Research News
July 2003Announcements
IIT Research Funding Tops $31 Million Dollars
NSF Requirement for Current and Pending Support
Time to Get Ready for the Nov 2003 ONR Young Investigator Program
Features
Locating Research Colleagues at IIT Using the Graduate College Expertise Database
Department of Homeland Security Update: “Cutting Edge Technology to Protect America.”
Demystified: The Department of Energy’s Proposal Review Process
Dear Readers,
With more than $31 million in research funding in 2002-03, the IIT Graduate College is eager to maintain this trend. That’s why we would like all our researchers to receive high-quality funding alerts on a regular basis. When an funding agency’s solicitation is a good fit and enough lead time is provided, we know faculty will seize on the opportunity to write a proposal. We provide a paid subscription to the Community of Science (www.cos.com), a comprehensive service that can steer researchers to funding opportunities tailored to their specialty. This includes technology, biomedicine, humanities and more. This powerful, Web-based tool has many capabilities. But like all software, it takes a small investment of time to get rolling.
Faculty can get personalized assistance with COS in a number of ways. A Web-based tutorial is at www.cos.com/alert_tutorial/. The COS offices in Baltimore have a help desk with staff trained in information science at (410) 563-2378. IIT’s campus liaison is Glenn Krell, Director of Research Proposal Development, at (312) 567-7141 or krell@iit.edu. He is available to meet with you to help you find funding opportunities.
In this issue of Research News: an easy way to locate research colleagues at IIT; an update on Homeland Security; various funding opportunities; announcements, awards and more.
- Glenn Krell M.P.A., C.R.A.
Editor, Research News
Director, Research Proposal Development
IIT Research Funding Tops $31 Million Dollars
The figures are in! The Office of Sponsored Research and Programs reports that for fiscal year 2002-2003, IIT had 207 awards with a total amount of $31,254,548. Congratulations to all the faculty and staff who worked hard to make it happen!
NSF Requirement for Current and Pending Support
A reminder from the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs: NSF has a requirement for current and pending support, which requires that a proposal must list the submitted proposal as pending support. Many IIT researchers may be unaware of this requirement. NSF Policy states: “The proposed project and all other projects or activities requiring a portion of time of the PI and other senior personnel must be included, even if they receive no salary support from the project(s).” Please see the NSF Grant Proposal Guide for clarification, at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2003/nsf03041/2.htm
Or contact the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at x7-3035 or orsp@iit.edu for help on this topic.
Time to Get Ready for the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program 2003
Although the deadline and solicitation have not been formally announced, November 1, 2003 is rumored as the probable deadline. Now is a good time to take a look at a general description of this program. The program likely will fund awards of $100,000 per year for three years, with the possibility of greater support for equipment or to support additional collaborative research with a Navy laboratory.
Research interest areas include: Mathematical, computer, and information science
Electronics
Surveillance, communications, and electronic combat
Ocean, atmosphere, and space sensing and systems
Ocean, atmosphere, and space processes and prediction
Physical sciences science and technology (S&T)
Materials science and technology
Mechanics and energy conversion science and technology
Ship structures and systems science and technology
Medical science and technology
Cognitive, neural, and biomolecular science and technology
Strike technology
Manufacturing science and technology
Please see http://fundingopps.cos.com/cgi-bin/getRec?id=16976 for a short description of this program and links to full details.
Locating Research Colleagues at IIT Using the Graduate College Expertise Database
Did you know? You can browse the expertise of IIT faculty members online in the Graduate College’s database of IIT faculty expertise, at:
http://gradserver5.ais.iit.edu/gradresearch/searchengine.htm
The Web site offers three ways to search:
1) By area of expertise;
2) By academic unit;
3) By faculty last name.
Remember, you can make your proposal stronger by collaborating--so be sure to use this tool next time you are trying to find an IIT faculty member with a particular specialty.
Department of Homeland Security Update: “Cutting Edge Technology” to Protect America
As promised in earlier editions of Research News, and in response to several faculty requests, here is an update on funding opportunities from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Many folks in the field of public administration had their doubts when a massive bureaucratic reorganization was undertaken to create the Department of Homeland Security at the federal level. The new agency was very slow to even put up a Web site, and doesn’t appear to respond to emails regarding its funding opportunities. The good news, nevertheless, is that some funding opportunities are now finally linked to the site, at the link of: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/theme_home5.jsp
Unfortunately, the DHS site isn’t as easy to navigate as might be hoped. If you go there looking for easy-to-find solicitations that will allow you to put your technology to work for America you may be a bit disappointed, because you could encounter everything from requests-for-bids for caterers to provide food service for the Coast Guard to bulletins about African swine fever.
Instead, the easiest way to proceed is to go straight to the Web site of the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), which is “the U.S. national forum that identifies, prioritizes, and coordinates interagency and international research and development (R&D) requirements for combating terrorism.” TSWG has been in existence for years before Homeland Security was created and it is well-organized. Go to the TSWG site map at:
http://www.tswg.gov/tswg/sitemap/sitemap.htm
and you can get right down to business. That is, pick your subgroup (infrastructure protection; explosive detection, etc) and go straight to that group’s mission statement; then read their priorities and decide whether your technology fits well with what they are doing. A handy email link is at the end of each subgroup so you can contact the funding agency and inquire whether your research would be a good “fit.” Finally, don’t get frustrated in your search for funding. You can also use Community of Science (www.cos.org) for your fund searching needs. See the Editor’s Desk in this issue for more information. - Glenn Krell
Demystified: The Department of Energy’s Proposal Review Process
Many investigators wonder what happens to their proposal after they send it to the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science. For example, will a proposal be reviewed by “field readers,” a “standing committee,” or an “ad hoc committee”? How long does the review process take? and perhaps most important, just how are proposals evaluated?
Answers to these questions and more are found at the DOE’s Office of Science Web site at:
http://www.science.doe.gov/grants/process.html
Editor: Glenn Krell, MPA, CRA
Ali Cinar, PhD
Dean of the Graduate College and
Vice Provost for Research
(312) 567-3637 cinar@iit.edu
Alexander J. Flueck, PhD
Associate Dean for Research
(312) 567-3625 flueck@iit.edu
The Staff of Research Support Services:
Toni R. Allen
Assistant Director
Office of Sponsored Research & Programs
(312) 567-3035 allen@iit.edu
Pamela Andrews
Research Coordinator
Office of Sponsored Research & Programs
(312) 567-3022 andrewsp@iit.edu
Janice D. Haney
Administrative Assistant
Office of Sponsored Research & Programs
(312) 567-3035 haney@iit.edu
Glenn Krell, MPA, CRA
Director
Office of Research Proposal Development
(312) 567-7141 krell@iit.edu
Robert Lapointe, MBA
Research Projects Coordinator
Graduate College
(312) 567-7135 lapointe@iit.edu
Domenica G. Pappas, CRA
Associate Director
Office of Sponsored Research & Programs
(312) 567-3035 pappas@iit.edu
Mary T. Spina, CRA
Director
Office of Sponsored Research & Programs
(312) 567-3035 spina@iit.edu