships, and research for faculty and students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and social sciences. Additional workshop sessions are on October 30 in New York and November 13 in California. For more information about the workshops and registration, visit www.orau.gov/dhsmsiworkshop . 

Hyperspectral Infrared Imager (HyspIRI) Science Workshop October 21-23 in Monrovia CA
In its Decadal Survey Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond, the National Research Council of the National Academies recommended a satellite mission to produce global observations of multiple Earth surface attributes for a variety of terrestrial and aquatic studies, the management of terrestrial and coastal natural resources, and forecasting ecological changes and natural hazards. Currently known as HyspIRI, this mission is in the conceptual design phase at NASA.  NASA will convene a science community workshop on October 21-23, 2008, in Monrovia, CA to discuss and review a draft white paper containing the scientific rationale for the HyspIRI mission.  Workshop participants must register on the Internet at http://hyspiri.jpl.nasa.gov/ (no registration fee).

Coastal Research Symposium October 28-29 in Biloxi
The Mississippi-Alabama Bays and Bayous Symposium will be held October 28-29 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi, Mississippi. The symposium will provide a forum for the exchange of technical, yet practical, information among scientists, resource managers, elected officials, community leaders, marine industries, community-based organizations and individuals. This year, presentations at the symposium will focus on living marine resources, natural hazards resiliency and the ocean’s role in climate, community action and coastal stewardship, water quality and nutrient input, habitat management and restoration, and extension, outreach and education. People interested in presenting research, field experience or other information at the symposium should submit abstracts describing the content of their presentations to Bays and Bayous organizers. Abstracts for oral or poster presentations must be received by Aug. 1. For more information, including guidelines for submitting abstracts, go to masgc.org/baysandbayous.

2008 Sigma Xi Annual Meeting and Student Research Conference ~ November 20-23 in Washington
The 2008 Meeting will feature talks by Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director Charles Elachi, Inforex President Robert Boily, General Motors engineer Patrick Usoro and University of Oxford mathematician Mason Porter. Also featured is a one day mini-conference on Saturday, November 22 focusing on the critical issue of water. Peter H. Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute, Andras Szollosi-Nagy, director of UNESCO’s Division of Water Sciences, and Peter Thum, founder of Ethos Water will participate in a special panel discussion. Student Research Conference events will be held on November 21-22.  Undergraduate and graduate students will present research, participate in mentoring and networking activities, panel discussions, and other events. Complete meeting information is at www.sigmaxi.org/meetings/annual/index.shtml .

NSF Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships ~ Deadline September 30 (preproposals)
The National Science Foundation Science and Technology Centers (STC): Integrative Partnerships program supports innovative, potentially transformative, complex research and education projects that require large-scale, long-term awards. STCs conduct world-class research through partnerships among academic institutions, national laboratories, industrial organizations, and/or other public/private entities, and via international collaborations, as appropriate. They provide a means to undertake important investigations at the interfaces of disciplines and/or fresh approaches within disciplines. STC investments support the NSF vision of advancing discovery, innovation and education beyond the frontiers of current knowledge, and empowering future generations in science and engineering.  Centers provide a rich environment for encouraging future scientists, engineers, and educators to take risks in pursuing discoveries and new knowledge. STCs foster excellence in education by integrating education and research, and by creating bonds between learning and inquiry so that discovery and creativity fully support the learning process.
Sponsor Website: www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08580/nsf08580.htm 
COS Record: fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=48838

ACS Astellas USA Foundation Awards ~ Deadline October 1
The American Chemical Society is soliciting nominations for three grants of $30,000 each, funded by the Astellas USA Foundation's Astellas Awards Program.  Individuals or teams who exemplify the criterion of having significantly contributed to scientific research that improved public health through their contributions in the chemical and related sciences are eligible. Nominations should include a brief description explaining why the nominee should be considered for the award, specifically identifying the contribution to public health which has resulted from the nominee's work, a list of publications and/or patents demonstrating the impact of the research, a biographical sketch of the nominee, and two letters of support from scientific colleagues familiar with the nominee's work.
Sponsor Website: www.acs.org/awards (under Astellas Awards)
COS Record: fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=110362

NIDA Medications Development for Polydrug Addiction Treatment ~ Deadlines October 5, February 5, June 5
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is seeking medication discovery and development research grant applications focused on the treatment of patients who are simultaneously addicted to multiple substances, including alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs and/or prescription drugs. Novel proposals for clinical or preclinical testing of potential medications, as well as relevant animal model development and medicinal chemistry efforts, are encouraged. Both R01 and R21 funding types are available.
Sponsor Website: grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAS-08-186.html (R01)
COS Record: fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=114779

NIEHS Outstanding New Environmental Scientist Award ~ Deadline October 31
NOTE: Only one application per school or college within a university will be accepted, so internal coordination by the UM Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) is required.  Those planning to apply should contact Linda Sperath in the ORSP (lsperath@olemiss.edu) no later than September 1, 2008 for assistance with this process.
This National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences opportunity seeks to promote career advancement of the most highly creative and promising new scientists who intend to make a long-term career commitment to research in the mainstream of the environmental health sciences, and bring innovative, ground-breaking research initiatives and thinking to bear on the problems of how environmental exposures affect human biology, human pathophysiology and human disease. Research projects proposed in response to this FOA will be expected to have a defined impact on the environmental health sciences and be responsive to the mission of the NIEHS, which is distinguished from that of other Institutes by its focus on research programs seeking to link the effects of environmental exposures to the cause, mechanisms, moderation, or prevention of a human disease or disorder or relevant pathophysiologic process.
Sponsor Website: grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-ES-08-003.html
COS Record: fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=114556

NSF Developmental and Learning Sciences ~ Deadlines January 15, July 15
This National Science Foundation program supports fundamental research that increases our understanding of cognitive, linguistic, social, cultural, and biological processes related to children's and adolescents' development and learning. Research supported by this program will add to our basic knowledge of how people learn and the underlying developmental processes that support learning, with the objective of leading to better educated children and adolescents who grow up to take productive roles as workers and as citizens. Among the many research topics supported by DLS are developmental cognitive neuroscience; development of higher-order cognitive processes; transfer of knowledge from one domain or situation to another; use of molecular genetics to study continuities and discontinuities in development; development of peer relations and family interactions; multiple influences on development, including the impact of family, school, community, social institutions, and the media; adolescents' preparation for entry into the workforce; cross-cultural research on development and learning; and the role of cultural influences and demographic characteristics on development. Additional priorities include research that: incorporates multidisciplinary, multi-method, microgenetic, and longitudinal approaches; develops new methods, models, and theories for studying learning and development; and integrates different processes (e.g., learning, memory, emotion), levels of analysis (e.g., behavioral, social, neural), and time scales (e.g. infancy, middle childhood, adolescence).
Sponsor Website: www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=8671
COS Record: fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=39391

Find MORE on the ORSP Funding Opportunities Recent Announcements page

SEARCH using COS Funding Opportunities

Congratulations! Chambliss Elected by APhA
Walt Chambliss, ORSP Director of Technology Management, has been chosen President-Elect of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Research and Science of the American Pharmacists Association.  Beginning in March 2009, Chambliss will serve as President-Elect for one year and President for two years. The ORSP congratulates Dr. Chambliss on this significant professional honor.

Welcome New ORSP Staff Members
Cynthia Evans joined us in July in the ORSP Division of Sponsored Programs Administration as a Sponsored Programs Accountant. Cynthia comes to the ORSP from the Physical Plant. She will be responsible for random audits of all awards, monitoring of construction awards, and assisting with special projects; she will also assist with other areas of sponsored programs administration as needed.
Jennifer Harjes came to the ORSP Division of Technology Management in June as the Manager of Project Resources. Jennifer is an attorney and has served as a Senior Financial Analyst for Entergy Corporation. She will be responsible for managing the fiscal and operational aspects of the Division.
Beth Stidham is also a new Sponsored Programs Accountant in the ORSP Division of Sponsored Programs Administration, coming to us in July from the Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute. She will be responsible for checking proposal budgets for accuracy and compliance, monitoring the fiscal aspects related to research subcontracts, and serving as UM's Federal Property Administrator.

Proposal Activity ~ UM faculty and staff submitted 63 external funding proposals during July 2008. For a complete listing, see the July 2008 Report page.

Award Activity ~ UM faculty and staff received 10 external funding awards during July 2008. For a complete listing, see the July 2008 Report page.

Faculty Travel Support
In July a total of $1,000 was awarded by the ORSP to help support research-related travel. Examples of research purposes for which faculty have recently received support include:

• Attend short course/workshop to learn new methods for research analysis
• Gather research data for current projects through interviews and consultations while at conference
• Meet with collaborator to plan grant proposal while at conference
• Attend continuing education course, meet with program officers and with collaborators while at conference
• Conduct manuscript research in archival library
• Consult documents in a private library collection

The Faculty Travel Support guidelines, application, and FAQ are found on the ORSP Internal Support page: www.olemiss.edu/depts/research/funding/orsp_internal.html .

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, and 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

SUMMARY OF AWARDS RECEIVED ~ July 2008

PI Name	PI Department/Unit	Co-PI Name/s
Beason, K.	Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management
Gilbert, K. (2 awards)	National Center for Physical Acoustics
Harper, M.	Center for Educational Research and Evaluation
McConnell, G. (2 awards)	Curriculum and Instruction
McCurdy, C.	Medicinal Chemistry
Nagle, D.	Pharmacognosy	Zhou, Y.
Sabatier, J.	National Center for Physical Acoustics
Seiner, J.	National Center for Physical Acoustics

July 2008 Report: A list of awards received and proposals submitted by The University of Mississippi in the previous month.

July Proposals Submitted: 63 from 47 Principal Investigators

July Awards Received: 10 totaling $1,930,460

FY09 Year-to-Date Number of Active Sponsored Projects: 331

FY09 Year-to-Date Number of Active Investigators: 183