Research Newsblog

Tech-Talks Scholarship continues with a focus on the ongoing interdisciplinary activities
in Michigan Tech’s research centers and institutes.  This session, co-hosted by The
Ecosystem Science Center (ECS) and the Center for Water and Society (CWS), will
take place on Tuesday, March 16, from 4 - 5 p.m. in MUB Ballroom A-1.  There will be a
cash bar, with the first pop, wine, or beer on the house, and munchies will also be provided.

The ESC is designed to advance our understanding of how ecosystems function and
how human activities influence ecosystem processes. The Center’s two main objectives
are to: (1) foster ecosystem research; and (2) improve Michigan Tech’s ability to
educate graduate and undergraduate students in the area of ecosystem science.  The
mission of CWS is to support research, education, and outreach in all disciplines
at Michigan Tech related to water issues. The Center’s goal is to establish Michigan Tech
as a state, regional, national and international leader in these disciplines and,
in particular, in interdisciplinary approaches to solving water-related problems.

The Tech-Talks session will begin with a five minute presentations about ECS and CWS
given by Andrew Burton, Director of ECS, and Alex Mayer, Director of CWS.  This will
be followed by several four minute talks by established center participants and potential
participants and conclude with an informal social session.

All faculty, staff, and graduate students are invited to attend. If you are interested in
giving a short presentation at this session as a potential ECS and EWS participant
please send your two slides to techtalks@mtu.edu by noon on Tuesday, March 16.

The Tech-Talks Scholarship series is sponsored by the Provost’s Office and the Office
of the Vice President for Research.

Proposals are being solicited for the 2010 Research Award, an internal recognition of the Office of the Vice President for Research.

Please nominate the outstanding researchers among your department’s faculty and research staff. Information, including nomination requirements, can be found at: http://www.mtu.edu/research/references/awards-management/internal-awards/research-award/

Submit your nomination to Laurie Stark, Research Integrity and Compliance, 3rd Floor Lakeshore Center, no later than 4 p.m., Monday, April 5.

NSF CAREER budgets must be finalized with SPO by July 6, 2010.

The complete technical proposal and all applicable internal paperwork for the 2010 NSF CAREER program is due in the Sponsored Programs Office one week before the sponsor’s deadline.  The deadlines are listed below:

NSF deadline July 20 – SPO must receive complete proposal by July 13.
NSF deadline July 21 – SPO must receive complete proposal by July 14.
NSF deadline July 22 – SPO must receive complete proposal by July 15.

This session will be held on Wednesday, March 17 from Noon - 1:30 PM.

The following are some points of discussion for the session:

1.  How to find and select the right sponsor/agency for your project.
2.  Pre-proposal contact: When, how, what questions to ask.
3.  Writing strategies for government, foundation, and corporate funding.
4.  What makes a “good” proposal.
5.  Strategies for resubmission of a previously declined proposal.

Please register at:  http://www.admin.mtu.edu/research/vpr/registration/

February 24 - Computational Discovery and Innovation - Alumni Lounge A
March 4 - MuSTI - Alumni Lounge
March 16 - ESC - Ballroom A-1
March 30 - APSRC - Ballroom A-1
April 6 - MTRI - Ballroom A-2
April 27 - KRC - Lakeshore Center

All sessions are at 4pm.

NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates:  http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm

NIH Summer Internship Programs:  http://www.training.nih.gov/student/sip/

GREAT Group summer undergraduate/graduate research programs for Biomedical students:  http://www.aamc.org/members/great/summerlinks.htm

Search Pathways Undergraduate/Graduate/Postdoc Research Summer Opportunities: http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/summerresearch.asp

If you are interested in looking for a summer research experience/program, please contact Jodi Lehman (jglehman@mtu.edu).

A note to deans, directors and chairs:

In concert with the compensation shift from benefits to salaries, effective Dec. 27, 2009, the regular and grant-funded employees fringe rate of 38.6 percent and the summer compensation fringe benefit rate of 16.2 percent will be applied to all funds. This is a reduction from the current Office of Naval Research (ONR) approved rates of 42.6 percent and 20.2 percent.

These newly calculated percent fringe benefit rates should be used on all Sponsored Programs proposal budgets, with a proposal deadline after Jan. 8, 2010. Active sponsored projects will be charged the new unofficial rates of 38.6 percent and 16.2 percent, effective Dec. 27.

The existing rates for other employee/compensation types will continue to be applied to all funds and also be used in Sponsored Programs proposal budgets, as described below:

* Temporary employees–10 percent
* Graduate students–8.75 percent
* Undergraduates–zero percent

The Vice President for Research has established a new web page to share information about funding received by Michigan Tech under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  Check it out—the web page link is as follows:
http://www.mtu.edu/research/resources-for/businesses-sponsors/American-Recovery-and-Reinvestment-Act.html

If you are a Mac user, you may receive an error message when trying to open the new transmittal sheet for proposal submission to external sponsors.  To open the file from the website, http://www.mtu.edu/research/references/forms/, please follow the directions below:

To open the file, right click the link, click “Save Link As” and save the file to your desktop.  Open Adobe Acrobat, click “File”, “Open” and search for the file saved on your desktop.

Effective immediately, Michigan Tech will begin assessing the uncapped facilities and administrative cost rate [currently 63%] to all industrial sponsored proposals. As always, Sponsored Programs will consider requests to reduce the assessed F&A rate when cost share is required on a project, when there are concerns about cost-competitiveness of a proposal, and when the project has a maximum total cost – the form for requesting such a reduction is at http://www.mtu.edu/research/administration/sponsored-programs/pdf/IDCreduct_waiver.pdf.

Federal pass through funding will continue to be assessed the appropriate federal rate, and all proposals previously submitted with the capped rate will be grandfathered at the rate at which they were submitted.