Anshuman “AR” Razdan, vice president for research and innovation, sent the following message to UO faculty on September 26, 2023.
Dear members of the UO research community:
The excitement of a new academic year is palpable. And while students returning is the most outward sign of a university in full swing, the research conducted on our campuses is one of the most impactful outputs of the University of Oregon (UO).
To help lay the groundwork for success this year, what follows is important guidance on the federal budget, funding and proposal development, facilities resources, and notes on research integrity.
Federal Budget
The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI), along with the UO Government and Community Relations team, is closely monitoring the federal budget discussions in Washington, D.C. given the impending end of the federal fiscal year on September 30.
I believe it is good practice to be prepared given the myriad uncertainties regarding federal shutdown. OVPRI has created an informational webpage for researchers regarding the shutdown that will be updated frequently. Should the shutdown occur, please check this webpage. You can also anticipate receiving an email with detailed instructions about how to proceed while federal agency staff are unavailable. At this time, we are assuming that federal proposal deadlines will be followed. Should we learn otherwise, we will let you know. Even if proposals are submitted, their review is not expected until federal staff return to work. Principal investigators may want to check in with program officers before September 29 if they need approval for re-budgeting extensions, effort changes, etc. Additionally, you may check the White House Agency Contingency Plans website.
If you are expecting a new award in the coming weeks and you anticipate major challenges in retaining or bringing on staff should the shutdown occur, please contact Research Development Services (rds@uoregon.edu) to inquire about bridge funding support.
It is important that, even if the shutdown occurs, we remain calm. Life and research will go on as usual and the university will continue to operate. The University of Oregon will do its utmost to support the research community through a shutdown, and to quickly get projects back on track once the federal government reopens.
An Open Invitation
As I did last year, I continue to host “Coffee and LeARn” conversations with researchers from across campus. I encourage you to reach out to schedule these meetings with me so I can learn about your research. I look forward to learning about opportunities and challenges, advocating for resources, connecting with academic and industry partners, and continually improving our administrative work and facilities that provide the foundational structure for research at the university.
New OVPRI Internal Funding
OVPRI has redesigned its internal funding opportunities to advance and accelerate research, scholarship, and creative activity. Research Development Services will host a webinar to introduce the new funding mechanisms, describe the intent of the programs, and provide guidance on how to develop competitive applications. Please join us on October 5, 2023, at noon, using this Zoom link.
Proposal Development
We encourage you to reach out to Research Development Services, whose staff help faculty members develop competitive grant applications through resources, training, and customized support. They offer personalized training using the Pivot funding opportunities database, proposal writing resources on applying for funding (including on-demand training videos), and work one on one with faculty to offer iterative proposal critiques and copy edits. I encourage you to subscribe to the biweekly funding opportunities newsletter. It is not just a resource for research faculty but also a tool for helping research-oriented undergraduate and graduate students identify opportunities.
Core Facilities
The OVPRI Research Core Facility Network facilitates and catalyzes research and innovation by providing access to an incredible variety of shared equipment and services. Our core facility strategic advisors, Kurt Langworthy (klangwor@uoregon.edu) and Doug Turnbull (dturnbul@uoregon.edu), are available to help point you in the right direction, make a connection, arrange a tour, or more generally consult on ways our core facilities can meet your research needs.
Research Integrity
OVPRI provides services and support for a variety of integrity and compliance functions, both for researchers and for the campus more broadly. We continually work to promote a culture of integrity and compliance, enabling the UO community to be successful in their interactions with human subjects in research, animals in research, responsible conduct of research, and allegations of research misconduct.
Compliance with US export control regulations in research is of intense federal policymaker interest. We are following developments closely and urge you to be aware of ongoing interest in research integrity and research security. Faculty, staff, and student research may come under these federal regulations that prescribe access, dissemination, or participation restrictions on the transfer of items and information regulated for reasons of national security, foreign policy, anti-terrorism, or nonproliferation. The UO is fully committed to complying with all laws and regulations that pertain to the conduct and dissemination of our research.
Sincerely,
Anshuman “AR” Razdan
Vice President for Research and Innovation