Archives
December 2018
Season's greetings from the Office of Research and Economic Development
Season's greetings from the Office of Research and Economic Development. We find ourselves at the end of another semester at Mississippi State, but before it draws to a close, please let me share an update with you.
David Shaw is vice president for research and economic development at Mississippi State University.
NSF survey: MSU again the highest-ranked research university in state
In late November, we were very pleased to see that Mississippi State remains the highest-ranked research university in the state by a wide margin, according to the new NSF Higher Education Research and Development Survey for Fiscal Year 2017. Overall, we're ranked 94th nationally, with nearly $241 million in R&D expenditures -- accounting for more than half of all expenditures by Mississippi institutions. We also have the largest total number of research personnel, including more than 600 principal investigators. For the sixth consecutive year, we lead the Southeastern Conference in social sciences and are ranked 17th nationally with $34.6 million in expenditures. At $109 million, our expenditures in agricultural sciences and natural resources and conservation place us at No. 9 nationally. For other highlights from the survey, please visit https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2018/12/msu-remains-highest-ranked-research-university-mississippi-according-latest.
Reminder: Research proposals and the winter break holidays
As I mentioned in last month's letter, please remember that for those of you working on research proposals that may be due during MSU's winter break between Dec. 21-Jan. 1, the Office of Sponsored Projects closes along with the rest of the university. If you have a special need for OSP support over the holidays, it is very important that you coordinate that with Kevin Enroth as soon as possible. His e-mail address is enroth@osp.msstate.edu or you may call 662-325-7404.
ORED, University Libraries partner for ORCID membership
The Office of Research and Economic Development and the University Libraries are pleased to announce a co-sponsored institutional membership with ORCID, a nonprofit organization that offers scholars a mechanism for claiming and aggregating their digital scholarship. Upon registration, an individual researcher is assigned a unique 16-character identifier that facilitates name disambiguation -- an important step for publishers, funders, repository managers, and others who handle digital assets. Digital Measures (DM), MSU's platform for collecting data about scholarship produced by its faculty and researchers, is also an ORCID member and recently integrated ORCID into its workflow. What this means for our community is an easier and more efficient way to populate DM records through this ORCID connection.
* More information about ORCID and how to import your ORCID data into DM is available at http://lib.msstate.edu/scholcomm/orcid and http://guides.library.msstate.edu/orcid/start
* To register for a free ORCID iD, simply go to https://orcid.org
Please feel free to contact the University Libraries with any questions you might have about ORCID and for assistance with populating your ORCID and DM records.
Kudos and congratulations
Every month, I look forward to sharing faculty and staff success stories with you, and here are a few that have crossed my desk recently:
* Kudos to Drew Hamilton, the director of the Center for Cyber Innovation and a professor of computer science and engineering, who was recently awarded the 2018 SIGAda Distinguished Service Award by ACM. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4877.
* Congratulations to Merrill Warkentin, the James J. Rouse Endowed Professor of Information Systems in the College of Business, who has been named a Distinguished Member for Outstanding Scientific Contributions to Computing by ACM. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4868.
* Kudos to Grant Presidential Library scholars John Marszalek, David Nolen and Louis Gallo for being recognized with the Mississippi Library Association's 2018 Writer's Award for Non-Fiction for their work editing "The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant: The Complete Annotated Edition." Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4853
* Congratulations to Matt Thomas, chemical hygiene officer in the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, on his achievement of becoming a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager. The CHMM certification program is administered by the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management and is accredited by both the American National Standards Institute and the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Board. Candidates must meet certain prerequisites and successfully pass a national examination. Certification must be renewed every five years to ensure holders remain current with advancements in technology and changes in compliance requirements that occur frequently in hazardous materials management and related fields.
* Kudos to Melanie Loehwing, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication, who is featured in a series focusing on the character and quality of public discourse in politics and culture. Her book, "Homeless Advocacy and the Rhetorical Construction of the Civic Home," reconsiders typical characterizations of homelessness, citizenship and democratic community through unconventional approaches to homeless advocacy and assistance. Read more at http://www.memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4866.
Final words
During this special time of year, we wish you happy holidays and all the best in the upcoming new year. If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns about Mississippi State's research and economic development activities, please feel free to contact me at dshaw@research.msstate.edu.
Merry Christmas and Hail State!
November 2018
Gelston set to retire; Martin named new associate vice president
By now, I'm sure that most of you have seen the great news about the new Center for Cyber Education and its focus on enhancing cyber education in Mississippi's K-12 schools. In mid-October, C Spire announced a $550,000 gift to the university to support the center's first official project. This program will train 30 teachers and connect 150 students from selected schools with job opportunities after completing two years of computer science coursework in high school and one year in community college. It's a terrific project to launch the center, and I appreciate those of you who are serving on its advisory board for your commitment to its success. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4830.
Please let me take a moment of your time to share a few other items of interest from the Office of Research and Economic Development.
David Shaw is vice president for research and economic development at Mississippi State University.
Martin to lead corporate engagement and economic development
I invite all of you to join me in welcoming James F. Martin back to Mississippi State as our new associate vice president for corporate engagement and economic development. A 1985 professional accountancy graduate, Jim joins us from Kearney & Company, one of the nation's top firms providing a range of financial management services to the federal government. Prior to that, he rose to the rank of major general in the U.S. Air Force. At the time of his retirement from active duty, he was deputy assistant secretary for budget at the Pentagon. I could not be more pleased to have this outstanding Bulldog returning home to lead economic development and corporate engagement for us. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4860.
And I also congratulate another outstanding Bulldog -- Kathy Gelston -- on her upcoming retirement as our associate vice president for corporate engagement and economic development. During her time with us, and throughout her distinguished career in state government, Kathy has been committed to making Mississippi better through efficient and effective economic development projects and programs. We appreciate everything she's done and wish her the very best as she begins this new chapter.
Research proposals and the winter break holidays
It's once again that time of year when we need to remind those of you working on research proposals that may be due during MSU's winter break between Dec. 21-Jan. 1 that the Office of Sponsored Projects closes along with the rest of the university. If you have a special need for OSP support over the holidays, please coordinate that with Kevin Enroth prior to the break. His e-mail address is enroth@osp.msstate.edu or you may call 662-325-7404.
Changes to human subjects research regulations
As you may recall, the regulations governing human subjects research have been updated, and these changes are scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 21, 2019. This revision includes adjustments that will streamline administration. For example, continuing review of "expedited" categories of research has been eliminated. In order to maintain the high quality of research here at Mississippi State and to maximize protections for participants, the university's Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) team will shift their efforts from continuing review to expand the post-approval monitoring (PAM) program. With this focus, active, non-exempt studies may be selected for monitoring. If your study is selected, the review team will schedule a time to meet and go over study materials. Once the process is completed, you will receive a report of observations and be given an opportunity to provide feedback on the PAM process. Please feel free to contact the Office of Research Compliance at 662-325-5220 or irb@research.msstate.edu with any questions or for additional information.
Kudos and congratulations
Every month, I look forward to sharing faculty and staff success stories with you, and here are a few that have crossed my desk recently:
* Kudos to Kari Babski-Reeves, the Bagley College of Engineering's associate dean for research and graduate studies and professor of industrial and systems engineering, who has been elected president of the Board of Certified Professional Ergonomists. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4843.
* Congratulations to David Buys, the MSU Extension Service's state health specialist and assistant professor of food science, nutrition, and health promotion, who was recently installed as president of the Mississippi Public Health Association. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4846.
* Kudos to Jay McCurdy, Extension turf specialist and assistant professor of plant and soil sciences, who is leading the outreach effort for a multi-state initiative to address herbicide resistance in annual bluegrass as part of a $5.6-million USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture funding award. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4844.
* Congratulations to faculty advisor Randy Follett, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, and the MSU students who have been invited to participate in the EcoCAR Mobility Challenge, the nation's premier automotive engineering competition. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4847.
* Kudos to Elizabeth Gregory North, the head of the Office of Agricultural Communications, who is the newest member of the Southern Public Relations Federation's Hall of Fame. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4825.
* Congratulations to John Forde, head of the Department of Communication, who has been inducted into the Arthur W. Page Society, a New York-based international public relations society. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4831.
Final words
As we look forward to a short break in a couple of weeks, I hope that each one of you enjoys a very happy Thanksgiving. Please feel free to contact me at dshaw@research.msstate.edu if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns about any of our research and economic development activities or visit www.research.msstate.edu.
October 2018
Feedback welcome as implementation of research priorities moves forward
It's hard to believe that Fall Break is here. Like many of you, we've had a busy start to the semester in the Office of Research and Economic Development, and I'd like to take a moment to share an update.
David Shaw is vice president for research and economic development at Mississippi State University.
MSU leading new USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab
I hope you've seen the news about Mississippi State's leadership of a new $15-million U.S. Agency for International Development initiative. USAID funding over five years will create the Feed the Future Innovation Lab on Fish, which MSU will lead through the university's Global Center for Aquatic Food Security under the direction of Mark Lawrence, associate dean and professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. This is an outstanding achievement by the university and an important milestone in the growth of our research portfolio. I applaud the team leading this effort. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4785.
MSU administrative lead for $20M, 5-YEAR NSF EPSCoR grant
We are also very excited about Mississippi State's role as administrative lead for a new $20-million, five-year National Science Foundation funding award, and proud of our researchers who will be participating in this important work. The EPSCoR grant will create the Center for Emergent Molecular Optoelectronics -- an interdisciplinary research program with contributions from all four Mississippi Research Consortium member institutions. In addition to my role as principal investigator, MSU contributors include Santanu Kundu, associate professor of chemical engineering; Dong Meng, assistant professor of chemical engineering; Neeraj Rai, assistant professor of chemical engineering; Colleen Scott, assistant professor of chemistry; and Katie Echols, director of research analysis and support in the Office of Research and Economic Development, who will provide administrative support for the grant. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4796.
Naval Academy cyber science department chair visiting
We are looking forward to a visit from the chair of the Department of Cyber Science at the U.S. Naval Academy next week. Commander Tracy Emmersen will discuss the Naval Academy's vision of cyber operations as an academic major, including the contributions of many different disciplines -- computer science, electrical and computer engineering, systems engineering, psychology and political science -- as well as the Navy's role in offensive and defensive cyber operations. Her public lecture is set for Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. in Colvard Student Union's Fowlkes Auditorium. Additional information is online at www.research.msstate.edu/rresources/news.php?id=6024.
Countdown to the revised Common Rule
Revisions to the federal regulations for the protection of human subjects in research are slated to begin on Jan. 21, 2019. These updates will affect both ongoing IRB studies as well as new submissions. In light of this, the HRPP and IRB want to encourage those who are engaged in human subjects research to attend these sessions. You will learn about what to expect in the coming months as they adjust MSU's policies and procedures to maintain compliance with these new regulations, and how that may affect your research. Training sessions will be Oct. 16 at 3:30 p.m. and Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. in McCain 125. A recording of the training will be posted to the Office of Research Compliance website. If you have any questions, please contact the HRPP office at irb@research.msstate.edu or 662-325-5220. Seating is limited, so please register for one of the two live training sessions at www.orc.msstate.edu/training.
Biosafety awareness luncheon coming up Oct. 19
Biosafety Month is observed during the month of October, and our Office of Biosafety and Biosecurity will be hosting an awareness luncheon for principal investigators and laboratory managers that are supported by the office or will be in the future. The lunch and program will take place Oct. 19, beginning at 11 a.m. in the Hunter Henry Center's Parker Ballroom. Please RSVP for the luncheon as soon as possible to MSU Biosafety Officer Trent Peacock at tpeacock@orc.msstate.edu or 662-325-0620. (Note: If you were sent a Doodle Poll to RSVP, please respond accordingly.)
Kudos and congratulations
Every month, I look forward to sharing faculty and staff success stories with you, and here are a few that have crossed my desk recently:
* Kudos to Drew Hamilton, the director of the Center for Cyber Innovation and a professor of computer science and engineering, who was recently recognized by the National Security Agency for his contributions to NSA's National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations Programs. Read more at www.research.msstate.edu/rresources/news.php?id=6025.
* Congratulations to Mark Fincher, an associate professor in MSU-Meridian's Division of Education, who has been elected vice president for research and publication for the Council for the Study of Community Colleges, the leading research organization focused on public two-year colleges. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4793.
* Kudos to Laura Allen, as assistant professor of psychology, who is receiving approximately $2.8 million in external funding to create a tool for writing analytics and feedback, as well as to investigate how students process complex information in today's technology-driven society. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4818.
* Congratulations to Mimmo Parisi, the executive director of the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center (NSPARC) and professor of sociology, who was recognized in late August by Gov. Phil Bryant with the Excellence in Local and District Government Award. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4774.
* Kudos to Anna Linhoss, an assistant professor in the Department of Agriculture and Biological Engineering, who is now serving as assistant director of the Northern Gulf Institute and the Geosystems Research Institute. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4813.
* Welcome to Lux Luxion, our new director of the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence -- the Mississippi State-led national center of excellence for UAS. As I noted in the university's announcement, we are very pleased that Lux will be taking the controls at ASSURE and leading it into a new chapter. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2018/10/uas-veteran-luxion-named-assure-director.
* And another official welcome to Deana Card, the university's new director of research security. A Mississippi State alumna, she brings extensive experience to this very important role on our campus. Deana and her team are focused on compliance, and also working closely with researchers to streamline the administrative process whenever possible. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4784.
Final words
In late September, Associate Vice President Allen Parrish led a very productive retreat with the university's associate deans for research and other stakeholders to examine our strategic research priorities. As funding continues to grow ever more competitive, these priorities will guide much of our strategic investment in research over the course of the next five years. As a reminder, they're available at www.research.msstate.edu/rresources/ResearchFocusAreas.pdf.
We had terrific input from faculty, staff, and administrators as we developed the priorities, and as we move into implementation, we need that same level of feedback. Please feel free to share your suggestions, questions, or concerns about the research priorities or any of our research and economic development activities with me at dshaw@research.msstate.edu.
September 2018
Kicking off fall with Alan Alda and communicating science
I hope you had a chance to attend Alan Alda's "Getting Beyond a Blind Date with Science" lecture last week. It was a great way to get a new academic year started. In addition, a number of faculty and others were able to participate in extraordinarily insightful workshops led by the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science and Kavli Foundation. I'm very appreciative for the Robert M. Hearin Foundation's support of this program, as well as Vice President John Rush and his team at the MSU Foundation, and also thank Leilani Salter in the Office of the President and Courtney Honnoll in the Office of Public Affairs for their tireless behind-the-scenes efforts to make it all a success.
Please let me take a few minutes of your time to share an update from the Office of Research and Economic Development.
David Shaw is vice president for research and economic development at Mississippi State University.
New class for Departmental Administrator Working Group
I was honored to congratulate the recent graduates from our Departmental Administrator Working Group in last month's letter, and this month, I'm privileged to announce our newest class of DAWG participants for 2018-19: Schanna Beckham, College of Business; Doug Bedsaul, Center for Environmental Health Sciences; Meredith Betts, Mechanical Engineering; Stephanie Childress, Dean of Engineering; Coleman Grimmett, Delta Research and Extension Center; Elizabeth Hall, Coastal Research and Extension Center; Rhonda Hannah, Biological Sciences; Mona Howell, Parking and Transit Services; Silas Knox, College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office; Kimberly Lewis, Sponsored Programs Accounting; Ashley Massey, MAFES/FWRC; Janice Nichols, Coastal Research and Extension Center; Anna-Marie Nickels, Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture; Jessica Northcutt, Office of Technology Management; Brittany Oliver, Psychology; Robin Pigg, Biochemistry, Entomology and Plant Pathology; Amanda Reed, Student Leadership and Community Engagement; Sandra Reynolds, Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems; and Hannah Thach, Raspet Flight Research Laboratory.
Led by the Office of Sponsored Projects, the primary goal of DAWG is the development and application of knowledge and skills in the area of sponsored projects administration. It also helps departmental administrators grow professionally and create relationships with their peers across campus.
ITAR, export control briefing this week
The Office of Research Security will host an ITAR and export control briefing open to all faculty and staff on Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 1 p.m. in Conference Room 20 at the High Performance Computing Collaboratory. Jonathan Barnes, a special agent with the Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement, will lead the one-hour session, and you can learn more about this very important presentation at https://www.research.msstate.edu/rresources/news.php?id=5924.
Deadline for travel grants and undergrad research grants
The application deadline for fall semester travel grants and for undergraduate research grants is coming up Friday, Sept. 7. Complete details about these programs, including all requirements, are available online at https://www.research.msstate.edu/funds and you may direct any questions about them to Devon Brenner at facultysupport@research.msstate.edu or 662-325-3570.
Naval Academy cyber science department chair to visit
We are looking forward to a visit from the chair of the Department of Cyber Science at the U.S. Naval Academy in October, and I encourage you to save the date on your calendar for her visit. Commander Tracy Emmersen will discuss the Naval Academy's vision of cyber operations as an academic major, including the contributions of many different disciplines -- computer science, electrical and computer engineering, systems engineering, psychology and political science -- as well as the Navy's role in offensive and defensive cyber operations. Her lecture is set for Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. in Colvard Student Union's Fowlkes Auditorium. Additional information is online at https://www.research.msstate.edu/rresources/news.php?id=5979.
Good clinical practice training course
I mentioned last month that NIH has revised its definition of a clinical trial to include studies with a health-related behavioral outcome. The revised definition will cause some social/behavioral research to fall into the clinical trial category and thus trigger the requirement for Good Clinical Practice Training. The Office of Research Compliance is happy to help you work through any questions you have about this change. You can find more information at www.orc.msstate.edu as well as instructions to access the CGP training in myCourses. Feel free to give them a call at (662) 325-5220 or send an email to irb@research.msstate.edu.
Kudos and congratulations
Every month, I look forward to sharing faculty and staff success stories with you, and here are a few that have crossed my desk recently:
* Kudos to Mark Horstemeyer, the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Chair in Computational Solid Mechanics in the Bagley College of Engineering's Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Yobel Technologies, LLC, for receiving a HeadHealthTECH Challenge grant from the National Football League and Football Research, Inc. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2018/08/starkville-company-ties-msu-research-gains-tech-challenge-grant-nfl.
* Congratulations to Mimmo Parisi, the executive director of the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center (NSPARC), who was recently honored with the Excellence in Local and District Government Award from the Mississippi State Personnel Board. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2018/08/msu-s-parisi-honored-excellence-government-award.
* Kudos to James Chrisman, head of the Department of Management and Information Systems, who was recently recognized as one of the most-cited researchers in business and economics in the world. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2018/08/msu-college-business-professor-among-most-cited-world.
* Congratulations to Robert Moorhead, the director of the Geosystems Research Institute and the Northern Gulf Institute and professor of electrical and computer engineering, who has been selected for N.C. State University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Alumni Hall of Fame.
* Kudos to Jan Chambers, Jesse Grady, Brandon Barton and Christine Calder for contributing fascinating articles about their research to The Conversation this summer. They're online at https://theconversation.com/institutions/mississippi-state-university and if you're interested in writing for The Conversation, I'd encourage you to contact Allison Matthews at amatthews@opa.msstate.edu or Harriet Laird at hlaird@opa.msstate.edu in the Office of Public Affairs for details.
* And welcome to Kevin Enroth, our new director of the Office of Sponsored Projects. Kevin previously served as a senior grants and contracts administrator in OSP. Prior to joining the MSU team, he negotiated grants and contracts on behalf of NASA at Stennis Space Center and provided post-award support. Also, special thanks to Tina Hood for her many contributions as interim director during this leadership transition, and to Associate Vice President Allen Parrish for leading the search committee, which did a terrific job.
Final words
As I mentioned last month, I'd encourage you to join me for a Research Resource Fair on Sept. 17 from 1-3 p.m. This come-and-go event in Colvard Student Union's Foster Ballroom, Section S, will give faculty, research staff, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students ample opportunities to discover the many resources available to them, network with colleagues, and visit with me about their research. Our center and institute directors will also be on hand, along with representatives from all of ORED's supporting units. I look forward to seeing many of you there. Additional information is available at https://www.research.msstate.edu/seminars.
Please feel free to share your suggestions, questions, or concerns about any of our research and economic development activities with me at dshaw@research.msstate.edu.
August 2018
Productive summer leading to start of new academic year
Once again, it's hard to believe we're at the start of a new academic year at Mississippi State. We've had a very productive summer in the Office of Research and Economic Development, and I hope you have too.
Before your calendar fills with appointments and events, I'd like to invite you to join me for a Research Resource Fair on Sept. 17 from 1-3 p.m. This come-and-go event in Colvard Student Union's Foster Ballroom, Section S, will give faculty, research staff, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students ample opportunities to discover the many resources available to them, network with colleagues, and visit with me about their research. Our center and institute directors will also be on hand, along with representatives from all of ORED's supporting units. I look forward to seeing many of you there. Additional information is available at https://www.research.msstate.edu/seminars.
Please let me take a moment of your time to share a few other items of interest.
David Shaw is vice president for research and economic development at Mississippi State University.
New class graduates from Departmental Administrator Working Group
Congratulations to this year's Departmental Administrator Working Group graduates: Latara Arterberry, T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability; Natalie Carpenter, Bagley College of Engineering; Michelle Martin, Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems; Valisa McNeil, Delta Research and Extension Center; Lester Mitchell, Coastal Research and Extension Center; Lori Staggs, College of Education; Laikyn Starkey, Poultry Science; Kelsey Stewart, Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology; Yolanda Tate, Montgomery Center for America's Veterans; Kristen Thompson; Delta Research and Extension Center; and Stephen Williamson, Student Leadership and Community Engagement. And a special thanks to the Office of Sponsored Projects for leading this program every year.
ITAR, export control briefing set for September
The Office of Research Security will host an ITAR and export control briefing open to all faculty and staff on Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. in Conference Room 20 at the High Performance Computing Collaboratory. Jonathan Barnes, a special agent with the Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement, will lead the one-hour session, and you can learn more about this very important presentation at https://www.research.msstate.edu/rresources/news.php?id=5924.
Enhancing the IRB review and approval process
You may have noticed that recruitment materials and consent documents for some human research studies no longer have the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects in Research approval stamp. To streamline the review process, about a year ago, the IRB removed the requirement to stamp documents for "Exempt" studies. If you're asked to display recruitment materials or participate in a study and have a question about whether a study has received proper review by the IRB, please feel free to contact the Human Research Protection Program office at irb@research.msstate.edu or at 662-325-5220.
September deadline for travel grants and undergrad research grants
The application deadline for fall semester travel grants and for undergraduate research grants is coming up Sept. 7. Complete details about these programs, including all requirements, are available online at https://www.research.msstate.edu/funds and you may direct any questions about them to Devon Brenner at facultysupport@research.msstate.edu or 662-325-3570.
Kudos and congratulations
Every month, I look forward to sharing faculty and staff success stories with you, and here are a few that have crossed my desk recently:
* Kudos to all who contributed to Mississippi State's successful application to shelter a Phi Beta Kappa chapter -- an effort led by Professor Robert West in the Department of English since 2007. What a remarkable achievement! Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2018/08/mississippi-state-shelter-chapter-phi-beta-kappa-nation-s-most-prestigious.
* Congratulations to Reuben Burch, Harish Chander, Hilary DeShong, Thu Dinh, Hyungsuk Lim, Mohammad Marufuzzaman, Saeed Rokooei, Colleen Scott, Andrea Strzelec and Gregg Twietmeyer. They are recipients of 2018-19 SEC Visiting Faculty Travel Grants. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4711.
* Kudos to Yang Zhao, an assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering in the Bagley College of Engineering, who has been awarded a grant from the Egg Industry Center to study the use of robots in the collection of floor eggs and to determine the effect of the robot's presence on the behavior of the birds. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4710.
* Congratulations to Alexandra Hui, an associate professor in the Department of History, who has been elected to the American Historical Association Council. Additionally, Dr. Hui and Matthew Lavine, also an associate professor of history, have been named co-editors of the History of Science Society's publications, Isis, a quarterly journal, and Osiris, an annual publication. Read more at https://www.history.msstate.edu/news.
* Kudos to Bailey Anderson, a senior accountant in the Office of Research and Economic Development, who recently completed the university's 2018 Leadership Excellence for Accomplished Professionals program. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4747.
Final words
My office works closely with the MSU Foundation on a range of projects, and I was pleased to see last month that the university had another outstanding year of fundraising -- $102.5 million in FY2018. It marked five years running in which institutional fundraising surpassed $100 million. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2018/07/msu-fundraising-tops-100m-fifth-straight-year.
In fact, I had an opportunity to meet with the Foundation's Board of Directors in July, and we had a very good discussion about the university's updated research priorities. The slides from my presentation -- Research for the 21st Century and Beyond -- are posted at https://www.research.msstate.edu/rresources if you'd like to review them. You can find the research focus areas at https://www.research.msstate.edu/rresources/ResearchFocusAreas.pdf.
Thanks for reading this month's update from ORED. I welcome your suggestions, questions, or concerns about any of our research and economic development activities at dshaw@research.msstate.edu.
July 2018
Research opportunities for students a priority
While summer continues, we are already looking forward to the start of a new academic year and the return of all of our students. Offering undergrad and grad students unique research opportunities is a priority at Mississippi State, and it is an important part of the overall student experience that sets us apart from our peers. I encourage you to include students in your research programs whenever possible, and if you need assistance to do so, please feel free to contact Assistant Vice President for Research Teresa Gammill at tgammill@research.msstate.edu
Please let me share a brief update from the Office of Research and Economic Development with you.
David Shaw is vice president for research and economic development at Mississippi State University.
Smith transitions to RCU leadership position
As I mentioned last month, we're pleased that Julie Jordan is now leading the university's International Institute and its many important initiatives. I'm also pleased that Betsey Smith will take Dr. Jordan's former leadership role at the Research and Curriculum Unit after serving as interim director. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4663
Federal 'Final Rule' revisions
As many of you may know, the federal regulations for human subjects research known as the "Final Rule" have been undergoing revision, but implementation of changes has been delayed -- and delayed again. The most recent update we have is that the general compliance date will be Jan. 21, 2019. However, starting later this month, our Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) team will begin to implement several provisions in preparation for the new Final Rule going into effect in 2019. The Office of Research Compliance website -- http://www.orc.msstate.edu -- has more information about this update, and the HRPP staff are available to answer any questions you may have. Additionally, training sessions for these revisions will be offered during the fall semester.
Kudos and congratulations
Every month, I look forward to sharing faculty and staff success stories with you, and here are a few that have crossed my desk recently:
* Kudos to Christy Bischoff and Blair Reed, grants and contracts administrators in the Office of Sponsored Projects, for recently earning the Certified Research Administrator (CRA) designation from the Research Administrators Certification Council.
* Congratulations to Stephen Brain and Mark Hersey, associate professors in the Department of History, who are the new editors of Environmental History, the world's leading journal in environmental history. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4672
* Kudos to the Delta Research and Extension Center's Wayne Ebelhar and David Wise, whose work and many contributions to the region were recently recognized by the Delta Council. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4676
* Congratulations to Keith Coble, Giles Distinguished Professor and head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, who has been named incoming president-elect of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association's executive board. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4661
* Kudos to Michael Newman, the director of the School of Human Sciences, who is now serving as president-elect of the American Association of Agricultural Education. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4659
* Congratulations to Angi Bourgeois, who has been named dean of the College of Architecture, Art and Design. Read more at http://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=4664
* Kudos to the Mississippi State team of researchers and the Northern Gulf Institute for their terrific work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the NOAA Okeanos Explorer. Read more about their exploration and discoveries at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2018/06/mississippi-state-s-northern-gulf-institute-supports-noaa-okeanos-explorer
* And welcome to Darrell Banks, the new assistant compliance coordinator in the Office of Research Compliance. He started on June 1, and is working with the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects (IRB), as well as our Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) programs.
Final words
To wrap up this month's letter, some news from the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park: I'm pleased to report that Cappe's will be re-opening its cafe on July 11 in the II-VI Inc. and Business Incubator Building at 60 Technology Boulevard, and will be serving breakfast and lunch on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Thank you for taking a few minutes of your time to read my update from ORED. As always, I welcome your suggestions, questions, or concerns about any of our activities at dshaw@research.msstate.edu