Research News

A new fellowship program for recruiting domestic (US national and permanent residents) students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is established for doctoral students. The academic units that will participate in the fellowship program are the engineering, BCPS, Computer Science and Applied Mathematics departments. Offers can be made for students who are enrolling for the Fall 2007 semester for the first time. The fellowship is designed to attract doctoral students with very high quality research potential from the best universities in the nation.

The fellowships are provided for the first year of a doctoral student who has or will have a BS or MS degree from the list of approved universities. The lists, which vary by department, were compiled by the department chairs and approved by the Deans of the Armour College of Engineering, the College of Science and Letters, and the Graduate College. (Send an email to Robert Lapointe if you would like a copy of the list for your department.) The scholarship is not renewable and it is expected that the students will be supported in subsequent years through external fellowships, research assistantships and other funding sources. After the first year, the stipend can not be paid from 2- accounts.

For the 2007-2008 academic year, the fellowship includes a 12-month stipend of $25,000 and 18 credits of tuition for the first year of the student. The stipend will be adjusted in future years. An academic unit can supplement the $25,000 stipend using accounts excluding 2- accounts.

In the second year, IIT will provide up to 18 credits of tuition per year provided that the student has passed the doctoral qualifying exam and maintains a GPA of 3.65 or better, and an annual stipend of $25,000 or higher is paid from accounts excluding 2- accounts by the student’s research advisor and academic unit. Up to 18 credits of tuition will be provided by IIT in subsequent years if the student has passed the doctoral comprehensive exam, maintains a GPA of 3.65 or better and an annual stipend of $25,000 or higher is paid from accounts excluding 2- accounts by the student’s research advisor and academic unit.

Students who will be considered for the fellowship should be nominated by their academic units by using the following application form. All nomination material should be sent to Robert Lapointe, Main Building, room 301C. A committee consisting of the Deans of the Graduate College, Armour College of Engineering, and College of Science and Letters will evaluate and rank the applications and award the fellowships.

Spring Semester Research Forum
Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Place: Hermann Hall Ballroom

Building on the success of the Fall 2006 Research Forum, the Graduate College will host a Spring Research Forum that will be divided in two parts.

PART I: INDUSTRY FOCUS

Featured Speaker: Larry Seitzman, Director, University Research, Caterpillar

Mr. Seitzman will discuss the industry perspective on collaborating with universities on research projects.

PART II: RESEARCH CENTER PRESENTATIONS

This portion of the research forum will follow the same "speed dating" format of the fall event. Research Center Directors will be given an opportunity to provide an overview of their centers, and describe opportunities for inter-disciplinary research.

In order for us to have an accurate count of the number of people who plan on attending, please RSVP.

NIH Continuing Resolution Update

NIH has received an appropriation for the remainder of FY2007. To implement the fiscal guidance, non-competing research awards will be awarded at 97.1% of the FY2007 committed level. Future year commitments also will be adjust accordingly. More information.

NIH R01 Submission Dates Correction

In the December issue of Research News the submission dates for R01 proposals were incorrect. The correct due dates for new R01 applications are: February 5th, June 5th and October 5th.

Important Changes for NIH Applications

NIH Changes Standard Receipt Dates
Effective January 1, 2007, NIH will establish new receipt dates. Those dates that you have always remembered, February 1, June 1, etc. will no longer be in effect. For example, the R01 cycle is now February 5th, June 5th and October 5th (the dates in the December issue of Research News were incorrect). More information.

Paper Submissions NO Longer Accepted
Paper applications will NO longer be accepted for NIH grants. All proposals MUST be submitted electronically via Grants.gov. More information.

New Limits on Appendix Materials for All NIH/AHRQ/NIOSH Grant Applications
Beginning with Receipt Dates on or After January 3, 2007, NIH has announced a change in policy limiting Appendix materials that may be submitted with grant applications to NIH/AHRQ/NIOSH. More information.

Establishment of Multiple Principal Investigator Awards for the Support of Team Science Projects
Beginning with research grant applications submitted for February 2007 receipt dates, NIH will allow applicants to identify more than one Principal Investigator (PI). The Multiple PI option will be extended to most research grant applications submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Grant applications that will accommodate more than one PI beginning in February include: R01, R03, R13/U13, R15, R18/U18, R21, R21/R33, R25, R33, R34, R41, R42, R43, R44, and C06/UC6. More information.

NSF Letter
Effect of a Long-term Continuing Resolutin on NSF Programs

January 12, 2007

Dear Colleagues:

Most Federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), are operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) through February 15, 2007. Under the terms of this current CR, NSF is being funded at the FY 2006 level, roughly $400 million below the Administration’s FY 2007 request.

The outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year remains highly uncertain, with one possibility being an extension of funding at the current level. While we are acutely aware of the tight constraints on the available budgetary resources, NSF is continuing to issue program announcements and solicitations as previously planned.

It is likely, however, that NSF may be unable to fund a number of activities planned for this fiscal year. We believe it is important for NSF’s grantee community to be aware of this uncertainty, as a number of activities may be affected later in the fiscal year.

We will do our best to keep the science, engineering, and education communities informed of budget developments, and will continue our efforts to minimize any negative impacts to our nation’s scientific capability and economic competitiveness.

Sincerely,
Arden L. Bement, Jr.
Director
NSF 07- 20

Waste Management and Research Center

A message from Illinois Waste Management and Research Center (WMRC) Research Program

DATE: January 17, 2007
FROM: Waste Management and Research Center (WMRC) Research Program
RE: Announcement about FY2008 WMRC Research Proposal Solicitation

This message is to notify you that there will be no solicitation for FY2008 research proposals. WMRC has insufficient new funds available in FY08 to justify a full solicitation. The late funding of FY06 projects and new starts in FY07 contributed to this situation. We anticipate having research funding for new starts available in FY09. Look for our solicitation in January, 2008. Thank you for your continuing interest in the research program at WMRC.

DARPA Joins iEdison

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has elected to join the Interagency Edison system. This means that you may now report inventions and patents derived from funding agreements awarded by DARPA, effective immediately. If you elect to start reporting through iEdison, please call the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs, so that your contract/agreement can be properly modified to reflect this change in your reporting method.

Getting Started with Grants.gov

As a faculty or staff member, there is no registration process for using Grants.gov. Only OSRP needs to go through the registration process. But in order to apply for a grant you must download the Grants.gov word processer, PureEdge Viewer, onto your computer.

Download PureEdge
(For non-windows users, see info on using the Citrix Server for Non-Windows Users, about half way down the page.)

Please note that Grants.gov is NOT a web-based system like some other systems. Instead, when you are done entering all of your information and have a completed application package, you will send the completed file to OSRP. OSRP will review the application and submit the files by uploading them onto the system. If you need assistance from OSRP, they will need additional time (beyond the internal deadlines) to complete your package.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs at 312-567-3035, or by email.

Sigma Xi Nominations
Due Date: Friday, March 16, 2007

In recognition of the exemplary accomplishments in research, scholarship, and creative activity by faculty members and graduate students at Illinois Institute of Technology, the Office of the Provost, the Graduate College and the IIT Chapter of Sigma Xi will again sponsor the Sigma Xi / IIT Awards for Excellence in University Research. Sigma Xi, a scientific research society, is a non-profit group of nearly 75,000 scientists and engineers who have been elected to the Society because of their research achievements or potential.

ELIGIBILITY
All full-time faculty members and full-time graduate students at Illinois Institute of Technology are eligible for consideration. Four awards will be granted in recognition of the recipients’ significant accomplishments in research, scholarship and/or creative activity while serving at IIT. One $500 award will be given to a distinguished senior member of the faculty who has consistently demonstrated extraordinary leadership in research and/or creative activity. A second $500 award will be reserved for a junior faculty member who has been at IIT for less than seven years, and who has demonstrated outstanding potential in research, scholarship, and/or artistic achievement. Two student awards of $250 each will be given to graduate students who have demonstrated significant promise in research and scholarship through their accomplishments while at IIT. Each of the awardees will also receive commemorative plaque honoring this accomplishment.

NOMINATIONS

Nominations should include the following materials:

• A letter of nomination identifying the candidate and award level.
• A brief description of the accomplishments in research, scholarship, and/or creative activity of the nominee or applicant, and the significance and impact of this work. This description should be no more than two (2) single-spaced pages in length.
• At least three letters of support that attest to the significance and value of the accomplishments of the nominee or applicant.
• Curriculum Vitae of the candidate.

Please send all nomination material to Robert Lapointe (lapointe@iit.edu), Graduate College, Main Building, Room 301, by Friday, March 16, 2007. Questions and inquiries can be directed to Ganesh Raman, Graduate College, Associate Dean Research (raman@iit.edu), or to Carlo Segre, IIT Sigma Xi Chapter, President (segre@iit.edu).

ERIF Winners 2007

Congratulations to the following researchers who were awarded ERIF grants for 2007.

Yu Cheng (ECE)
A Scalable Application-Enabling Fabric for Next Generation Internet

Erdal Oruklu (ECE)
Real-Time Detection and Compression Architecture for Ultrasonic Imaging

Eric Brey (BME)
Characterization of Natural Hydrogels for Stem Cell Culture

Ralph Muehleisen (CAE)
Maximum Length Sequence Modulation for Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

Joseph Orgel (BCPS)
Molecular Structure of the Collagen Extracellular Matrix and Development of Fiber Crystallography

Xiaoping Qian (MMAE)
Center for Digital Design and Manufacturing

Fieldhouse Fellowship Winners 2007

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded a Fieldhouse Fellowship for 2007.

Yongyu Hu (CHEE)
Research Mentor: Donald Chmielewski
Research Collaboration: Dennis Papadias (ANL)
Project Title: Advanced Control of On-Board Fuel Processors for Fuel Cell Applications

Pinghai Yang (MMAE)
Research Mentor: Xiaoping Qian
Research Collaboration: Derrick Mancini (ANL)
Project Title: Computing Tip-Specimen Shape Interaction in Scanning Probe Microscopy

Xiaoyan Zeng (AM)
Research Mentor: Fred Hickernell
Research Collaboration: Mihai Anitescu (ANL)
Project Title: Stochastic Mathematical Programs with Complementarity Constraints Using RQMC Methods

Starr Fellowship Winner 2007

Congratulations to the following student who was awarded the Starr Fellowship for 2007.

Yiming Huang (BCSP)
Research Mentor: Sandra Bishnoi
Research Collaboration: Rajendra Mehta (IITRI)
Project Title: Folate Receptor Delivery of Modified Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy

ERIF Grant Final Reports (2006)

Below are links to the final reports from the recipients of the 2006 ERIF grants.

Zaur Berkaliev (MSED)
Chaos and Bifurcations in the Dynamical System of Student Attitudes Toward Mathematics

Vijay Ramani (CHEE)
Bi-functional Electrode Structures for Enhanced Fuel Cell Durability

Research Scholar Progress Reports (2006-2007)

Below are links to the progress reports from the recipients of the 2006-2007 Research Scholarships.

Alexander Rush (BME)
Robert Putnam (CHEE)
Cheryl Balm (AM)
Steve Langel (MMAE)

Acknowledgements

Editor and Production Coordinator: Julia Chase chasej@iit.edu

Ali Cinar, Ph.D.
Dean of the Graduate College and
Vice Provost for Research
(312) 567-3637 cinar@iit.edu

Ganesh Raman, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Research
(312) 567-3554 raman@iit.edu

The Staff of Research Support Services:

Toni R. Allen
Associate Director
Office of Sponsored Research & Programs
(312) 567-3035 allen@iit.edu

Pamela Andrews
Associate Director
Office of Sponsored Research & Programs
(312) 567-3022 andrewsp@iit.edu

Glenn Krell, M.P.A, C.R.A
Director
Office of Research Compliance and Proposal Development
(312) 567-7141 krell@iit.edu

Robert Lapointe, M.B.A
Manager, Research Marketing & Business Development
Graduate College
(312) 567-7135 lapointe@iit.edu

Domenica G. Pappas, C.R.A
Director
Office of Sponsored Research & Programs
(312) 567-3035 pappas@iit.edu

Flo Redmond, M.B.A
Associate Director
(312) 567-3340 redmond@iit.edu