Office of Research update for March 2024

External Awards Received

The Office of Research is pleased to announce and would like to congratulate our Dearborn faculty members on receipt of the following external funding:

U-M Project Director: Sally Howell, Social Sciences
Project Title: Middle Eastern Historical Context Study
Sponsor: City of Detroit (through Quinn Evans Architects) 
Awarded Amount: $15,000

This project will produce a historical context study for the City of Detroit pertaining to potential national historical landmarks that document the history of the Middle Eastern and North African communities in the city. Professor Howell will produce a narrative overview of the history of the MENA community in Detroit, identify landmark sites and document the historical significance of each of these sites. She will also advise the city on the makeup of a community advisory committee and will work with this committee to determine which of the proposed sites the city will advance to the National Park Service for commemoration.

U-M Project Director: Timothy Davis, College of Business
Project Title: TLN Workplace Perceptions Survey
Awarded Amount: $53,300

Under the direction of Tim Davis, iLabs, the College of Business’s Office of Engagement and Impact will conduct a workplace perception survey of over 70 public libraries to measure the health and impact of the workplace setting for staff. These findings will enable the cooperative group of libraries to better understand staff's experiences and views. Further, the libraries plan to utilize the survey results to advance their cooperative strategic mission, which includes fostering collaboration, equity, diversity and inclusion. iLabs staff, along with COB faculty, will be creating the survey, conducting analysis and will share their findings with library leadership in fall 2024.

Announcements

Campus Grants Update

Competitive: The Office of Research is currently reviewing Competitive Campus Grant Applications submitted prior to the Feb. 15, 2024 deadline. Award decisions are anticipated in mid-May. If you submitted an application, we appreciate your patience as we go through our review process. 

Open Invitation: Funding has been exhausted for the FY24 cycle of Open Invitation Campus Grants. Funding for the next fiscal year is anticipated to be announced in July 2024. For more information about all of our Campus Grants programs (competitive and open invitation) and eligibility information, please visit our Campus Grants webpage.

Connect: We are currently in the process of retiring the [email protected] address that has previously been used for campus grant-related inquiries. Going forward, emails will start to include our new email address: [email protected] and we are in the process of transitioning our InfoReady site to this new email. 

Bold Challenges Accepting Boost Applications

The Bold Challenges’ Boost program supports new and early-stage multidisciplinary teams whose ambitious, transdisciplinary projects have substantial potential for significant large-scale funding. Boost teams receive dedicated research development support on topics like team building, effective communication for team science, and a wide range of facilitation and ideation activities toward competitive grant proposals.

Each team also receives $75,000 for activities that strengthen its capacity to conduct groundbreaking research and better position its work for future proposals from organizations like NIH and NSF. Funding can be used to purchase materials, conduct tests and hire undergraduate and graduate researchers.

Looking for collaborators? Share ideas with peers across campus at upcoming Bold Challenges pollination events. The series of events begins March 8. Boost applications are due May 13.

IHP Fund for Research and Engagement

The Inclusive History Project (IHP) invites proposals for compelling research and engagement projects that originate outside the IHP and create and share knowledge about U-M’s past with regard to DEI. Faculty from all three campuses may apply as individuals or collaborative teams. Proposals are due by April 5. Two types of grants are available:

• 2024 IHP Mini-Grants support up to $3,000 intended for undergraduate and graduate students as well as smaller-scale activities. Projects funded through mini-grants should focus on research, engagement and/or creative practice. 
• 2024 IHP Research & Engagement Fund Large Grants support up to $25,000 to fund the design and implementation of new research and engagement projects related to the IHP, to support the expansion and completion of existing projects, and to catalyze projects designed to engage our campuses and local communities in learning about the university’s history of inclusion and exclusion. The IHP is interested in proposals for a wide range of projects that include research on the university’s history and engagement in some form, which may include more traditional research projects, exhibits, walking tours, performances, workshops, etc.

Please email [email protected] with consultation requests and questions.

Research Grants on Preventing and Alleviating Poverty

Poverty Solutions invites faculty at U-M's Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses to pursue research projects that can inform existing policies, practices or interventions meant to prevent or reduce poverty or research that lays out proposals for future policy directions. Junior faculty are encouraged to apply, and partnerships with faculty across multiple campuses are strongly encouraged.

Poverty Solutions will award up to five grants of $20,000 each on a rolling basis; there is no set deadline to apply for the funding. See the RFP for guidelines and application instructions. Questions can be directed to [email protected].

Mardigian Library Support for Data Management Plans 

Data management plan support is available from the UM-Dearborn Mardigian Library. Data management planning is often required by funders in the form of a document called a Data Management Plan (DMP) that will describe the handling (collection, storage and archiving) of data collected during your project. A DMP may also need to include plans for the dissemination of your data, (sometimes referred to separately as a Data Sharing Plan). To help faculty navigate data management planning, the Mardigian Library offers both a subject guide on Research Data Management as well as a DMP review service. 

The Mardigian Library’s Research Data Management subject guide covers definitions, online tools for creating a DMP, guidance from ICPSR, example plans and more. Read the Research Data Management subject guide to learn more about DMPs.

UM-Dearborn librarians are also available to help answer questions and offer support to faculty improving their DMPs as a part of their DMP review service. To contact a librarian for a DMP review, fill in their DMP review request form.

Reminder: Resources for Using SciENcv

Effective Oct. 23, 2023 NSF requires all biosketch and current and pending support documents for senior personnel to be prepared using SciENcv. The fillable PDF forms are no longer accepted. We recommend that you take the time to register with SciENcv and begin to create your documents in that system if you expect to be involved in a proposal to NSF in the near future.

U-M Library Services has put together this guidance page to help you get started. You can also request a one-on-one Zoom session with Dearborn Office of Research staff to walk you through this process. Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae (SciENcv) is a researcher profile system for all individuals who apply for, receive or are associated with research investments from federal agencies. SciENcv allows researchers to document their education, employment, research activities, publications, honors, research grants and other professional contributions to create multiple SciENcv profiles in official biographical sketch formats funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). In addition, the SciENcv application can be used to create the official NSF Current and Pending Support document.

Any researcher can register for SciENcv and create multiple biosketches for different research projects or different funding agencies. You can find much more information about how to use SciENcv on their FAQs page. The central Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and U-M Library have resources and previous workshops available on how to create a biosketch in SciENcv specifically focused on NSF and NIH. These resources are available linked below:

• U-M Library SciENcv Guide (including step-by-steps for creating NSF and NIH biosketches)
• NSF Biosketch and SciENcv Webinar (July 2020)
  • Slide Deck (MLibrary Presentation)
  • NSF Biosketch Webinar Transcript
  • How to Create Your NSF Biosketch in SciENcv Step-by-step (MLibrary Handout)
• NIH Biosketch and SciENcv Webinar (May 2020)
  • Slide Deck (MLibrary Presentation)
  • NIH Biosketch Webinar Transcript
  • Biosketch and SciENcv Step-by-Step (MLibrary Handout)

If you have questions about SciENcv, need additional support or would like to schedule one-on-one assistance with setting up your SciENcv profile and documents, please email our office at [email protected].

Research Events in March

• An ongoing 14-week NSF CAREER Proposal Writing workshop offered by the Dearborn Office of Research Development helps PIs understand the program requirements and write and complete their applications on time for the 2024 deadline. The workshop is a combination of presentations, discussions, writing sessions and peer feedback. It is designed to be most helpful to PIs who have never submitted an NSF CAREER proposal before. More information about the workshop can be received from the Dearborn Director of Research Development Vess Vassileva-Clarke.
• NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site Program Information Session will be held in person on the Dearborn campus. The session will include a program overview and a panel discussion. Panelists from Dearborn and Ann Arbor who have received REU Site awards will share tips for writing successful applications. If interested, RSVP here. The session is Thursday, March 14, 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., in-person, Kochoff Hall A, James C. Renick University Center, 4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, MI 48128.   
• Bold Challenges 2024 Pollination Events
  • Advancing Human Health at Scale: Friday, March 8, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., in-person, Hussey Room, Michigan League, 911 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
  • Adapting to Changing Environments: Friday, March 15, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., in-person, Hussey Room, Michigan League, 911 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
  • Creating Sustainable Energy Innovations: Friday, March 22, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., in-person, Hussey Room, Michigan League, 911 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
• MICHR workshop, “Communicating the Value of Your Research to a Broad Audience”: Tuesday, March 19, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Mardigian Library workshop, “Researcher Profiles”: Wednesday, March 20, 1-2 p.m., virtual
• IRB-HSBS, “IRB On-the-Road Drop-In Session”: Wednesday, March 20, 2-3:30 p.m., virtual
• Hanover Research Webinar, “Navigating the Grant Review Processes (and Becoming a Reviewer)”: Thursday, March 28, 12-1 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: ORSP Proposal Development Guidance

Every month, the Office of Research features a resource and/or tool that is available for researchers. This month we are featuring the ORSP Develop Proposal webpage.

The central U-M Office of Research (ORSP) has a robust website with content, resources and general information for research administrators and faculty at U-M (newsletter links, current updates, access to Navigate training resources, a glimpse into the research lifecycle, etc.). 

The ORSP Develop Proposal webpage helps PIs think through what are the considerations and materials needed to write a proposal, create a budget and prepare for submission to a sponsor, and covers topics such as best practices for success, links to resources, budget planning tools and more. 

Reminder: All UM-Dearborn faculty are required to work with the UM-Dearborn Office of Research when submitting proposals for external funding. Proposal Request Forms should be submitted at least 20 business days prior to the sponsor deadline for standard, single PI proposals. See the UM-Dearborn Office of Research website for more information on proposal services.

Upcoming Funding Opportunities

The Office of Research publishes a list of selected funding opportunities, organized by college, every month on our website under Announcements. Yearly grant calendars organized by subject area provided by Hanover Research are available there as well. 

Use the updated U-M Research Commons to look up internal (to U-M) funding opportunities and Limited Submission opportunities open to Dearborn researchers.

Contact the UM-Dearborn Office of Research if you would like more information about submitting a proposal to any of the programs.