NSF Set to Implement Responsible Conduct in Research Policy

Posted on August 24, 2009October 17, 2012

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing its implementation of Section 7009 of the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act. This section of the Act requires that “each institution that applies for financial assistance from the Foundation for science and engineering research or education describe in its grant proposal a plan to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers participating in the proposed research project.”

The new policy will take effect on January 4, 2010. Institutions apply for grants will be required to certify compliance.

Full Federal Register Notice

New CDC H1N1 Guidance for Universities

Posted on August 21, 2009October 17, 2012

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Department of Education (ED) Secretary Arne Duncan joined with Dr. Beth Bell, Deputy Director, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to announce new guidance for Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) to plan for and respond to the upcoming flu season.

The guidance crafted by the scientists and doctors at the CDC is designed to help colleges and universities start planning and acting now for the impact that seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza could have this fall and winter on their students and faculty members, as well as other university employees.

Government officials are especially concerned about the impact of H1N1 on schools because the virus appears to disproportionately affect young people. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently found that younger Americans, specifically those ages 6 months to 24 years, are one of the top priority groups when it comes to the new H1N1 vaccine.

HHS has created a special toolkit for administrators and students, as well some badges and widgets that can be used on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter

The new guidance suggests that the most important actions institutions can take are: to encourage and facilitate good hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes; to encourage flu vaccination for recommended groups when vaccine becomes available; and to separate sick people from well people as soon as possible.

The Secretaries and the CDC stressed the need for different institutions to tailor the strategies to their own circumstances, based on their location, student population, resources, and information from local health officials about the severity and spread of flu in their area, and encouraged them to partner with local health officials and others in their community to plan for the upcoming flu season.

For the complete H1N1 guidance for higher education institutions and the special H1N1 Higher Education, please visit http://www.flu.gov/plan/school/higheredguidance.html.

The Toolkit is available at http://www.flu.gov/plan/school/higheredtoolkit.html.

NSF Announces New Funding Opportunity

Posted on August 20, 2009October 17, 2012

Science Masters’ Program (SMP)

The NSF has announced a funding opportunity for their Science Masters Program (SMP), which is intended to catalyze the creation of institution-based efforts to prepare graduate students for careers in business, industry, nonprofits, and government agencies by providing students with a strong foundation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, as well as with research experiences, internship experiences, and the skills to succeed in those careers. The SMP solicitation is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Grant Solicitation

NIST Issues Call for Nominations to Advisory Boards

Posted on August 14, 2009October 17, 2012

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued this week a request for nominations of individuals for appointment to its eight existing Federal Advisory Committees. Several of these boards may be of interest to faculty, including the Technology Innovation Program (TIP) Advisory Board, Board of Overseers of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board, Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Advisory Board, and Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT).

Federal Register Call for Nominations

NSF Announces Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) Funding

Posted on August 14, 2009October 17, 2012

The Directorate for Engineering at the National Science Foundation has established the Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) to serve a critical role in focusing on important emerging areas in a timely manner. The EFRI Office is launching a new funding opportunity for interdisciplinary teams of researchers to embark on rapidly advancing frontiers of fundamental engineering research. For this solicitation, they will consider proposals that aim to investigate emerging frontiers in the following two specific research areas: (1) Renewable Energy Storage (RESTOR), and (2) Science in Energy and Environmental Design (SEED): Engineering Sustainable Buildings. This solicitation will be coordinated with NSF Directorates listed above, the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EFRI seeks proposals with transformative ideas that represent an opportunity for a significant shift in fundamental engineering knowledge with a strong potential for long term impact on national needs or a grand challenge. The proposals must also meet the detailed requirements delineated in this solicitation.

INFORMATION WEBCAST: The EFRI Office plans to hold an information workshop on September17, 2009, to answer any questions about the EFRI Office and this solicitation. Details will be posted on the EFRI website (www.nsf.gov/eng/efri) as they become available.