Reminders
Updated PEERRS Requirements for Researchers
Due to new federal regulations, additional requirements have been added under the university’s Program for the Education and Evaluation of Responsible Research and Scholarship (PEERRS). Most notably:
• Anyone (faculty, student, or staff) named on a proposal submitted for external funding must complete the Research Security Training module prior to proposal submission and in order for any award to be processed.
• All personnel on an externally funded award are required to complete the DOJ Bulk Sensitive Data Regulations Training and Research Administration modules.
• Anyone engaged in U-M research or scholarship activity—regardless of internal or external support—must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research & Scholarship (RCRS) training.
Questions regarding PEERRS requirements should be directed to [email protected].
NIH Common Forms
As of Jan. 25, NIH has implemented common forms for Biographical Sketches and Current and Pending (Other) Support using SciENcv. These forms are required for each individual identified as senior/key personnel on a federally funded research project and other individuals as outlined in sponsor guidelines. Find resources in our Research Resource Highlight: NIH Common Forms section below for help with preparing your supplementary documents for NIH proposals.
OVPR Research Faculty and Research Staff Awards – Call for Nominations
Recognize outstanding non-faculty staff whose work advances research, innovation, and quality of life across the University of Michigan. Awards are open to regular staff (minimum 80% FTE) from all three U-M campuses. Self-nominations and team nominations are not accepted.
Recognize the excellence among research faculty across the University of Michigan for significant scholarly contributions and leadership. Awards include the Collegiate Research Professorship, Research Faculty Achievement Award, Research Faculty Recognition Award, and Research Faculty Mentor Award.
Nominations deadline: Feb. 20, 2026
Research Events
Building Industry Partnerships Webinar Series
The OVPR is hosting a webinar series for U-M researchers focused on building effective industry partnerships in response to evolving federal funding trends (including NSF, DOE and ARPA agencies). The series will explore why and how to engage industry partners to demonstrate research impact, technology readiness and translational potential.
Time: Noon–1:30 p.m.
Format: Virtual - Calendar invites will be sent upon registration.
Webinar Dates & Topics:
• Feb. 25: Discovery to Innovation — A practical framework for deciding when to engage industry, how to demonstrate impact credibly, and which funding mechanisms align with research maturity and scholarly goals.
• March 26: Industry Engagement for Faculty: From Early Signals to Funded Partnerships — Strategies for meaningful industry engagement across the research lifecycle while maintaining academic incentives and research integrity.
• April 9: Building Industry Partnerships that Last: Whom to Talk to, What to Ask — How to identify the right industry partners, structure early conversations, and build collaborations that endure.
IRB On-the-Road: Drop-In Sessions for UM-Dearborn
Elizabeth Molina, the UM-Dearborn Health and Services and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board (IRB-HSBS) liaison, will continue offering IRB On-the-Road drop-in sessions during the Winter 2026 semester. These sessions provide UM-Dearborn faculty, staff, graduate students and undergraduate students with an opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance on IRB processes and requirements prior to proposal or application submission. Format is Zoom Room; participants will access the room and wait to be invited by the host.
Schedule: Session dates (Winter 2026)
• Feb. 18, 2–3:30 p.m.
• March 18, 2–3:30 p.m.
• April 15, 2–3:30 p.m.
Procedures Documentation for Clinical Trials
This interactive, virtual session will introduce participants to best practices for procedures documentation to ensure standardized practice. Date: Feb. 12, 10 a.m.-Noon, via Zoom. Register here.
Generative AI Tutorials: Generative AI for Visualization
Michigan Institute for Data & AI in Society (MIDAS) is hosting a 2025–2026 Generative AI tutorial series designed to help researchers across all disciplines explore when, why and how to integrate generative AI tools into their research workflows.
The sessions cover practical applications such as administrative tasks, literature review and synthesis, data analysis, visualization, coding, writing, and presentations.
No prior experience with generative AI tools is required. Participants should bring their own laptop. Sessions are open to all U-M researchers, and recordings will be available for those unable to attend in person.
Upcoming sessions:
• Feb. 23 – Generative AI for Visualization, Presenter Eytan Adar
• March 19 – Generative AI Agents, Presenters Joseph Osumeje and Nazreen Pallikkavaliyaveetil
Questions may be directed to Kelly Psilidis, MIDAS faculty training program manager, at [email protected].
Water@Michigan 2026: Water + Energy
Water@Michigan 2026 will bring together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders to explore how water systems and the energy transition are reshaping Michigan, the Great Lakes region, and beyond.
The event takes place from Thursday, April 9, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. at Palmer Commons in Ann Arbor. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.
The symposium will examine connections between water and energy in infrastructure, governance, and community outcomes, with a focus on building more resilient, equitable, and sustainable systems. Programming includes keynote talks, workshops, lightning talks, and student posters, emphasizing alignment across research, practice, and policy. Featured Speakers: Whitney Gravelle, President, Bay Mills Indian Community; Jeremy Rifkin, Author of Planet Aqua; Shalanda Baker, Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action, University of Michigan; U.S. Senator Gary Peters, State of Michigan.
Apply to present at Water@Michigan 2026
Faculty, researchers, students, and community partners are invited to apply to present.
Lightning Talks (3–5 minutes):
Highlight research or projects at the water–energy nexus
Application deadline: Feb. 16.
Student Posters & Visual Displays: Showcase research, creative work, or applied projects
Selected students are eligible for the Student Water Leadership Award
Application deadline: Feb. 16.
Research Resource Highlight: NIH Common Forms
Every month, the Office of Research features a resource and/or tool that is available for researchers. This month we are featuring NIH Common Forms: Biosketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support Reporting
As of Jan. 25, NIH has implemented common forms for Biographical Sketches and Current and Pending (Other) Support using SciENcv. The resources below provide help for the preparation of your supplementary documents for NIH proposals:
- NIH Biographical Sketch Common Form
- NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement
- NIH Current and Pending (Other) Support (CPOS) Common Form
- ORSP Biographical Sketch (Biosketch)
- ORSP Current and Pending (Other) Support Reporting
- Video: Creating NIH Biosketches in SciENcv
Selected Funding Opportunities
Below is a select list of external funding opportunities. For assistance in identifying additional funding opportunities, UM-Dearborn researchers may request a one-on-one consultation with the Director of Research Development Vess Vassileva-Clarke.
Spencer Foundation – Research Grants on Education (Large)
This grant supports education research projects that contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived.
Pre-proposal due: Feb. 24, 2026
Funding Amount: Up to $500,000
Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI) – 2026 Grants
The Climate Smart Communities Initiative (CSCI) has announced its 2026 grants opportunity to support community-based climate resilience projects across the United States. CSCI provides funding and technical assistance to advance climate adaptation efforts in U.S. communities and regions that are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, with a strong emphasis on supporting historically disinvested populations. See announcement for full details.
Key Dates:
• Early February 2026: Recommended deadline for adaptation practitioners to apply to the Registry of Adaptation Practitioners and recommended timeframe to assemble all required partners
• March 12, 8 p.m.: Application deadline
NSF Funding Opportunity: Leveraging Innovations From Evolution (LIFE)
The U.S. National Science Foundation LIFE program (NSF 24-539) supports integrative research that combines evolutionary, molecular, and computational approaches to advance understanding of how living systems function and adapt, enabling future biotechnology and bio-inspired innovation.
Proposals Due Date: proposals accepted anytime
Humanities & Artificial Intelligence Virtual Institute (HAVI) – 2026 RFP
Schmidt Sciences is inviting proposals for the 2026 Humanities and Artificial Intelligence Virtual Institute (HAVI), which supports interdisciplinary research integrating humanities scholarship and artificial intelligence. Projects must include co-PIs with expertise in both humanities and AI and are open to universities and nonprofit organizations worldwide.
Funding: $100,000–$800,000
Awards anticipated: 15–25
Proposals due: March 13, 11:59 p.m.
Decision notification: Summer 2026
Register for the Schmidt Sciences informational webinar to answer questions regarding the application process on Feb. 24 at 1 p.m.
ARIA Call for Proposals
The Arts Research Incubation & Acceleration (ARIA) Faculty Research Funding Program, a joint effort funded by the U-M Arts Initiative and OVPR, seeks to elevate and expand arts research and creative practice across U-M’s campuses and schools. The program will support projects centered in the arts that ask creative questions and move toward new ideas and knowledge; invite new forms of collaboration and interaction both within and beyond the arts; and that imagine new approaches to problems and ideas in the arts and society.
Applications are particularly encouraged from interdisciplinary research teams structured to provide mutual benefit to those in the arts and in other research sectors, and from individuals working in creative practice to imagine new horizons of artistic possibility. Faculty applying for individual projects are eligible for up to $25,000, and research teams are eligible for up to $50,000.
Proposals due: March 11, 5 p.m.
Limited Submissions and Internal Opportunities
The Limited Submissions internal competitions are coordinated by the U-M Office of the Vice President for Research and the Medical School. To see a list of currently open opportunities, visit the following webpages:
- OVPR Limited Submissions Webpage (InfoReady)
- Medical School Limited Submissions Homepage
Visit the OVPR's Research Commons for all internal funding and limited submission opportunities in one place. See the U-M Limited Submissions Standard Practice Guide Polices here.
