The University of Mississippi’s Patents and Inventions Policy has been revised, and the new version was approved by the Institutions of Higher Learning in May 2008. The new policy supersedes the previous version, effective since 1992. Inventions disclosed to the University before the effective date of the new policy will be governed by the previous policy (both are now available online in the University’s Policy Directory).

This policy revision is the result of a year-long updating effort. The University Research Board (URB) commissioned a sub-committee in 2007 to review UM's Patents and Inventions Policy and Copyright Policy. The Technology Management Division of the ORSP, with the help of Will Wilkins, Director of the Mississippi Law Research Institute, completed a benchmarking study of intellectual property policies from more than 20 similar universities and presented the findings to the sub-committee. The sub-committee recommended several changes to the Patents and Inventions Policy based on the findings of the benchmarking study, but did not recommend changes to the Copyright Policy at this time.

The changes to the UM Patents and Inventions Policy include updates to reflect current federal and state regulations; the inclusion of software when a patent application is filed (the UM Copyright Policy covers software in which no patent application is filed); and the inclusion of university students when appropriate.   

Two significant changes were made for the purpose of continuing to stimulate innovation at the University. The distribution of licensing income formula was changed from a sliding scale to a fixed scale, and 10% of an invention’s licensing income will now be dedicated directly to the inventor’s research program. A provision was made, in rare cases, for sharing licensing income with non-inventors who have made significant contributions to the development of a technology. This change is especially important in today’s environment of multidisciplinary research.

For questions about the UM Patents and Inventions policy, or about technology management at the University, please contact Dr. Walt Chambliss or Ms. Allyson Best in the ORSP Division of Technology Management.

Stepping Up the Effort for COS Funding Alerts
Since last summer law student Dale Clemence has been working with ORSP staff on an intensive effort to upgrade and complete the information available about UM faculty in the COS Expertise database. Dale is also offering individual visits to interested faculty to go over their online COS profile and set up targeted funding alerts based on their expertise and research interests. This capability is one of the primary reasons the ORSP subscribes to COS on behalf of our campus, and we hope to help faculty learn how best to take advantage of this powerful tool.

If you would like to have a visit from Dale to polish up your COS profile and/or set up funding alerts based on your research interests, please send an email to research@olemiss.edu with COS Visit in the subject line and your contact information in the body of the message. Dale will then contact you directly about scheduling. If you have questions or need more information, contact the COS Liaison in the ORSP, Linda Sperath (7482 or lsperath@olemiss.edu).

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.

10th Annual NIH SBIR/STTR Conference ~ July 22-23 in Atlanta
Participants will learn about the “ins and outs” of the NIH (and CDC) SBIR/STTR program; the NIH e-application, review and award process; funding opportunities available to small business researchers; university-industry partnership opportunities; leveraging State resources; manufacturing strategies; how the NIH SBIR/STTR program can be a valuable resource for biomedical/behavioral researchers who have the “entrepreneurial audacity” to pursue an innovative idea that has commercial potential; and more. More info is at grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbirconf2008/index.htm.

9th Annual ORAU/ORNL Graduate Student Fair ~ August 6 at Oak Ridge TN
Over 150 undergraduate students from across the country will present posters of their research at ORNL during an all-day session on Wednesday, August 6, 2008. Later that day ORAU will sponsor a reception and recruitment fair at the Pollard Technology Conference Center in Oak Ridge. Faculty can attend to represent our institution at this opportunity to attract some of these top-flight students to Ole Miss. Please notify ORAU (ann.farler@orau.org) as soon as possible, but no later than July 18, if you will attend and desire to have table space for recruiting purposes (limit one table per institution).

Gulf of Mexico Extension, Outreach and Education Workshop August 12-13 in Mobile
NOAA extension, outreach and education (EOE) leaders from across the Gulf of Mexico are invited to participate in this inreach program to improve constituent engagement. Workshop topics will include • NOAA’s Science Advisory Board’s EOE recommendations • participation in NOAA’s Engagement Test • how to use Joint Fact Finding to improve engagement • best practices on the integration of research, extension, outreach and education • best practices on Gulf of Mexico EOE. This EOE workshop is sponsored by NOAA’s Gulf of Mexico Regional Team. For more information, contact LaDon Swann, director of the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, at swanndl@auburn.edu or (228) 818-8842.

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.

Foundation for Child Development PK-3 Research and Evaluation Grants ~ Deadline July 15
This program seeks to (1) stimulate research that spans early education and early elementary education to inform PK-3 efforts across the country; (2) foster multidisciplinary perspectives to build a field of research that examines how children’s education and home contexts influence developmental outcomes from PK through at least third grade; and (3) increase the use of datasets that can inform FCD’s PK-3 initiative. Researchers must use one or more datasets included in the PK-3 Data Resource Center.
Sponsor Website: www.fcd-us.org

Beckman Young Investigators Program ~
UM Internal Competition Deadline: August 6
BYI Program Application Deadline: October 1
The University of Mississippi will conduct an internal competition to select two UM candidates for the 2009 Beckman Young Investigators Program. This prestigious annual competition is intended to provide research support to the most promising young faculty members in the early stages of academic careers in the chemical and life sciences. Information and form required, UM selection criteria and review process, and other details about UM's selection of candidates for the 2009 Beckman Young Investigators Program are given in the UM Beckman solicitation.
Sponsor Website: www.beckman-foundation.com/byi_guides.html
COS Record: fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=2793

Searle Scholars Program ~
UM Internal Competition Deadline: August 6
Searle Scholars Program Application Deadline: September 26
The University of Mississippi will conduct an internal competition to select one UM nominee for the 2009 Searle Scholars Program. The nominee selected will be expected to submit a full proposal to Searle by September 26, 2008. This is the fourth year UM has been invited to participate in this prestigious annual competition, whose prime objective is to support the research and career development of junior faculty with outstanding potential. The focus of this competition is on junior faculty pursuing independent research careers in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, physiology, and related areas in chemistry, medicine, and the biological sciences. Information and form required, UM selection criteria and review process, and other details about UM's nomination for the 2009 Searle Scholars Program are given in the UM Searle solicitation.
Sponsor Website: searlescholars.net/apply/index.html
COS Record: fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=2677

National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowships at Digital Humanities Centers ~ Deadline September 15
This program supports collaboration between digital centers and individual scholars for a period of 6-12 months. The intellectual cooperation between the visiting scholar and the center may take many different forms and may involve humanities scholars of any level of digital expertise. Fellows may work exclusively on their own projects in consultation with center staff, collaborate on projects with other scholars affiliated with the center, function as apprentices on existing digital center projects, or fulfill any combination of these.
Sponsor Website: www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/fdhc.html
COS Record: fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=113512

National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Grants ~ Deadline December 1
NCIIA invites applications for grants to support and strengthen invention, innovation and entrepreneurship education through curricular development and the work of advanced e-teams. Three major categories of grants are available:
Course and Program Grants: To help improve existing curricular programs or build new programs in invention, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Advanced E-Team Grants: These grants support commercial outcomes by moving innovative products or technologies from the idea stage to prototype, as well as helping collegiate innovators secure intellectual property.
Sustainable Vision Grants: These grants support innovative educational programs based at U.S. institutions of higher education that move ideas to commercialization, addressing basic human needs such as health, food security, clean water and affordable energy for people living in poverty.
Sponsor Website: www.nciia.org/grants.html

Find MORE on the ORSP Funding Opportunities Recent Announcements page

SEARCH using COS Funding Opportunities

Proposal Activity ~ UM faculty and staff submitted 43 external funding proposals during May 2008. For a complete listing, see the May 2008 Report page.

Award Activity ~ UM faculty and staff received 30 external funding awards during May 2008. For a complete listing, see the May 2008 Report page.

Faculty Travel Support
In May a total of $4,946 was awarded among five applicants to help support their research-related travel. Examples of research purposes for which faculty were awarded support include:

• Conduct field research and explore development of field course
• Gather research data for current projects through interviews and consultations 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

PI Name	PI Department/Unit	Co-PI Name/s
Angle, T.	Division of Outreach and Continuing Education	Love, F.
Bass, H.	National Center for Physical Acoustics	Seiner, J.
Bercaw, N.	History
Byrd, H. (2 awards)	Pharmacy Practice
Cavaglia, M.	Physics and Astronomy
Chambers, J.	National Center for Physical Acoustics
Cheng, A.	Civil Engineering
Clancy, T.	National Center for Justice and Rule of Law
Cole, D.	Graduate School
Cremaldi, L.	Physics and Astronomy
Dougherty, B.	Center for Educational Research and Evaluation	Barlow, A.
Easson, G.	Geology and Geological Engineering
Gilbert, K.	National Center for Physical Acoustics
Gurley, W.	Small Business Development Center	Vanderlip, M.
Hallam, J.	Health, Exercise Science and Recreation Management
Hamann, M.	Pharmacognosy	Peng, J.
Highsmith, R.	Center for Water and Wetlands Resources
Holt, R.	Geology and Geological Engineering
Ilias, M.	National Center for Natural Products Research	Tekwani, B. Khan, I.
Kim, Y.	Family and Consumer Sciences	Taylor, J. Ruetzler, T.
Oakley, C.	National Food Service Management Institute
Parcher, J.	Chemistry and Biochemistry
Prasad, S.	Civil Engineering
Seiner, J.	National Center for Physical Acoustics
Showalter, S.	Mississippi Law Research Institute
Speth, R.	Pharmacology
Vaughan, J.	Mechanical Engineering	Lackey, E.
Wadkins, R.	Chemistry and Biochemistry
Willett, K.	Pharmacology

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

May Proposals Submitted: 43 from 34 Principal Investigators

May Awards Received: 30 totaling $3,077,936

FY08 Year-to-Date Number of Active Sponsored Projects: 543

FY08 Year-to-Date Number of Active Investigators: 228