|
|
In this Issue:
National Office News:
CUR
Institutes:
Advocacy:
Opportunities:
National Office News:
Call for Abstracts: CUR 2008 National Conference: Disciplinary
Posters: CUR Announces new Editor-in-Chief of the CUR Quarterly: Call for
Undergraduate Research Highlights - Deadline: April 18, 2008 Call for
Articles for the Fall 2008 Issue of the CUR Quarterly:
"Undergraduate Research in the First Two-Years" - Deadline
May 1, 2008 CUR Upgrades to New Association Management System: CUR 2008 National Conference: Frontiers and Challenges in
Undergraduate Research: Early Registration Deadline is April 15,
2008 Registration is available by visiting http://www.cur.org/register.html For more information, please visit http://www.cur.org/conferences/csb/cur08natconf.asp The Draft Schedule is now available, please visit http://www.cur.org/conferences/csb/nc08
- web schedule.pdf
CUR Nominations Vetting Committee:
CUR Members Receive Awards:
Dr. Stephen D. Davis, Distinguished Professor of Biology, at Pepperdine
University has received the Robert Foster Cherry Award. Dr. Davis
has also been a CUR member since 1999. CUR has posted a listing of CUR Members
that have received similar awards. To view this list, please visit http://www.cur.org/distinguished.html.
Should you know of additions that can be made to this list, please send
the information to Robin Potochnik at robin@cur.org. CUR Welcomes New
Institutional Members: CUR
Institutes:
CUR Regional Workshop
Program on Institutionalizing Undergraduate Research:
Institutionalizing Undergraduate Research:
This workshop will bring together teams of three to five faculty
members and administrators from institutions that are interested either
in initiating an undergraduate research program or in institutionalizing
existing research activities. The three days will consist of
plenary lectures presented by facilitators associated with CUR
interspersed with individual team meetings with CUR facilitators. The
teams will begin the workshop by meeting with their facilitator and
reflecting on the current status of undergraduate research on their
campuses. This inventory will include the examination of
institutional strengths, as well as the obstacles currently preventing
achievement of desired results. After this assessment, the teams
will begin formulating mission statements, goals, and action plans for
their own institutions. The event will conclude with the teams
discussing their plans with the entire community.
Registration is now available by visiting: http://www.cur.org/institutes/malaspina.html.
Beginning a Research Program in the Natural Sciences at a
Predominantly Undergraduate Institution:
Starting a successful research program and doing scholarly work at a
predominantly undergraduate institution poses unique challenges for a
beginning faculty member. The overall goal of the institute is to give
pre-tenured faculty the opportunity to learn from and discuss with
experienced faculty how to establish and manage a research program with
undergraduates. A range of topics will be covered during the institute,
and the specific goals include ways to achieve career success in
undergraduate research by learning how to:
• select undergraduate researchers Registration is
available by visiting: http://www.cur.org/institutes/newfaculty.html
Mentorship,
Collaboration and Undergraduate Research in the Social Sciences and
Humanities:
This
CUR Institute will be held July 18-20, 2008 at Carthage College in
Kenosha, Wisconsin. The institute will bring together teams
of three to five faculty members and administrators engaged in enhancing
undergraduate research opportunities at their home institutions,
focusing on undergraduate research as faculty development, student-based
inquiry and institutional support structure. The three days will
consist of plenary lectures presented by facilitators associated with
CUR interspersed with individual team meetings with CUR mentors.
Faculty and administrators from disciplines throughout the social
sciences and humanities will spend the weekend discussing models of
undergraduate research, mentorship and collaboration; what
"research" and "mentorship" mean in different
disciplines in the social sciences and humanities; assessing the value
of undergraduate research; and means of augmenting funding for
undergraduate research internally and externally. Registration is
available by visiting: http://www.cur.org/institutes/socscihum.html
Proposal Writing Institute:
This CUR Institute will be held July
20-24, 2008 at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. The
institute will bring together faculty and administrators interested in
preparing proposals for submission to external funding agencies. This four-day institute will consist of one-on-one work with a mentor,
small group discussions, writing and critiquing of proposals, and
plenary sessions. The institute has been developed to assist
novice to experienced proposal writers in drafting complete proposals
for submission.
Registration is available by visiting: http://www.cur.org/institutes/proposal.html
Initiating and Sustaining Undergraduate Research Programs: This institute will be held October 2-4, 2008 at the University of
North Carolina at Greensboro. The purpose of the institute is to provide new directors of
undergraduate research programs the means to develop and effectively
administer their programs and to help seasoned directors disseminate
best practices and further build and improve their programs. This institute has the following goals: • To provide models of effective UR Programs Registration is available by visiting: http://www.cur.org/institutes/isurp.html Ongoing
CUR Offerings: Undergraduate Researcher's Graduate School Registry:
Developing and Sustaining a Research - Supportive Curriculum: A Compendium of Successful Practices:
Newswise Press Release Subscription Service:
Advocacy: Science Debate 2008
Washington Partners News March 24, 2008 Column
Since the beginning of the year, Congress has been talking about
federal spending, and on March 14th, just after 2:00 am, and just before
they left town for a two-week recess, the U.S. Senate adopted a $2.5
trillion dollar budget resolution for FY 2009. Following 50 hours of
debate and a non-stop vote-a-rama on over 100 amendments, S. Con. Res. 70
passed on a vote of 51- 44. The debate of a budget resolution in the
Senate is a true free for all. Any Member can offer a vote at any time.
They can also be challenged for germaneness, which sets off a 60 vote
point of order, but that rarely stops anybody. This is "talk to the
cameras" and "get our party message across" time. The votes
were expected to be very close and, as a result, all three presidential
candidates were present all day on the Senate floor, ailing Senator Robert
Byrd (D-WV) was brought in from the hospital, and Vice President Dick
Cheney was hiding in the wings. At the end of the day, the most
contentious issues passed or failed by wide margins. The amendment by
Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) to institute a one-year moratorium on
"earmarking" federal funds ultimately failed on a procedural,
but decisive 71-29 vote. The amendment garnered extraordinary attention
when Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barack Obama
(D-IL) attached their names to the measure and its intention to curb
earmarks. Many other amendments were adopted that appeared to extend or
eliminate taxes, but they have no force of law. Similarly, billions of
dollars of additional spending was agreed to for high priority domestic
programs. The catch is there is no real money unless across the board cuts
are implemented government wide-a highly unlikely occurrence. In the House
of Representatives, a very similar budget plan (H. Con. Res. 312) passed
on a vote of 212-207, with no Republican support and a number of Democrats
voting against it. A House budget debate is a very different matter when
compared to the Senate. Only full substitute proposals are in order.
Several were offered and quickly rejected. Speaker of the House Nancy
Pelosi (D-CA), joined by some in her leadership team, threatened all week
to issue by fiat a one-year moratorium on earmarking, similar to the
DeMint proposal. By week's end she had either tired of the topic or tired
of the budget, but no such ultimatum was uttered. She did indicate that
"something might happen at a future date". For education and
research advocates, the important information in the budget resolution is
the following: Congress rejected the cuts to education funding and program
eliminations that the President had proposed; the Congress indicated a
willingness to spend between $20-$25 billion more on non-defense
discretionary programs next year than the President had proposed; and it
is clear in the report accompanying the resolution that the Democratic led
Congress views education as a priority. If and when appropriations bills
are written later this year, approximately $5 billion more will be
provided for education than the President proposed. A budget resolution is
just that-a resolution, not a law. We now know what the parameters will be
for the debate to write budgets for all federal agencies this year. We
know the President is likely to veto the ones that are more generous than
what he proposed in February. We know that it will be difficult to
finalize the FY 2009 budget as the campaign season heats up. When the
Congress returns on March 31, it will be for an eight-week run that
promises more budgetary excitement. Against this backdrop, a number of
House and Senate Committee have held hearings of interest in recent weeks:
Bill Gates Testifies Before Science and Technology Committee: On March
12th, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates presented testimony before the House
Science and Technology Committee discussing efforts to improve U.S.
competitiveness in the global marketplace, and the role played by
technology in economic growth. During his testimony, Gates commended the
Committee on its role in expanding science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) educational opportunities for American students. He
also urged Congress to fully fund the programs authorized by the America
COMPETES Act, concentrate on strengthening U.S. education systems, improve
immigration systems, and increase federal funding for basic research.
Gates' testimony highlighted the 50th anniversary of the Science and
Technology Committee, and kicked off a series of hearings focused on the
technological advances made over the last 50 years. Committee Chairman
Bart Gordon (D-TN) noted, "as we reflect back on the technological
advances of the past and look ahead to the challenges facing our country's
competitiveness in the world, I can think of no other witness better
suited and well positioned to help share insights with this
committee." For more information on this hearing, visit: http://www.science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2117.
HELP Committee Holds Hearing on NIH Funding: On March 12th, the Senate
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing
organized around a new report titled, The Broken Pipeline? Flat Funding of
NIH Puts a Generation of Science At Risk. The report highlights effects of
flat funding of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 2003,
including the decreasing grant pool, the impact of inflation on expenses,
and the resulting loss of opportunity for scientists and students. The
conversation between the Members and the witnesses emphasized how the
reduction in federal funding is counterproductive to other federal efforts
that encourage students to pursue studies in math and science. The hearing
set the stage for increased advocacy efforts to improve NIH's funding by
highlighting the benefits from past investments. The witnesses effectively
addressed the perceived conflicting federal goals that lead to encouraging
students to enter the STEM fields but then limiting federal funding for
other programs that are necessary to create appealing job opportunities.
If the US is to maintain its current leadership position in the sciences,
the federal government must expand its support for the sciences, not just
through recruitment programs, but retention as well. To obtain copies of
witnesses' testimonies or view the webcast, please visit: http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2008_03_11/2008_03_11.html
House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on NIST FY09 Budget: On March 12th, the
Technology and Innovation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science
and Technology held a hearing to consider the Administration's FY 2009
budget request for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Subcommittee Chairman David Wu (D-OR) stressed the importance of NIST
completing a comprehensive plan for research, as mandated in statute under
the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69). Dr. James Turner, Acting Director,
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) described the
Administration's FY09 budget proposal as putting the agency back on the
path to doubling its budget as mandated in the COMPETES Act. NIST advances
innovation and competitiveness by providing critical measurement tools for
a wide variety of industries. Chairman Wu issued a strong warning to Dr.
Turner that the committee would need a more focused plan to accompany the
annual budget request in the future. Turning to the MEP and TIP grant
programs, the Chairman questioned Dr. Turner as to why both these programs
were zeroed out in the FY09 budget request. Dr. Turner responded that it
was a matter of priorities. Chairman Wu reminded him that Congress set
these priorities (MEP and TIP) in statute for NIST. For more information,
please visit http://science.house.gov/. Opportunities:
Taylor University Offers High
Altitude Balloon Workshops This Summer:
In almost all STEM disciplines, innovative experiments can be performed
on a high altitude balloon. At Taylor University, students have “come to
life” designing and launching experiments that go into near space. Make
this happen in your classes by attending a High Altitude Balloon Workshops
this summer. This workshop is free and participants will receive a $200
stipend due to NSF funding. You do not need to be a part of Space Grant. Workshop
Dates: May 21-22 or August 4-5, 2008 Please visit http://www.taylor.edu/cri/balloon/
for more information.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Council announces $15 Million in Nuclear
Education Grant Opportunities:
Congress authorized the agency to provide $15 million in grants for
support of education in nuclear science, technology, and engineering to
deveop a workforce capable of supporting the design, construction, and
operation, and regulation of commercial nuclear facilities, and the safe
handling of nuclear materials. Please visit the following link for more
information. http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do;jsessionid=H12Nhth8PG5PGCtfTvYRFjZYJht2pXwrnxp3vTvnJ3YBpBcbnBWQ!-525174791?mode=AGENCYSEARCH&agency=NRC Closing
date is April 1, 2008.
NIH Office of Extramural Research Replaces NCI course with On-Line Tutorial:
For more information regarding this announcement, please visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-054.html NIH Extramural Associates Research Development Award (EARDA):
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications for
the Extramural Associates Research Development Award (EARDA). The EARDA is
designed to facilitate the development or strengthening of the research
administration infrastructure and build capacity (i.e. the ability of
individuals and organizations to perform effectively, efficiently, and in
a sustainable manner) in research administration in domestic women's
colleges and public or private four year or two year institutions with a
traditionally significant to high ethnic minority student enrollment (42
CFR 52c.3) and which offers undergraduate, graduate or professional
degrees. The overall goal is to enable institutions to provide support for
the technical development of research grant proposals, to provide thorough
oversight and the administrative management of grant awards, and to foster
and facilitate ongoing research activities at the institution. For more information regarding this announcement, please visit: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-096.html
2009 HHMI Early Career Scientist Competition
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is announcing a major new
program that will provide much-needed support to some of the nation's best
early career faculty at a time when they most need the help. The new
program is aimed at researchers who have run their own labs for two to six
years and are now at a critical point in establishing their own vibrant,
independent research programs. Through a national competition that opens on March 10, 2008, HHMI plans
to select as many as 70 early career scientists from a wide range of
scientific disciplines relevant to biological and medical inquiry. These
scientists, most of whom will be assistant professors at the time of the
award, will receive six-year, non-renewable appointments to HHMI and
receive the substantial research support necessary to move their research
in creative, new directions. HHMI will invest more than $300 million in
this first group of scientists and plans a second competition in 2011. For the full story, please visit: http://www.hhmi.org//news/earlycareer20080310.html Call for Proposals for AACU: Engaging Science, Advancing Learning
General Education, Majors, and the New Global Century:
Engaging Science, Advancing Learning
General Education, Majors, and the New Global Century will be held November 6 - 8, 2008
in Providence, Rhode Island Deadline for submission
of proposals: April 16, 2008 This conference will examine the place and
practice of science in college learning for a new global century. There is
strong agreement that the United States must make science achievement a
top priority. We need more successful science graduates, and we need many
more graduates -- whatever their major -- who can evaluate scientific
information in making decisions. With decades of innovation in science
teaching behind us, what are the most promising avenues for raising the
quality of students' engagement and achievement in science? This
conference will focus on how colleges and universities -- working together
-- can create a climate for engaging science for far-reaching educational
change. The conference is organized around four elements needed to forge
new understandings of the way science contributes to, and is shaped by, an
overall framework for liberal education in the college years -- vision,
structures, designs, and assessment. For more information, please visit: http://www.aacu.org/meetings/engaging_science/call.cfm NASA-Langley-VSGC Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Internship
Program:
This is a great opportunity for any student majoring in civil
engineering, technology, geography or other major and interested in
developing and improving their skills and experience in GIS. Prior
experience in GIS is not required as training will be provided. Students
will work 20 hours per week and be paid a stipend based on their academic
level. Deadline for summer applications is March 24 and the deadline for
fall internships is July 1. Please visit http://www.vsgc.odu.edu/gisintern/
for more information and to apply. The NASA Langley GIS team site can be
viewed at http://gis.larc.nasa.gov/. Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology:
This annual international research prize recognizes accomplishments in
neurobiology research based on methods of molecular and cell biology. The
winner and finalists are selected by a committee of independent
scientists, chaired by the Editor-in-Chief of Science. Past winners
include postdoctoral scholars and assistant professors. To be eligible,
you must be 35 years of age or younger. If you're selected as this year's
winner, you will receive $25,000, have your work published in the
prestigious journal Science and be invited to visit Eppendorf in Hamburg,
Germany. Deadline for entries is June 15, 2008. For more information, please visit: http://www.eppendorf.com/prize
If you have problems
viewing this newsletter, please contact robin@cur.org.
To view this email as a website, please visit:
http://www.cur.org/Newsletter/newsletter033108.htm
|
| 734 15th Street NW • Suite 550 • Washington, DC 20005 • Phone (202) 7834810 • Fax(202) 7834811 • cur@cur.org • http://www.cur.org |