This Week in Illinois Research
There Is a Season ...
It's a season of change in the OVCRI, and with apologies to the Byrds (Turn! Turn! Turn!), I'm thinking a lot about transitions as we race toward the end of the semester and the year's shortest days.
In January, Patricia Jones will join our team to lead the OVCRI's research support and compliance programs. Patty, who comes to us from the Beckman Institute, recently served as the Interim Director of the Office for the Protection of Research Subjects. Patty's unique combination of research and administrative skills make her a superb successor to Jan Novakofski, who is retiring at the end of the month after more than 40 years of faculty impact, including leading campus safety and compliance programs for more than a decade. It's hard to overstate the impact that Jan has had on the Illinois research community, and we will miss his encyclopedic knowledge of federal regulations every bit as much as his wry sense of humor.
Please join me in welcoming Patty to the OVCRI, and in wishing Jan every happiness in this next season of life!
Sincerely,
Susan
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Around Campus
Sandia National Labs Academic Alliance 2021-22 Collaboration Report
UIUC is one of seven universities that participate in the Sandia National Labs Academic Alliance. Read more about the University's long-standing engagement, student opportunities, and joint research projects in the 2021-22 Annual Collaboration Report; see the …
Cozad New Venture Challenge
Encourage students to take their startup ideas to the next level! The Cozad New Venture Challenge provides mentoring, concept development, and funding from a record pool of over $300K in cash and in-kind prizes.
SPA Holiday Closure
SPA will be closed over the holiday break—so researchers should submit proposals no later than Dec. 14 at 5:00 p.m. SPA will submit these proposals by Dec. 20 (and will resubmit any proposals with errors on Dec. 21 and 22).
UIUC Receives Nine DURIP Awards
The Department of Defense recently announced awards for its Defense University Research Instrumentation Program. UIUC leads the nation with nine funded projects.
Policy & Research Legislative Fellows Program
Encourage graduate students to apply for CSBS's Policy and Research Legislative Fellows program. Applications are due December 30; interested students should attend a virtual information session on December 8.
Participate as a Mentor in the 2023 Community-Academic Scholars Program
If you conduct community-engaged research in partnership with a community organization that addresses issues related to health, poverty, or social inequity, consider applying for the 2023 Community-Academic Scholars Program. Applications are due January 8.
National Landscape
‘GRExit’ Gains Momentum as PhD Programs Drop Exam Requirement
An investigation by Science finds that the vast majority of STEM PhD programs in the U.S. have stopped requiring GRE scores and the number of tests taken each year has plummeted.
Indictment of Monkey Importers Could Disrupt U.S. Drug and Vaccine Research
A recent article in Science highlighted the indictment of two Cambodian wildlife officials for illegally exporting hundreds of cynomolgus macaques, an endangered species, to the U.S. for research—likely exacerbating the shortage of primates for use in drug development and vaccine research.
NIH Scientific Data-Sharing Website
The NIH has added new resources to its scientific data-sharing website, including recorded webinars, informational slide decks, and a decision tool to identify which data-sharing policies apply to your research project. The agency's new Data Management and Sharing Policy goes into effect on January 25, 2023.
NASEM "Enhancing Coordination and Collaboration Across the Land-Grant System" Report Published
NASEM recently published "Enhancing Coordination and Collaboration Across the Land-Grant System," a report that examines how enhanced cooperation across the land-grant system could "…
Science Spared from UK Budget cuts Amid Economic Turmoil
UK finance minister Jeremy Hunt recently made assurances that the country's economic crisis will not harm ambitious plans for research spending, alleviating fears from universities and researchers that the government might use funds promised for science to reduce the nation's deficit.
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