USC Dornsife Research office weekly updates from Stephan Haas, Vice Dean of Research

Research Matters Archive

Awards

This information is based upon official award data from the Contracts and Grants office. It is provided to make you aware of the interesting research that is being conducted by our colleagues and that is supported through extramural sources.
 
• Lee Epstein, Political Science, Collaborative Research: Backdating the U.S. Supreme Court, Northwestern University.
• David Caron, Marine and Environmental Biology, Comparative Functional Analyses of Mixotrophy, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
• Suzanne Edmands, Marine and Environmental Biology, Collaborative Research: Ecological Genomics of Stress Response, National Science Foundation.
• Stephan Haas, Physics and Astronomy, Simulation of Learning: Models and Biological Validation, Western University of Health Sciences.
• Vitaly Kresin, Physics and Astronomy, Scattering by Strong Long-Range Forces  Quantum Superposition, National Science Foundation.
• Nicos Petasis, Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, Total Synthesis of Novel Specialized Pro-Resolving Lipid Mediators, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Inc..
• Donald Arnold, Molecular Biology, Subcellular Targeting of Light-Responsive Opsins for Mapping and Manipulating Neu , National Institute of Mental Health.
 

 
Accolades

In addition to information about faculty grant awards, I would like to include other awards and accolades received by our fabulous faculty.  This is not only to note accomplishments but to make all of us aware of the quality and diversity of College scholarship.  Please email me (shaas@dornsife.usc.edu) with recent successes of yours or your colleagues.
 
Sri Narayan (Loker) recently won a Defense University Research Instrumentation  award.
 
A correction to last week's announcement: Charles McKenna (chemistry) was selected to be inducted as a  "Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques". This distinction recognizes eminent personalities who have contributed significantly to the development of relationships with France in culture, science and/or education.
 

 
Announcements

USC-tenured and tenure-track faculty have the opportunity to request support through the Dornsife Faculty Development Grants program by submitting a promising research plan; priority is given to projects for which other funding support is limited. Teaching and curricular development not related to research are not supported through this mechanism.  The Grant application process is paperless. You will find a module named “Faculty Development Award Application” on your Personal Tools tab in the myDornsife (https://mydornsife.usc.edu) portal. The Application Deadline is June 1, 2012.  Award notification will begin July 1, 2012.  Contact Dornsife Research Office for assistance with the submission process.  research@dornsife.usc.edu or 213-740-2444. There are two programs:

 Limited-Resources (LR) Faculty Development Grant: Tenured & tenure track faculty who have $5000 or less in funding of any sort, excluding funding from a Provost initiative (e.g., ASHSS, Zumberge), as of July 1, 2012 may apply for up to $2,500 for research related expenses.

Larger Limited-Resources (LLR) Faculty Development Grant: Faculty eligible for the LR may apply for consideration for a larger grant of $3500. Only a small number of the total LLR applications will be selected by the Dornsife Dean’s Office for this highly competitive, merit-based larger award based on the merits of the research project proposal, the fiscal details of the need, and recent research productivity. The additional $1000 beyond the LR award will not be awarded for the support of conference attendance.

(If the proposal is not selected at the LLR level, it will still receive consideration for the $2500 LR grant. A faculty member may receive only the LR or LLR, not both.)

 

Upcoming Funding Opportunities

- Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions, National Endowment for the Humanities
http://www.neh.gov/grants/research/fellowship-programs-independent-research-institutions
Grants for Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions (FPIRI) support fellowships at institutions devoted to advanced study and research in the humanities. NEH fellowships provide scholars with research time and access to resources that might not be available at their home institutions. Fellowship programs may be administered by independent centers for advanced study, libraries, and museums in the United States; American overseas research centers; and American organizations that have expertise in promoting research on foreign cultures. Individual scholars must apply directly to the institutions themselves. A list of currently funded institutions is available. In evaluating applications from programs at institutions located in the United States, priority is given to those with library holdings, archives, or other special collections—either on site or nearby—that are available as resources for NEH fellows. American overseas research centers should demonstrate a particular benefit to NEH fellows by virtue of their location and other resources. American organizations should demonstrate the special assistance that they offer NEH fellows in carrying out their research abroad. FPIRI grants provide funding to programs for humanities fellowships of four to twelve months. Fellowship tenure must be fulltime and continuous. FPIRI grants support fellowship stipends and a portion of the costs of selecting the fellows. Indirect costs are not allowed in this program.

- America's Media Makers, National Endowment for the Humanities
http://www.neh.gov/grants/amm
America’s Media Makers (AMM) grants support the following formats: interactive digital media; film and television projects; and radio projects.Interactive digital media may be websites, games, mobile applications, virtual environments, streaming video, or podcasts. Film and television projects may be single programs that address or a series that addresses significant figures, events, or developments and draw their content from humanities scholarship. They must be intended for national distribution. Radio projects may involve single programs, limited series, or segments within an ongoing program vehicle. They may also develop new humanities content to augment existing radio programming or add greater historical background or humanities analysis to the subjects of existing programs. They may be intended for regional or national distribution. NEH encourages projects that feature multiple formats to engage the public in the exploration of humanities ideas. Proposed projects might include complementary components that expand or deepen the audience’s understanding of a subject: for example, museum exhibitions, book/film discussion programs, or other formats that enhance the programs’ humanities content, engage audiences in new ways, and expand the distribution of programs.

- ROSES 2012: Earth Science U.S. Participating Investigator, NASA Headquarters
http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={4DF6A47E-EDC1-20F2-11FB-8BDF6890024A}&path=open
This NASA Research Announcement (NRA) solicits proposals for supporting basic and applied research and technology across a broad range of Earth and space science program elements relevant to one or more of the following NASA Research Programs: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Astrophysics. This ROSES NRA covers all aspects of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences, including, but not limited to: theory, modeling, and analysis of SMD science data; aircraft, stratospheric balloon, suborbital rocket, and commercial reusable rocket investigations; development of experiment techniques suitable for future SMD space missions; development of concepts for future SMD space missions; development of advanced technologies relevant to SMD missions; development of techniques for and the laboratory analysis of both extraterrestrial samples returned by spacecraft, as well as terrestrial samples that support or otherwise help verify observations from SMD Earth system science missions; determination of atomic and composition parameters needed to analyze space data, as well as returned samples from the Earth or space; Earth surface observations and field campaigns that support SMD science missions; development of integrated Earth system models; development of systems for applying Earth science research data to societal needs; and development of applied information systems applicable to SMD objectives and data. Awards range from under $100K per year for focused, limited efforts (e.g., data analysis) to more than $1M per year for extensive activities (e.g., development of science experiment hardware).

- The NIH Centers for Accelerated Innovations (U54), National Institutes of Health
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HL-13-008.html
The NIH Centers for Accelerated Innovations (NCAI) will develop Centers that (1) solicit and select promising emerging technologies, such as therapeutics (e.g., drugs, biologics), preventatives, diagnostics, devices, tools, etc. and (2) facilitate their translation to commercialized products that improve patient care and enhance health. The NCAI will nurture the development of high priority early-stage technologies within the NHLBIs mission in a manner consistent with business case development and regulatory requirements by providing (1) funding for product definition studies (e.g. feasibility studies, prototype development, or proof-of-concept studies), (2) unified and coordinated access to expertise in areas required for early technology development, including scientific, regulatory, reimbursement, business, legal, and project management, and (3) training and hands-on experience in entrepreneurism. Establishing public-private partnerships and providing non-federal funds will be critical for success.

-- Physics at the Information Frontier, National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=6681
PIF includes support for data-enabled science, community research networks, and new computational infrastructure as well as for next-generation computing. It focuses on cyber-infrastructure for the disciplines supported by the Physics Division but also recognizes and fosters the broader impacts on other disciplines and on more general cyber-infrastructure. This program (PIF) is intended to provide support for physics proposals in three subareas: 1) computational physics, 2) information or data intensive physics, and 3) quantum information science and revolutionary computing. The computational physics subarea emphasizes infrastructure for high performance computing in physics requiring significant long-term code or tool development, and/or medium to large community research networks involving physicists or physicists interacting with applied mathematicians and computer scientists. Priority will be given to proposals which, in addition to compelling scientific goals, have a computational advance or new enabling capability. Proposals can include either innovation in computing such as (but not limited to) algorithm development or use of new architecture or provide improvement to community codes or cyberinfrastructure. Information or data intensive physics seeks proposals to develop rapid, secure and efficient access to physics data stores on exabytes scales via heterogeneous and distributed computing resources and networks of varying capability and reliability and to develop internally consistent approaches to the usage of common resources required by large community research networks and multiple collaborations and serving virtual science organizations on a global scale. Examples include provision of data services including providing reliable digital preservation, access, integration, and curation capabilities associated with data from Physics Division experimental facilities and the tools and data handling to maximize the scientific payoff from the data.Priority will be given to proposals which develop tools which can serve a broad community within physics or reach out to other communities in need of rapid, secure access to large data stores or which bring dramatic new capabilities to a specific sub-area of physics. Quantum information and revolutionary computing supports theoretical and experimental proposals that explore applications of quantum mechanics to new computing paradigms for physics or that foster interactions between the physical, mathematical and computer scientists which push the frontiers of quantum-based information, transmission and manipulation. Priority will be given to proposals which utilize the tools of modern physics to foster new approaches to our understanding of quantum computation, quantum cryptography and/or quantum communication. Proposals that cross Divisional lines are welcome but the Physics Division encourages the PI to request a co-review by mentioning the other divisional program on the cover sheet. This ensures a co-review and the participation of the other program in the review process. Proposals must address broader impacts and may include an educational component.

-- Quiness: Macroscopic Quantum Communications, DARPA - Defense Sciences Office
http://www.darpa.mil/Opportunities/Solicitations/DSO_Solicitations.aspx
DARPA is soliciting innovative research proposals in the area of macroscopic quantum communications (proposals which can combine the security of quantum communications with the distances/rates of macroscopic telecommunications). Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in secure quantum communications. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

-- Macroeconomic Aspects of Population Aging (R01), National Institutes of Health
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-12-186.html
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites research on the macroeconomics of aging - the impact of population aging on the macroeconomy and in turn how macroeconomic factors impact health and well-being.

-- Experimental Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics, National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13622
The Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics program encompasses four sub-areas of this broad discipline: Precision Measurements, Atomic and Molecular Dynamics, Atomic and Molecular Structure, and Optical Physics. Research supported in the first three sub-areas includes activities in quantum control, cooling and trapping of atoms and ions, low-temperature collision dynamics, the collective behavior of atoms in weakly interacting gases (Bose-Einstein Condensates and dilute Fermi degenerate systems), precision measurements of fundamental constants, and the effects of electron correlation on structure and dynamics. In Optical Physics, support is provided in areas such as nonlinear response of isolated atoms to intense, ultra-short electromagnetic fields, the atom-cavity interaction at high fields, and quantum properties of the electromagnetic field.

-- Mathematical Biology, National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5690
The Mathematical Biology Program supports research in areas of applied and computational mathematics with relevance to the biological sciences. Successful proposals are mathematically innovative and address challenging problems of interest to members of the biological community. Projects may include development of mathematical concepts and tools traditionally seen in other disciplinary programs within the Division of Mathematical Sciences, e.g., topology, probability, statistics, and computation, etc. To receive appropriate and timely review, such proposals should be submitted directly to the relevant disciplinary program that has the earliest deadline, but they will be considered for co-review by the Mathematical Biology program, which may be selected as a secondary program. Note that proposals that use established mathematical, statistical, and computational tools to address problems in the biological sciences are typically not appropriate for consideration by the disciplinary programs within DMS. For further details on other disciplinary programs within the division, see the details of the program descriptions. In general, if a proposal is appropriate for review by more than one disciplinary program within the Division of Mathematical Sciences, it is advisable to contact the program officers handling each program to determine when the proposal should be submitted and to facilitate the review process. Usually, it is most appropriate to submit in line with the earliest program deadline. If proposals are appropriate for co-review, but are not received in time to include them in the review process for all programs, then they may considered by only a subset of the programs or may be returned without review. In addition, the Mathematical Biology Program interacts with every division in the NSF Directorate of Biological Sciences, as well as with multiple divisions within the Directorate for Engineering, and its interests overlap those of the programs within these divisions. Mathematical Biology regularly seeks joint reviews of proposals with programs in the Directorates of Biological Sciences and Engineering. Investigators are encouraged to discuss their project with program officers in both areas to determine if it should be considered for co-review.

-- Energy for Sustainability, National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501026
This program supports fundamental research and education that will enable innovative processes for the sustainable production of electricity and transportation fuels. Processes for sustainable energy production must be environmentally benign, reduce greenhouse gas production, and utilize renewable resources. Current interest areas in sustainable energy technologies are highlighted below.Biomass Conversion, Biofuels & Bioenergy. Photosynthetic processes used by plants or algae use sunlight to convert atmospheric CO2 to energy-rich metabolites (carbohydrates, lipids, or hydrocarbons) which can be processed into transportation fuels. Fundamental research on innovative approaches for the intensification of biofuel and bioenergy processes is an emphasis area of this program. Specific areas of interest include: biological, thermochemical, or thermocatalytic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels beyond cellulosic ethanol; microbial fuel cells for direct production of electricity from renewable carbon sources; process-based, scalable approaches for the biological or bio-mimetic generation of electricity directly from sunlight; hydrogen production from autotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms; hydrocarbons and lipids from autotrophic or heterotrophic microorganisms.Photovoltaic Solar Energy. Solar photovoltaic (PV) devices harvest and convert sunlight directly to electricity. Fundamental research on innovative processes for the fabrication and theory-based characterization of future PV devices is an emphasis area of this program. Specific areas of interest include: nano-enabled PV devices containing nanostructured semiconductors, plasmonic materials, photonic structures, or conducting polymers; earth-abundant and environmentally benign materials for photovoltaic devices; photocatalytic or photoelectrochemical processe for the splitting of water into H2 gas, or for the reduction of CO2 to liquid or gaseous fuels. The generation of thermal energy by solar radiation is not an area supported by this program, but will be considered by the Thermal Transport Processes program within CBET.Wind Energy. Fundamental engineering research, supported by modeling and simulation studies, that leads to new processes to efficiently harness wind energy for the production of electrical power is an interest area of this program. Research that focuses on materials science issues associated with wind energy systems will not be considered by this program. Projects involving fluid mechanics components as part of a systems approach to wind energy should be submitted to this program; projects focused on new computational fluid mechanics modeling should be submitted to the Fluid Dynamics program.Advanced Batteries for Transportation. Radically new battery systems or breakthroughs based on existing systems can move the US rapidly toward a more sustainable transportation future. The focus is on high-energy density and high-power density batteries suitable for transportation applications. Advanced systems such as lithium-air, sodium-ion, as well as lithium-ion with new cathode chemistries are appropriate. Work on commercially available systems such as lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride will not be considered by this program.