Research Tracks

A publication of the Office of the Vice Provost for Research at Baylor University

November 17, 2015
by Baylor OVPR
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Reminder: OVPR Proposal Development Seminars

Click the flyer to learn more about the programs and to register.

Don’t forget, there’s still time to register for the 2016 OVPR Proposal Development Seminar series!

This year, we will offer the “Write Winning Grant Proposals” program on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2015.

We will also be presenting two special half-day sessions focused on federal career development grants. The first session, on the morning of Friday, Jan. 8, is focused on STEM awards like the National Science Foundation’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program. The second, on the afternoon of Jan. 8, covers biomedical career development programs like the National Institutes of Health’s Career Development Awards, including the mentored K-awards and the F-series fellowships for pre- and postdoctoral students. Special eligibility requirements apply to the half-day sessions; see the program descriptions below for specific information.

Our speaker for each of the  sessions is Dr. Peg AtKisson of Grant Writers’ Seminars and Workshops.  Dr. AtKisson is a neuroscientist and former director of proposal development in the Office of the Vice Provost at Tufts University.

Click here to register for this year’s proposal development workshops.  Contact Blake Thomas at 254-710-3153 with questions.

Session descriptions: Continue Reading →

November 9, 2015
by Baylor OVPR
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Baylor researcher receives grant to study movement of contaminants through the Gulf of Mexico

When a major pollution spill occurs in the Gulf of Mexico, disaster response officials have to make quick decisions about the allocation of resources to prevent damage to coastal areas. Numerical modeling techniques can make predictions about the spread and eventual destination of contaminants, but current models aren’t as accurate as they could be, limiting the effectiveness of disaster prevention and recovery efforts.

Dr. Joe Kuehl, assistant professor of mechanical engineering in Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science, is part of a research team that was recently awarded a $285,000 grant from the Texas General Land Office for oceanographic research aimed at improving these models to predict how contaminants spread through the Gulf of Mexico during a spill.

An oil slick spreads in the Gulf of Mexico during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill. Dr. Joe Kuehl is part of a team of researchers working to improve current models for predicting the flow of contaminants from similar events. NASA image.

An oil slick spreads in the Gulf of Mexico during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill. Dr. Joe Kuehl is part of a team of researchers working to improve current models for predicting the flow of contaminants from similar events. NASA image.

The topography of the ocean floor creates a barrier between coastal waters and the open ocean at the shelf break – the point near the shore at which the ocean floor changes from low-slope coastal terrain to the higher-slope that marks the beginning of the open ocean.

While the shelf break largely prevents water from the open ocean from mixing with coastal waters, Kuehl says, the barrier is not completely impenetrable. Underwater currents, circulation patterns and weather phenomena can create pathways that allow water to move across the shelf-break barrier. When these pathways exist, water from the open ocean can flow into coastal areas, potentially bringing pollutants with it.

While mathematical models exist to predict how and where these pathways will form, Kuehl says they are limited by the data on which they are based.

“The standard models are most useful only at shallower depths because we don’t have observational data from the bottom boundary layer – the deepest layer along the ocean floor,” he explains. “So when we apply these standard models to pollutants in the bottom boundary layer, we have to make some assumptions.”

To fill in those gaps in knowledge, Kuehl will deploy newly developed current meters to gather data on the way ocean water circulates in the bottom boundary layers over time. That data will become a part of high-resolution simulations created by Kuehl’s collaborator on the project, Dr. William Anderson of the University of Texas at Dallas.

Ultimately, Kuehl and Anderson hope their research will contribute to better understanding of the way contaminants can flow through the Gulf of Mexico, helping government and business leaders carry out risk assessment and economic planning along the Texas coast.

October 16, 2015
by Baylor OVPR
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Big 12 research connections: West Virginia University

The Baylor football team returns home this weekend for a Big 12 conference matchup with the Mountaineers of West Virginia.  The competition on the field will be intense as the Bears look to avenge their only regular-season loss from last year.  While Baylor and WVU will be opponents at McLane Stadium this week, faculty from the two universities share a number of connections in research and scholarship.

WV_OutLine
Continue Reading →

October 14, 2015
by Baylor OVPR
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Selected funding opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields

Title: National Energy Technology Laboratory Postgraduate Research Program
Sponsor: United States Department of Energy (DOE)
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
Upcoming deadlines:
Continuous

Title: Research Participation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sponsor: United States Department of Energy (DOE)
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
Upcoming deadlines:
Continuous

Title: Higher Education Research Experiences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for Students
Sponsor: United States Department of Energy (DOE)
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
Graduate and Undergraduate Student Opportunities
Upcoming deadlines:
Continuous

Title: Higher Education Research Experiences for Faculty at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Sponsor: United States Department of Energy (DOE)
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
Upcoming deadlines:
Continuous

Title: Oak Ridge National Laboratory Advanced Short-Term Research Opportunity
Sponsor: United States Department of Energy (DOE)
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
Postgraduate Opportunities
Sponsor ID: ASTRO2015
Upcoming deadlines:
Continuous

Title: Dear Colleague Letter: NSF-NIST Interaction in Basic and Applied Scientific Research in BIO, ENG & MPS
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Sponsor ID: NSF 11-066 (Re-issue of NSF 03-568)
Upcoming deadlines:
Continuous

Title: Grant Program
Sponsor: Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation (ABMRF)
Upcoming deadlines:
Feb. 15, 2016

Title: Young Investigator Awards
Sponsor: Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (ALSF)
Upcoming deadlines:
Dec. 14, 2015

Title: Enhancing Access to the Radio Spectrum (EARS)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Sponsor ID: NSF 15-550 (Re-issue of NSF 14-529)
Upcoming deadlines:
June 2, 2016

Title: Family and Interpersonal Relationships in an Aging Context (R01)
Sponsor: United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Sponsor ID: PA-15-042 (Re-issue of PA-11-128)
Upcoming deadlines:
Oct. 5, 2015
Nov. 5, 2015
Jan. 7, 2016
Feb. 5, 2016
March 5, 2016
Note: This FOA expires on January 8, 2018.

Title: Collections in Support of Biological Research (CSBR)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO)
Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI)
Sponsor ID: 15-577 (Re-issue of NSF 14-564)
Upcoming deadlines:
Aug. 8, 2016
Note: Due Second Monday in August, Annually Thereafter

Title: Broadening Participation in Engineering (BPE)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Directorate for Engineering (ENG)
Sponsor ID: PD 14-7680 (Re-issue of PD 13-7680)
Upcoming deadlines:
April 10, 2016

Title: Engineering for Natural Hazards (ENH)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Directorate for Engineering (ENG)
Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI)
Sponsor ID: PD 15-7396, NSF 15-028
Upcoming deadlines:
Feb. 16, 2016
Sep. 15, 2016

Title: Science of Learning: Collaborative Networks (SL-CN)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Sponsor ID: NSF 15-532
Upcoming deadlines:
Feb. 6, 2016
March 18, 2016

More opportunities
Additional selected opportunities are available on the OVPR website.

Limited submissions
For opportunities with limitations on submissions from a single institution, an internal review must be completed before an investigator may apply.  Click here for information on applying for limited submission opportunities.

Search for funding with COS Pivot
The OVPR maintains a subscription to COS Pivot, a searchable database of funding opportunities in all academic areas. To search for funding in your discipline and receive email alerts with newly listed opportunities, sign up with COS Pivot today. If you have questions or would like training on using COS Pivot, contact Blake Thomas in the OVPR at 254-710-3153.

Ready to apply?
If you’d like to apply for these, or other specific funding opportunities, contact your academic unit’s assigned OSP coordinator for more information.

October 14, 2015
by Baylor OVPR
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Reminder: Submit final reports for internal grants

“My computer crashed!” “I got busy!” “I just forgot!”

My dog ate my homework

We’ve heard every excuse in the book.

Whatever the reason, we understand that sometimes life gets in the way and you forget to do something important. That’s why the OVPR is issuing a friendly reminder to all investigators who received internal grant funds for FY 2015 to please submit the required final reports.

Information provided in final reports helps the OVPR to measure the effectiveness of our internal grant programs, so it is essential that each investigator complete the report form at the conclusion of their project. Failure to submit a report may also render a faculty member ineligible for future funding from the OVPR until the report is complete.

If you have not submitted a final report for any FY 2015 internal grant, click here to download the final report form. Fill out the form and submit it via email to Blake_Thomas@Baylor.edu.  Not sure if you are missing reports?  Email Blake and he’ll let you know what reports are still outstanding.

[Above, CC Image courtesy of Girl.in.the.D on Flickr]

October 5, 2015
by Baylor OVPR
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IRB launches redesigned website

Baylor’s Institutional Review Board has announced the launch of their newly updated website.  The site has been completely redesigned to provide investigators with all the information and tools they need to properly manage research involving human subjects.  The new site contains answers to frequently asked questions including whether or not a project falls under the purview of the IRB, what type of training is required and where to access necessary forms.

Deborah Holland, assistant vice provost for research and director of compliance, said “We are excited about the new website and hope that it helps serve the needs of our researchers. The information available on the website will grow over time to support Baylor’s research mission.”

Click here to visit the new IRB site.  Contact Deb Penney at 254-710-3708 with any questions.

October 1, 2015
by Baylor OVPR
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Selected funding opportunities in the arts, humanities, social sciences and education

Title: Clements Center-DeGolyer Library Research Travel Grants
Sponsor: Southern Methodist University (SMU)
William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies
Upcoming deadlines:
Nov. 15, 2015
May 15, 2016

Title: Research Participation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sponsor: United States Department of Energy (DOE)
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)
Upcoming deadlines:
Continuous

Title: Medical Humanities: Small Grants
Sponsor: Wellcome Trust
Upcoming deadlines:
Continuous

Title: NACADA Academic Advising Research Support Grant
Sponsor: National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)
Upcoming deadlines:
Nov. 1, 2015
March 15, 2016

Title: Grant Program
Sponsor: Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation (ABMRF)
Upcoming deadlines:
Feb. 15, 2016

Title: Polly Grimshaw Prize
Sponsor: American Folklore Society (AFS)
Upcoming deadlines:
Nov. 1, 2015

Title: Alfred D. Chandler Jr. Travel Fellowships
Sponsor: Harvard University
Harvard Business School (HBS)
Upcoming deadlines:
Nov. 1, 2015

Title: Samuel P. Hays Research Fellowship
Sponsor: American Society for Environmental History (ASEH)
Upcoming deadlines:
Nov. 16, 2015

Title: Ruth P. Morgan Women of the Southwest Research Fellowship
Sponsor: Southern Methodist University (SMU)
William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies
Clements Center-DeGolyer Library Research Travel Grants
Upcoming deadlines:
Nov. 15, 2015
May 15, 2016

Title: Lab to Marketplace: Tools for Biomedical and Behavioral Research (R43/R44)
Sponsor: United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Upcoming deadlines:
Dec. 5, 2015
Jan. 7, 2016

Title: Interdisciplinary Research in Hazards and Disasters (Hazards SEES)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Upcoming deadlines:
Dec. 3, 2015

Title: Small Research Grants in the Areas of Inquiry
Sponsor: Spencer Foundation
Upcoming deadlines:
Nov. 3, 2015
Feb. 1, 2016
May 1, 2016
Aug. 1, 2016
Nov. 1, 2016

Title: Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Spatial Humanities
Sponsor: Rice University
Humanities Research Center (HRC)
Upcoming deadlines:
Dec. 1, 2015

Title: Business History Travel Research Grants
Sponsor: Southern Methodist University (SMU)
William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies
Upcoming deadlines:
Nov. 15, 2015
May 15, 2016

Title: Engineering for Natural Hazards (ENH)
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Directorate for Engineering (ENG)
Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI)
Sponsor ID: PD 15-7396, NSF 15-028
Upcoming deadlines:
Feb. 16, 2016
Sep. 15, 2016

More opportunities
Additional selected opportunities are available on the OVPR website.

Limited submissions
For opportunities with limitations on submissions from a single institution, an internal review must be completed before an investigator may apply.  Click here for information on applying for limited submission opportunities.

Search for funding with COS Pivot
The OVPR maintains a subscription to COS Pivot, a searchable database of funding opportunities in all academic areas. To search for funding in your discipline and receive email alerts with newly listed opportunities, sign up with COS Pivot today. If you have questions or would like training on using COS Pivot, contact Blake Thomas in the OVPR at 254-710-3153.

Ready to apply?
If you’d like to apply for these, or other specific funding opportunities, contact your academic unit’s assigned OSP coordinator for more information.

September 24, 2015
by Baylor OVPR
0 comments

Office of Research Compliance to present second on-campus help session Oct. 21

The Office of Research Compliance will offer on-campus help sessions/workshops this semester for researchers who are planning to submit, or are in the process of revising, new applications (protocols) for IRB review, amendments, or continuing reviews of their human subject research projects.  The help sessions will be held at various locations on campus for the convenience of researchers in different departments, but all researchers are welcome to attend any of the scheduled sessions. All locations will have wireless Internet connections. Researchers should bring their own laptop.

The next help session is scheduled for:

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015
2:00-3:30 p.m.
Mary Gibbs-Jones Building, room 114

Office staff will be on hand to provide one-on-one assistance in the following areas:

  • Explaining the various templates and forms available to researchers;
  • Answering questions about the information required in the protocol, consent forms, and/or application forms;
  • Addressing IRB required modifications appropriately;
  • Discussing options for recruitment, informed consent forms and processes, confidentiality/privacy practices;
  • Providing guidance on more complex research design issues:
    • Research using physiological devices or biomedical procedures
    • Investigator responsibilities for research on sensitive topics or use of deception methods
    • Use of mobile applications, social media, or other emerging technologies in research
  • IRBNet and CITI training

Watch for future sessions throughout the fall semester.

If you need help but are unable to attend to a help session, please contact Deb Penney at 254-710-3708 to make an appointment.

September 17, 2015
by Baylor OVPR
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Upcoming event: NIH Regional Seminar in San Diego, Oct. 14-16

NIH-SeminarThe National Institutes of Health will present the final regional seminar of the year next month in San Diego.  Dozens of NIH officials will be on hand to share information and strategies on every aspect of sponsored biomedical research.  For those new to NIH research, a newly redesigned new investigator track will provide step-by-step guidance for career advancement.

There will also be opportunities for one-on-one meetings with program officers as well as the chance to network with colleagues from around the country.

Regular registration rates apply until Sept. 14, so make plans to attend soon.  More information and registration information is available on the NIH Office of Extramural Research website.