Office of Research update: February 2023

New IRB Liaison for Dearborn Campus: Elizabeth Molina

Effective Feb. 1, 2023, Elizabeth Molina became the new IRB-HSBS staff liaison for UM-Dearborn. Elizabeth is an intermediate research compliance specialist and has been a member of the IRB staff since 2020. Any UM-Dearborn faculty, staff, or students with questions about the IRB process can contact Elizabeth by email at [email protected] or by phone at 734-936-1943. Elizabeth will be happy to meet with you and discuss your project, as well as to assist with your IRB application.

The Dearborn Office of Research will also be working with Elizabeth to present campus-wide “IRB On-the-Road” sessions that will allow you to ask questions about the IRB process. Additional information about working with human subjects can be found at the IRB Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences website.

Save the Date: 2023 UM-Dearborn - UM-Flint Collaborative Research Series

Please save the date for the upcoming cross-campus collaborative research series supported by Chancellor Grasso and Chancellor Dutta, and hosted by the University of Michigan Dearborn’s Office of Research and the University of Michigan Flint’s Office of Research & Economic Development.

• Feb. 24, noon-1:30 p.m. - Computer Science, AI / Cognition, Learning and Communication
• March 17, noon-1:30 p.m. - Health, Engineering and Analytics
• March 24, 10-11:30 a.m. -  Community Engaged Research, Equity, Education and Urban Futures/Living

Additional information about the above networking events and funding opportunity as a part of this collaboration are anticipated to be announced in mid-February. Subscribe to our Research News email list to receive updates.

Competitive Campus Grants - Due Feb. 15 by 5 p.m.

The winter cycle of Competitive Campus Grants are accepting applications until Feb. 15, 2023 (5 p.m.). Faculty can apply to one of our three available competitive programs:

• Thematic Research Planning (TRP) Grants will fund proposals of strong multidisciplinary teams (requiring at least two different UM-Dearborn academic units involved) addressing urgent and challenging issues with well-defined work plans for engaging local communities (including non-profits, municipal, city and community organizations, small businesses and industry), conducting preliminary research activities, and pursuing external funding to sustain the proposed research. The following priority research areas are of particular interest: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Sustainability, & Biomedical, Health and Healthcare.  Award floor $15,000, award ceiling $30,000.
  Apply for a Thematic Research Planning Grant.
   
• Research Development & Initiation (RID) Grants aim to assist faculty and research staff with the development of innovative, collaborative proposals that will advance the UM-Dearborn mission. Inclusion of plans for writing a proposal to an identified external sponsor’s program and submitting it at the end of the proposed project period will be expected. Award floor $10,000, award ceiling $25,000.
  Apply for a Research Initiation & Development Grant.
   
• UM-Dearborn Scholars (SCH) Grants are intended to support research and scholarship, including creative activities in the arts. This program is primarily for projects with funding needs not addressed by other support programs within or outside the University. Award floor $8,000, award ceiling $15,000.
  Apply for a UM-Dearborn Scholar's Grant.

For more information about the Campus Grants Program, frequently asked questions about Competitive Campus Grants and previously awarded Campus Grants, please visit our webpages below:

• About the Campus Grants Program
• Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
• Previously Awarded Campus Grant Projects

Small Planning Grants Available for Collaborative Research in Detroit
Detroit Urban Research Center has announced its Small Planning Grants Program for 2023-2024. The program is designed to foster the establishment of new community-academic partnerships formed to carry out collaborative health research efforts and support existing partnerships who are seeking support for new or expanded collaborative health research efforts in Detroit.

These small planning grants are to enhance the capacity of new and existing community-academic partnerships to conduct and disseminate research focused on the social and physical environment and health equity and translate research findings into action, with the aim of improving the health and quality of life of Detroit residents.

Grants may be funded for up to $5,000 with a grant period of one year. For details about this opportunity, including a link to the downloadable RFP and application, please visit the Small Planning Grants webpage. A Technical Assistance Workshop discussing areas of the application and fielding questions about the small planning grants is available to attend on Wednesday, February 8th via Zoom (register here).

Research Events in February:

• Detroit URC, “Small Planning Grants Technical Assistance Workshop” - Wednesday, Feb. 8, noon-1 PM, virtual

• Hanover Research, “NSF CAREER: Educational Activities & Broader Impacts Webinar” - Thursday, Feb. 23, noon

• SAVE THE DATE: UM-Dearborn-UM-Flint Collaborative Research Series “Computer Science, AI / Cognition, Learning and Communication Research Lightning Talks” - Friday, Feb. 24, noon-1:30 p.m., virtual

The Office of Research website is also updated regularly with research-related events and announcements, so we would encourage you to bookmark our landing page and subscribe to our Research News email list.

Research Resource Highlight: Guide for Contacting Program Officers

Every month, the Office of Research will feature a resource and/or tool that is available for researchers. This month we are featuring the Office of Research’s Guide for Contacting Program Officers.

Vessela Vassileva-Clarke, assistant director of Research Development has developed a Guide for Contacting Program Officers available to view to the UM-Dearborn community. The guide provides reasons to contact a program officer (PO), a step-by-step guide for doing so, and suggesting questions to ask a PO. The Office of Research is also available to help you along the way - our office can help with revisions, edits, searches for different programs/solicitations, or even possible collaborators whose experience might increase the competitiveness of your proposal.

Upcoming Funding Opportunities

The Office of Research publishes a list of selected funding opportunities, organized by college, every month on our website under Announcements. In addition, yearly grant calendars organized by subject area provided by Hanover Research are available there as well. Contact the UM-Dearborn Office of Research if you would like more information about submitting a proposal to any of the programs.