Greetings, faculty!
Please see the list of announcements, funding opportunities, and resources below. Archives of previous updates are available on ORSP’s blog.
Announcements
- ORSP is responsible for developing and negotiating contracts for programs and research projects sponsored by industry partners, including frequent partners like EPB and Volkswagen. If you are thinking about developing a research project or program with an industry partner, please contact ORSP as soon as preliminary discussions begin. As a key factor in contract negotiations, budgets and budget estimates must be thoroughly reviewed and approved by ORSP before they are shared (even informally) with the industry partner. PIs are not authorized to develop and submit budget estimates to sponsors on behalf of the university without prior approval from ORSP.
- REMINDER – If you are eligible and are interested in being a part of the 2024 NSF CAREER cohort, please fill out this brief interest survey by February 19. See eligibility details in the Funding Opportunities section below. Additional resources may be available to those who are able to meet internal checkpoints leading up to the submission deadline. The 2024 NSF CAREER program deadline is July 24.
- The UTC Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship is hosting a Quantum Conversations event on February 29 from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. Discussion leaders include Charlie Brock, CEO Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative, Dr. Reinhold Mann, UTC Vice Chancellor for Research, and Jim Ingraham, EPB VP Strategic Research. Register here for this free event.
- The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities will host the Health Disparities Research Institute (HDRI) in Bethesda, MD on August 5 – 9, 2024. HDRI is a unique weeklong program that supports the research career development of promising early-career minority health and health disparities research scientists. Visit the HDRI webpage to learn more about the program. Applications are due by 5pm on March 14.
- The UT System has launched the Grand Challenge Grants program, soliciting proposals for innovative projects poised to impact one of three areas: Strengthening Rural Communities, Overcoming Addiction, and Advancing K-12 Education. The program is open to faculty and staff at all UT campuses. Visit the program webpage to learn more. Applications are due April 30. Register here to be added to the contact list for upcoming virtual information sessions.
Limited Submission Competitions
| Sponsor/Program | Competition Link | Internal Deadline | Limitations or Special Considerations |
| The Camille & Henry Dreyfus FoundationHenry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awards | Notice of Intent | February 26, 2024 | UTC is limited to 1 nomination. Eligible faculty must hold a full-time, tenure-line academic appointment in a department that grants a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the chemical sciences, including chemical engineering, AND be after the fourth and not after the twelfth years of their independent academic careers, and engaged in independent research and teaching primarily with undergraduates. You must submit an NOI to be eligible for selection if an internal competition is held. |
| NSF Innovations in Graduate Education | Notice of Intent | February 26, 2024 | UTC is limited to 2 proposals. An individual can participate in only 1 proposal as PI/Co-PI per competition. |
Other Funding Opportunities
If you are interested in applying to any of the opportunities below, please notify ORSP at least 4-6 weeks in advance of the deadline. Proposals with fewer than 5 business days notice may face barriers to submission. More information about ORSP’s proposal development timeline and services is available here.
| Sponsor/Program | Deadline | Limitations or Special Considerations |
| DOE Advancements in Artificial Intelligence for Science | Pre-App: March 19, 2024 | Pre-applications are required. UTC is limited to no more than 3 pre-applications as the lead institution per research area. Slots per area will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis. Full applications are by invitation only. |
| DOD Office of Naval Research 2025 Young Investigator Program | April 30, 2024 | PIs must be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident (on the date proposals are due), holding a first or second full-time tenure-track or tenure-track-equivalent faculty position at that university, and have received their PhD or equivalent degree on or after 01 January 2017. Co-PIs are not allowed. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the appropriate PO for a specific technical area to discuss their research ideas before submitting a proposal. |
| NSF ACED: Accelerating Computing-Enabled Scientific Discovery | May 13, 2024 | Proposals accepted for Track I: Emerging Ideas Proposals only. Track II: Discovery proposals will be accepted in 2025 and 2026. The research teams for either track must consist of computing researchers and researchers representing biological sciences, engineering, or math and physical sciences. PIs/Co-PIs are limited to 1 proposal per deadline. Additional restrictions may apply. |
| NSF Leading Culture Change Through Professional Societies of Biology (BIO-LEAPS) | July 1, 2024 | All BIO-LEAPS proposals must be evidence-based and grounded in relevant literature on organizational or systemic change and DEI. |
| NSF Building Research Capacity of New Faculty in Biology (BRC-BIO) | July 1, 2024 | Lead PIs must be at the Assistant Professor rank (or equivalent), with service at that rank for no more than 3 years by the proposal submission date. |
| NSF CAREER | July 24, 2024 | PIs must meet all of the following eligibility guidelines: Hold a doctoral degree in a field supported by NSFBe engaged in research in an area of science, engineering, or education supported by NSFHold at least a 50% tenure-track position as an assistant professorBe untenured as of July 24, 2024. Note: If your tenure becomes effective on August 1, 2024, you are still eligible for the 2024 deadline.Have not received a CAREER award or submitted more than 2 unsuccessful proposals to the CAREER program. |
| NASA Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES) | Varies | Deadlines vary by ROSES program. Programs requiring notices of intent or Step-1 Proposals have deadlines no earlier than March 27, 2024, and programs requesting full (Step-2) proposals have deadlines no earlier than May 14, 2024, see Table 2 and Table 3. |
| NSF Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Core Programs (MCB) | No deadline | Only minor updates have been added to this solicitation. There are no restrictions or limits to participating personnel. |
Sponsored Projects Policy Spotlight: Visitors Engaged in Research
UT Policy RE0002 outlines the policy and procedures on visitors engaging in research on UT campuses. The policy applies equally to sponsored and non-sponsored projects and requires a visitor information packet to be submitted at least 30 days prior to arriving on campus. A decision tree for determining whether the policy applies to your situation is available on ORI’s webpage here.
Best,
Ashley Ledford,
Director of Pre-Award Services
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Book a meeting with me!