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In this Issue: National Office News:
New CUR Publication: Broadening Participation in Undergraduate Research:
Fostering Excellence and Enhancing the Impact:
Editors: Mary K. Boyd, Dean of the College of Arts &
Sciences, University of San Diego (mboyd@sandiego.edu)and
Jodi L. Wesemann, Assistant Director for Higher Education, American
Chemical Society (j_wesemann@acs.org)
Learn how to connect key players and integrate undergraduate
research into the fabric of your institution, increasing the
effectiveness and sustainability of your program. In this collection
of 21 chapters and 17 short insights, community colleges, primarily
undergraduate institutions, minority-serving institutions,
comprehensive universities and research universities share their
motivations, strategies, and stories.
Pricing and release information to be announced. To add yourself to the pre-release mailing list, please visit: http://www.cur.org/publications/broadening.html
Call for CUR Fellows Awards:
The Council on Undergraduate Research requests nominations for the CUR Fellows Awards. The CUR Fellows Awards are presented at the biennial National Conference to two CUR members who have developed nationally respected research programs involving undergraduates. Each CUR Fellow will also be awarded a Brian Andreen-CUR Student Research Fellowship that they will give to a deserving undergraduate at their respective institutions. Awardees have established outstanding records of obtaining funding for their work and for their students, and have published research findings with undergraduate co-authors. They reach out to students of all backgrounds, incorporate research activities into the courses they teach, and lead efforts to institutionalize research on their campuses and across the nation. In sum, they are leaders and role models for countless faculty and students. Full details of the CUR Fellow criteria and biographies of past CUR Fellows are available at
http://www.cur.org/CUR_Fellows.html
Any member of CUR may submit a nomination for the CUR Fellows Awards. A
nomination consists of a two-page letter highlighting the nominee’s
contributions to all areas of undergraduate research. Additionally, a two
page C.V. of the nominee should be included. Although abbreviated, the CV
should detail the nominee’s contribution to undergraduate research,
ranging from mentoring undergraduate students with resulting publications
to promoting undergraduate research beyond the local level.
Both documents should address the criteria used by the selection committee (found at the website given above). The letter and C.V. must be submitted to the CUR National Office as a single PDF document, uploaded via the following nomination website: http://cur.networkats.com/members_online/submissions/substart.asp
Please note that you will need your Members Only username and password to submit a nomination.
The deadline for nominations is December 5th, 2008.
Questions may be addressed to cur@cur.org
2009 CUR Dialogues:
The 2009 CUR Dialogues will be
held April 2-4, 2009 at the Hilton Mark Center, in Alexandria,
Virginia. An optional workshop entitled "The Art of
Grantsmanship" will be held April 4-5, 2009.
This location is close to
Washington, DC, which allows participants to easily interact with program
officers and sponsored research officers. Highlights include: Plenary
presentations by Carl Strikwerda, Dean of Arts and Sciences at the College of
William and Mary, and Moses Lee, Dean for Natural and Applied Sciences at Hope
College. An additional day of programming will also be held, featuring Tom
Wenzel, Professor of Chemistry at Bates College, and William Campbell, Director
of Grants and Research at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls. Opportunities include:
-- Joining fellow faculty
members at all career stages, sponsored research officers and development officers in
discussions of grantsmanship.
-- Meeting
in small groups to talk with program officers from NSF, NIH, DOE, NEH, NEA, the Fulbright Program, the Smithsonian
Institution, as well as other agencies and groups.
-- Sharing ideas and networking
with colleagues
Attendance is limited to 350
participants. The registration page will be available shortly.
Please visit http://www.cur.org/09CURDialogues/09cd.html
for more information.
For more information please
contact Nancy Hensel at (202) 783 4810 or nancy@cur.org.
CUR Quarterly Articles are Indexed and Available Online:
The CUR Quarterly is indexed in Wilson, and newly indexed with
EBSCO.
The Summer 2008 issue of the CUR Quarterly included an Annotated
Bibliography on Assessing the Impact of Undergraduate Research Experiences
on Students. Edited by Mary Crowe, University of North Carolina at
Greensboro and David Brakke, James Madison University, this overview of
current literature can be found by visiting http://www.cur.org/quarterly/jun08/summer08CroweBrakke.pdf
CUR Website Down for Scheduled Maintenance:
The CUR Website will be down for Scheduled Maintenance on Friday
December 5, 2008 starting at 10:00PM EST until early Saturday morning, and
again on Saturday December 13, 2008 from 10:00AM EST until approximately
8:00PM EST. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience.
Newsletter Subscriptions:
The
CUR E-News
is a membership benefit for
individual members and contacts designated on CUR Institutional
Memberships. Should you know anyone that would like to receive a
subscription, please encourage them to become a member by visiting http://www.cur.org/membership.html
CUR is pleased to announce two additional newsletters also
available to CUR Members:
This Week In Washington
is a weekly newsletter prepared by the staff at Washington Partners that provides an overview of
upcoming events in Washington D.C. affecting American Education.
Deadlines and Upcoming Events
is a newsletter published by the CUR National Office which sends reminders of
submission deadlines, event registrations, and other important dates
in the CUR Community.
To subscribe to either of these newsletters, please login to the members only website,
click "Review My Membership Information" and submit an update of your
membership profile.
CUR Welcomes New Institutional Members:
George Mason University CUR Institutes: Initiating and Sustaining Undergraduate Research Programs:
Proposal Writing Institute:
This CUR Institute will be held July 19-23, 2009 at Willamette
University in Salem, Oregon. 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.
The deadline for application is May 15, 2009.
Application is available by visiting:
http://www.cur.org/institutes/proposal.html
Ongoing CUR Offerings:
Web Page on Advocacy and Government Relations Issues:
The staff at Washington Partners has put together a web page of materials for CUR
Member reference. The web page houses information on advocacy
and government relations issues. Topics of interest include
legislative and event summaries, information on on federal funding
resources, ongoing update on the higher education act, and a learning
and links section with descriptions of common government processes and
links to useful websites.
To access this page, please visit the members only page from the
CUR homepage. Please note that you will need your members only
login to access the page. Should you have any questions or
comments regarding this page, please direct them to wpllc@cur.org
CUR Logins:
CUR assigns usernames and passwords to members so that they
may: login, update records, register for meetings at
member rates, and purchase publications at member rates. Your
username and password have been sent to you previously. Should you
need another copy of this information sent to you via email, please
visit
http://cur.networkats.com/members_online/members/password.asp
.
Non-members who have records in our database may also login to expedite
registration processes, however discounts will only be given to members.
Undergraduate Researchers' Graduate School Registry:
Please encourage your students to sign up
for the Undergraduate Researcher's Graduate School Registry. The
purpose of this registry is to facilitate connections between
undergraduates and graduate schools seeking high quality students who
are well prepared for research. More information and the
submission form are available at:
http://www.cur.org/ugreg/
Graduate Schools that are interested in purchasing a subscription to
the registry should contact Robin Howard at
robin@cur.org
Developing and Sustaining a Research - Supportive Curriculum:
A Compendium of Successful Practices:
This publication is available for purchase via the online order form
which can be found at: http://cur.networkats.com/members_online/members/createorder.asp.
The cost is $45.00 plus shipping costs, and individual members are
eligible for a reduced rate of $35.00, plus shipping costs.
Newswise Press Release Subscription Service:
Newswise is an academic news distribution service that provides media with news
leads from our member institutions.
Journalists receive this news by subscribing to an emailed Daily
Wire.
From the wire, they review news releases and decide whether or not
to follow up on any leads and contacts.
Upcoming Thematic Wires:
HIV/AIDS Wire: Submission Deadline: 5 PM EST, Wednesday December 3,
2008 Civil Liberties & Social Justice Wire: Submission Deadline: 5 PM
EST, Wednesday December 10, 2008. CUR Institutional Members may submit releases to Robin Howard at robin@cur.org.
Please indicate whether your press release is for a thematic wire, or a
general wire. For more information, please refer to the
following document:
http://www.cur.org/pdf/newswise%20flyer.pdf
Advocacy:
CUR's Letter to President-Elect Obama's Transition Team:
CUR has worked with Washington Partners to develop a letter to send to
President-elect Obama's presidential transition team. The letter
introduced the Council on Undergraduate Research, advocated undergraduate
research as a tool to increase the nation's competitiveness, and gave a
brief overview of the current federal funding sources that support
undergraduate research. We hope to assist the Obama-Biden administration in any way possible to
expand the investment in research and development. To review this letter, please visit: http://www.cur.org/newsletter/transition.pdf
CUR Signs onto AAAS and AAU Letter to Presidential Candidates:
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the
Association of American Universities (AAU) drafted a letter that was sent
to both presidential candidates prior to the election. This letter
urged them to appoint a Science Advisor by January 20 and to elevate the
rank of the advisor to Assistant to the President for Science and
Technology to the cabinet level. The letter reinforces recommendations
that have come from the Woodrow Wilson Center ("OSTP 2.0"), the
Center for the Study of the Presidency ("Presidential Leadership to
Ensure Science and Technology in the Service of National Needs") and
most recently the National Academies ("Science and Technology for
America's Progress: Ensuring the Best Presidential Appointments in the New
Administration"). To review this letter, please visit: http://www.cur.org/newsletter/scienceadvisor.pdf
CUR In the News:
Washington Partners, LLC provides a monitoring service of articles
that mention CUR. Please see the following articles below:
November Han In Hand newsletter
available
Washington Partners News November 10, 2008 Column:
The Country Selects a New President, Democrats Prevail in Congress
President-elect Barack Obama has hit the ground running. After Election
Day's conclusive and historic result, individuals both inside and outside
the Beltway began the game of guessing who would be doing what in 2009.
Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) as a choice for White House Chief of
Staff had tongues wagging in DC circles, and the parlor game of guessing
who will head up which agency next year is in full swing. Democratic Wins Affect Committee Membership on Capitol Hill
While the exact numbers remain undecided as a number of Congressional
districts and states are still counting or recounting votes, Democrats
increased their numbers in the House and Senate. The Senate is likely to
end up with 55 Democrats, 43 Republicans and 2 Independents. The House has
at least 256 Democrats, 173 Republicans, while six races have yet to be
called.
NASULGC Selects New Moniker
At the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant
Colleges' annual meeting, it was announced that the organization would
get a new name. The group's name has been a "mouthful" for
quite some time, and it has announced that, effective April, it will be
the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, or APLU. The new
name comes with a new motto: "Advancing Research, Learning, and
Engagement." NSF's EHR Advisory Committee Meets
In early November, the National Science Foundation's Education and
Human Resources Directorate's Advisory Committee met in Washington, DC to
discuss the state of the directorate's programs, efforts and future plans.
Washington Partners attended this meeting on behalf of CUR, and the
panel's discussions touched on myriad issues, although an overall theme
was the importance of leveraging the directorate's 26 programs to further
the goals of the new administration, academia and industry. Speaking often
of "E-cubed", meaning economics, energy and environment, the
panel agreed that investments in proposals should echo the national
emphasis on an effective workforce for the 21st Century, the need for new
renewable energy sources and conservation efforts. In coming weeks, and
certainly in the New Year, the directorate's plans will become more
detailed.
New NASA Legislation Signed into Law
The NASA Authorization Act of 2008, PL 110-422, was signed into law by
President Bush on October 15, 2008. Washington Partners has been
monitoring this legislation for CUR since House Committee on Science and
Technology's Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Mark Udall (D-CO)
introduced the bill (H.R. 6063) earlier this year. Supporters of the bill
say its main objective is to restore funding levels that have been slashed
in recent years and to set NASA "back on track" for the next
administration. The bill's total authorization for FY 2009 is $20.2
billion. (The President's FY 2009 Budget Request for NASA is $17.6
billion.) Reflecting the agency's role in the U.S. innovation agenda, the
bill's authorization level is an 11 percent increase from the FY 2008
appropriation for NASA (paralleling the America COMPETES Act annual
funding increase).
Opportunities and Announcements: The CUR National Office has received the following announcements:
Call for Papers and Presentations for the
Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Research Conference:
West Virginia Wesleyan College invites undergraduates in all academic
disciplines to participate in the fifth annual Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate
Research Conference March 13th 2009, to be held at West Virginia Wesleyan
College. The product of all academic disciplines is welcome and
submissions need not be traditional research papers. Submissions for
presentation at the conference should reflect the level of excellence
typical of upper level seminar classes and should not exceed 15
minutes presentation time. A faculty member whose area of expertise
covers the thematic of the submission should write a brief note of
endorsement supporting the submission (email OK). Papers need not be
fully complete at time of submission. The deadline is February 14th but
conference slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Last
year all slots were filled by February1st. $1000 in prize money
will be shared by conferees responsible for the finest submissions.
Presentations selected for prizes will be announced on the WVWC website
one week after the conference. Registration is free for WVWC students and
$25 for all off-campus participants. To make a presentation at the
conference send a title and abstract of your paper (or a description of
your presentation if it is not a paper) along with faculty endorsement to
Dr. Robert Hull Box 28 WVWC Buckhannon, WV 26201 or email to hull@wvwc.edu.
All presentation locations will be Power Point ready.
**The WVWC Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi provides support for the
conference prizes**
For more information please email Dr. Robert Hull at hull@wvwc.edu
Dr. Robert Hull, Professor of Philosophy
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Nuclear
Education Grant Program Announcement:
This is to inform you that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission -
Nuclear Education Grant Program Announcement has been posted on www.grants.gov.
The Funding Opportunity Number is HR-FN-1008-EDU3.
The Genetics and Genomics of Infection
Diseases:
Classical and emerging infectious diseases, viral pandemics, and
drug-resistant pathogens remain challenges to human health. However,
contemporary advances in genetics and genomic technologies provide new
approaches to understanding and combating these diseases. ASHG and HUGO
are partnering with NPG to organize an international conference to discuss
how the genomes, unique biologies, and interactions of both host and
pathogen are being revealed using novel genomic technologies, and how this
information can and will translate into disease management and therapies.
This conference will engage basic and clinical scientists, including human
geneticists, genome scientists, computational biologists, and experts in
pathogenic microbial agents to chart the effects of genomics on questions
in global infectious disease management. March 21-24, 2009, The Ritz Carlton Millenia Hotel, Singapore
NSF Offers Funds for Pre K-12 STEM Learning:
Scope: The National Science Foundation seeks research proposals that
promise to advance preK-12 student learning and teaching in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.
Deadline: January 8, 2009 and January 10, 2010
Funds: $50 million for 50 to 70 awards. Under this revised program
announcement, types of awards are: $3.5 million for research and
development projects, as much as $5 million over five years for
implementation-focused projects, as much as $450,000 over three years for
exploratory projects, as much as $250,000 over two years for synthesis
projects, as much as $100,00 over two years for conferences or workshops.
Eligibility: U.S. organizations, colleges and universities, government
units, such as school districts and SEAs; and other nonprofit nonacademic
organizations.
Areas: The program supports development, implementation and study of
resources, models and technologies that can be used by students, teachers
or policymakers to improve STEM education. NSF invites projects
that meet a variety of educational needs, such as immediate and pressing
challenges as well as anticipated future needs.
Contact: NSF, 4201 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22230; (703) 292-8620
Email: DRLDRK12@nsf.gov
Dr. Margaret J. Barr Student Research Award:
The Network, an organization sponsored by the United States Department
of Education, is committed to addressing issues related to the use and
abuse of alcohol and other drugs and the prevention of violence in
institutions of higher education. As part of that effort, The Network is
pleased to announce the second biennial competition for a Student Research
Award. Both undergraduate and graduate students at Network member
institutions are eligible to compete for this award, which will not exceed
$5,000. The goal of The Network in sponsoring this award is to encourage
relevant prevention inquiry by student researchers and to promote the
development of student learning teams within our member institutions. The
Network encourages students at member institutions to develop original
research proposals consistent with The Network's organizational mission
that have the potential to inform the field and increase the effectiveness
of prevention efforts on college campuses throughout the nation.
NASA Aeronautical Scholarship Program:
The NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program which is administered by the
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Is officially accepting
applications for the 2009 Aeronautics Scholarship Program. It is expected
that approximately 20 two-year undergraduate, and 5 two-year with an
option of a third year graduate scholarships will be awarded annually to
students pursuing aeronautical engineering and related fields such as
Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics and Mathematics.
Total allocated award amounts are up to $40,000 for undergraduates and up
to $125,000 for graduates. These funds will go towards tuition and related
costs, as well as to provide paid summer internship opportunities at a
NASA research center.
NSF 2009 Alan T. Waterman Award:
The National Science Foundation is pleased to accept nominations for
the 2009 Alan T. Waterman Award. Each year, the Foundation bestows the
Waterman Award to recognize the talent, creativity and influence of a
singular young researcher. Established in 1975 in honor of the
Foundation's first Director, the Waterman Award is the Foundation's
highest honor for researchers under the age of 35.
Research Corporation for Science Advancement
Statement:
Please review the letter from Jim Gentile (RCSA president) addressing
the response of Research Corporation for Science Advancement to the
current financial difficulties. Please feel free to share this letter with
your colleagues and administrators. You will be pleased to see that
Research Corp will continue its commitment to helping early career faculty
to establish productive research programs.
To review the letter, please visit: http://www.cur.org/newsletter/rcsastatement.pdf
The Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship:
The Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Application is now available
on-line. The application due date is January 30, 2009. You must be a
sophomore at the time of application to be eligible. Approximately 100
undergraduate students, U.S. citizens only, who will be a junior in the
fall 2009, will be selected as Hollings scholars beginning fall 2009
academic term.
Department of Homeland Security Education and
Research Funding Opportunities:
DHS Scholarship and Fellowship Program
NIH Funding Opportunities:
· Extension of Expiration Date for PA-06-042 Academic Research
Enhancement Award (AREA): Parent R15
American Institute of Professional Geologists
Scholarship Program:
American Institute of Professional Geologists National Scholarship
Program, Deadline is February 15, 2009
National Endowment for the Humanities Offers
Funds for Faculty Development Institutes:
Scope: The National Endowment for the Humanities provides funding for
summer seminars and institutes to support national faculty development
programs in the humanities for school teachers and for college and
university teachers that: · Extend knowledge and understanding of the humanities by focusing on
significant topics, texts and issues. · Enhance the intellectual vitality and professional development of
participants. · Build a community of inquiry and provide models of excellent
scholarship and teaching. · Promote links between teaching and research in the humanities. Eligibility: Any U.S. nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax exempt
status is eligible, as are state and local governmental agencies and
tribal governments. Areas: Seminars and institutes may be as short as two weeks or as long
as six weeks. Contact: NEH's Division of Education Programs, (202) 606-8463 Email: sem-inst@neh.gov
web: www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/seminars.html
Global Change Education Program:
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental
Research (BER) sponsors the Global Change Education Program (GCEP) to
promote undergraduate and graduate education and training in support of
the Department's global change research activities. Global change research
encompasses a number of technical areas, including atmospheric sciences,
ecology, global carbon cycles, climate, and terrestrial processes.
APA Diversity Program in Neuroscience:
Our mission is also consistent with the mission of NIH, which includes, but is not limited to, the elimination of health disparities in the U.S. Our program provides financial support, professional development activities, and professional guidance to students pursuing doctoral degrees in neuroscience and whose ultimate career goal is to become independent research scientists. 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/newsletter111908.htm |
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