Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the Fall 2024 semester! I hope this update finds you well and full of enthusiasm for the academic year ahead.
Thanks to our faculty, students, and staff, the research enterprise continues to thrive. Coordination with the colleges’ research agendas and shared objectives across other pillars in the Strategic Plan are accelerating our progress in advancing the goals of MSU 2030. Listen to a recent podcast on our expanding impact.
The team in Research and Innovation continues to develop programs to support faculty research and creative activity and streamline processes to lower barriers to success and reduce opportunity costs. This includes long-term planning and investments in faculty recruiting and infrastructure.
The Global Impact Initiative (GII) has been a successful investment, and thanks to support from the president and Board of Trustees, the next round of faculty recruiting (GII 2.0) is now underway. Following a competitive call for proposals, seven were selected, resulting in the approval of 20 additional positions in areas including drug discovery, computational biology, cybersecurity and more. Please review the full announcement for details.
Our comprehensive review of campus research infrastructure continues, and a recent outcome is a call for proposals for the new Shared Research Infrastructure Program (SRIP). Proposals are due October 15, and I encourage faculty and their respective departments or units to consider applying. Moving forward, this standardized process will occur twice a year, allowing for more long-term strategic planning and budgeting to meet the many needs across campus.
The OR&I Internal Grant Programs are now open, and this includes the Humanities and Arts Research Program, the Discretionary Funding Initiative, and the Strategic Partnership Grants. Deadlines vary, so please review the details soon.
The programs above and many other research initiatives as well as our technology transfer efforts are supported, in part, through the generosity of the MSU Research Foundation, as we work together to not only grow research, but also to promote faculty excellence and enhance the research reputation of the university.
The OR&I Proposal Services Team has prepared a very robust lineup of workshops to assist faculty in finding funding, preparing proposals for federal agencies and foundations, and developing a broader impacts strategy. Please review the calendar of upcoming grant development events to register and contact the team to schedule a consultation.
In collaboration with our partners at Henry Ford Health, we are planning a Health Equity Symposium on October 25. This is our premier event for the fall semester and a launch pad for coordinated efforts around community-based research to address disparities and improve health outcomes. Please review the event page for details and registration.
Communications were sent over the summer regarding federal regulations including the prohibition on participation in malign foreign talent recruitment programs and the expansion of requirements for Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) training. Please refer to the information and watch for reminder emails on any RECR training.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or a member of my leadership team if you have thoughts, questions, or concerns regarding research at MSU. We appreciate your feedback.
My best regards for a successful and fulfilling semester.
Doug Gage
Vice President for Research and Innovation