Research Round-Up
Research Round-Up is a communication devoted to sharing information related to open funding opportunities and research administration procedures.
For additional information on deadlines, processes and procedures, please instead see our Sponsored Programs Support Services webpage.
Friendly Reminder: Proposal Request Form
Individuals serving as principal investigator on a CEHS-led proposal or co-investigator/collaborator on a grant proposal led by another college or external organization must submit a Proposal Request Form a minimum of 4 weeks prior to the proposal due date. Doing so ensures the timely routing of your proposal for review and approval by College administration, Central Sponsored Programs Administration (formerly known as University Research Services), Grants & Contracts Financial Administration, and, if required, University Research Compliance.
Please address any questions or concerns regarding the information contained below to the CEHS Sponsored Programs team: Kayley Watson (Kayley.Watson@okstate.edu), Samar Abid (SamarAA@okstate.edu), and Trisha Sutton (Trisha.Sutton@okstate.edu).
Tip of the Month
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REMINDER: SciENcv Implementation by NIH for Biosketch & Current and Pending Support
documents
For all application due dates and all JIT, RPPR, and Prior Approval submissions on or after January 25, 2026, NIH is requiring the use of website SciENcv (through My NCBI) for the Biographical Sketch, Current and Pending (Other) Support and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement forms.
- All individuals required to submit one of the above documents to NIH must:
- Obtain an Open Researcher and Contributor Identifier (ORCID iD).
- Link their ORCID iD to their eRA Commons account. For information on linking an ORCID iD to the eRA Commons account see the ORCID iD topic in the eRA Commons online help.
- Confirm their ORCID iD is displayed in the Persistent Identifier (PID) section of the Common Forms.
- NIH will require certification from each individual (not their delegate) of their own form(s) in SciENcv acknowledging information is: 1) current, accurate, and complete and 2) at time of submission, they are not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.
Northwestern Medicine has a great walkthrough for how to set up your SciENcv account and create the necessary documents: https://libguides.galter.northwestern.edu/SciENcv/NIH-biosketch-start
The CEHS Sponsored Programs team is also working on developing a webinar to walk through the process – coming soon!
For Your Information
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Hanover Research Webinar of the Month - Engaging with Industry Partners
MONTHLY WEBINAR – JANUARY
DATE: January 29th, 2026
TOPIC: Engaging with Industry Partners
Building strong relationships with industry partners can open new avenues for funding and collaborative research. In this webinar, we offer practical strategies for building successful partnerships with industry, emphasizing the importance of understanding cultural differences and aligning goals for mutual benefit. Attendees will learn how to communicate effectively, initiate collaborations, and leverage a wide range of engagement opportunities.
Sign up HERE!
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Promoting Research Excellence Workshop - Protecting Your Intellectual Property
Join Russel Hopper, senior commercialization officer, OSU Division of the Vice President for Research, online on Thursday, Jan. 22, from 3-4 p.m. for a workshop on Protecting Intellectual Property in a University Setting.
All faculty members likely have intellectual property saved on University-owned devises and/or systems, as well as personal devices. This workshop will cover what is meant by “Intellectual Property” in a university research and development context; how an attacker can gain access to intellectual property; the potential consequences of IP theft; and what to do to protect yourself and the University from IP theft. -
OSU CIRCA Webinar - From Research to Resonance: Communicating Science With Impact
Spoken With Authority
Bjørn Stillion Southard, PhDFebruary 4, 2026
10AM - 11AMOpen to all OSU faculty who are interested in learning how to make their research more accessible.
This interactive session will equip participants with practical tools to present their work clearly, confidently, and compellingly. Participants will learn how to determine what details to keep in (and what to leave out), streamline slides so they enhance rather than overwhelm, and adapt their message for audiences with varying levels of expertise.
Through practice, feedback, and peer learning, participants will leave better prepared to share their research in ways that not only inform but also inspire action and understanding.
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Compliance regarding Travel and Collaboration with Foreign Countries/Entities/Partners
In many Conflict of Interest disclosures, it has been noticed that many researchers will disclose outside activities in foreign countries, which is great; however, we have had some conducting these activities in countries or with entities that are on restricted entity lists that could cause problems for both the university and the researcher.
Thus, we would like to bring to your attention OSU’s Office of Research Security and Regulatory Trade Compliance. The mission of this office is to assist OSU faculty/staff/students in complying with highly technical regulations surrounding Research Security and Regulatory Trade (Export Control) Compliance.
Before you collaborate with an international partner, please make sure to visit the following webpages to become informed of the many federal requirements and restrictions regarding collaborations with restricted entities:
- Information regarding topics such as Foreign Travel Security, Cyber Security, and Research Security Training can be found at this link: Research Security webpage
- For all other topics (e.g., What can I take with me to travel internationally? What if I want to bring a visiting scholar to campus? Do I need an Export Control License? etc.) can be found at this link: Regulatory Trade Compliance webpage
Additional information regarding this subject can be obtained from Melvin Torres, Assistant Vice President for Research, Melvin.torres@okstate.edu, (405)744-2873.
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Important National Institutes of Health (NIH) Policy Updates and News
Use of the Common Forms for Biographical Sketch, Current and Pending (Other) Support and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement will be required for application due dates and all JIT, RPPR, and Prior Approval submissions on or after January 25, 2026.
General Information for Completing Common Forms
- NIH will require the use of SciENcv to complete Common Forms (i.e., Biographical Sketch, Current and Pending (Other) Support) and the NIH Biographical Sketch Supplement to produce digitally certified PDF(s).
- All individuals required to submit one of the above documents to NIH must:
- Obtain an Open Researcher and Contributor Identifier (ORCID iD).
- Link their ORCID iD to their eRA Commons account. For information on linking an ORCID iD to the eRA Commons account see the ORCID iD topic in the eRA Commons online help.
- Confirm their ORCID iD is displayed in the Persistent Identifier (PID) section of the Common Forms.
- NIH will require certification from each individual (not their delegate) of their own form(s) in SciENcv acknowledging information is: 1) current, accurate, and complete and 2) at time of submission, they are not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.
Effective immediately NIH will no longer request or accept Letters of Intent (LOIs) as part of the application process.
Effective immediately, NIH will no longer require applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs (excluding consortium F&A costs) in any one budget period to contact the funding Institute or Center (IC) before application submission. In line with this change, applicants are no longer required to include a cover letter identifying the Program Official contact which notes that the IC has agreed to accept assignment of the application.
Legislative authority for the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs expired on October 1, 2025.
All NIH SBIR and STTR Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) listed in this notice are expired, effective immediately.
Active NIH SBIR and STTR awards can continue, however NIH will not issue noncompeting continuation awards for existing projects until the SBIR/STTR program is reauthorized.
Research Security Training Requirements for NIH:
In accordance with Section 10634 of Act, each covered individual (for NIH this is defined as senior/key personnel) listed on an NIH grant application must certify that they have completed RST within 12 months of the date of application submission. NIH does not collect Current and Pending (Other) Support at the time of application based on our Just-in-Time policy. Therefore, NIH will collect the individual certification at the time of the application submission, through the Biographical Sketch in SciENcv.
Note: OSU University Research Compliance has already implemented measures to cover this requirement, through the Research Security training course in the CITI Program.
Implementing a Unified NIH Funding Strategy to Guide Consistent and Clearer Award Decisions
Today, NIH has implemented steps towards a unified strategy that will help guide clearer and consistent funding decisions across all Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs). Building on the August NIH Director’s statement, this framework (effective January 2026 Council round) will help ensure we continue to support the most scientifically meritorious research ideas possible, address health priorities, and support a robust biomedical workforce.
More details on the core tenets are shared on NIH’s Funding Decisions webpage. Individual ICO webpages that previously reported similar information will be redirected to this central page.
Peer Review Remains Essential and Vital - Going forward, ICOs will be considering peer review information in its entirety. NIH ICOs will not rely on funding paylines in developing pay plans. Rather, ICOs will consider these scores in context of their and NIH’s priorities, strategic plans, and budgets. ICO Directors will continue to have the delegated authority to decide what is funded by their ICOs.
Moving Away from Paylines - The research community occasionally expressed confusion around the payline process and asked for additional clarity as it related to their applications. Now that ICOs will not rely on funding paylines when developing their pay plans, it should be clearer for applicants to know the award decision was not made only based on overall impact score, without necessarily considering the additional valuable information provided by peer review.
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New NIH Policy on AI Use in NIH Research Applications and Limiting Submissions per
PI
From an NIH Extramural Nexus article:
NIH has recently announced a new policy that will continue to support originality, creativity, and fairness in the research application process. NIH has noticed that some Principal Investigators (PIs) have been submitting a large number of research applications that far exceed the numbers we traditionally expect and may have been prepared using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
While AI may be a helpful tool in preparing applications, the rapid submission of large numbers of research applications from a single PI may undermine the fairness and originality of the research application process and unfairly strain NIH’s application review processes.
As use of AI tools becomes more commonplace, it is important to remember that applicants may use AI in limited aspects to reduce administrative burden while preparing applications. However, applicants should be mindful of the concerns around research misconduct or lack of originality when using such tools. Remember, NIH peer reviewers are prohibited from using AI for their critiques.
To address these issues, the new policy is effective for the September 25, 2025, receipt date and beyond:
- Applications that are either substantially developed by AI or containing sections substantially developed by AI are not considered the original ideas of applicants and will not be considered by NIH.
- NIH will also only accept up to six new, renewal, resubmission, or revision applications from an individual PD/PI (Program Director/Principal Investigator) or Multiple Principal Investigator for all council rounds in a calendar year. For more details on applicability, investigator roles, and impacted application types, please see these new FAQs.
Based on historical data, we expect this policy will impact a relatively small number of investigators. For example, in 2024 only 1.3% of applicants submitted more than 6 applications.
Funding Opportunities
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LIMITED SUBMISSION: [National Science Foundation] EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement:
2026 EPSCoR Research Fellows
https://okstate.infoready4.com/#competitionDetail/1999059
Internal Submission Deadline: Friday, February 6, 2026
Funding Organization's Deadline: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
NSF Solicitation: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/epscor-research-infrastructure-improvement-epscor-research/nsf24-528/solicitation
The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research is designed to fulfill the mandate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote scientific progress nationwide. NSF EPSCoR facilitates the establishment of partnerships among academic institutions, government, industry, and non-profit sectors that are designed to promote sustainable improvements in a jurisdiction's research infrastructure, Research and Development (R&D) capacity, and R&D competitiveness of EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions (i.e., states, territories, and commonwealths). Eligibility to participate in the EPSCoR funding opportunities, including the EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows program, is described on the NSF EPSCoR website.
EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows directly aligns with the NSF EPSCoR strategic goal of establishing sustainable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professional development pathways that advance workforce development and effects engagement in STEM at national and global levels. EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows provides awards to build research capacity in institutions and transform the career trajectories of investigators and further develop their individual research potential through collaborations with investigators from the nation’s premier private, governmental, or academic research institutions and/or centers. The fellowship provides opportunities to establish strong collaborations through extended or periodic collaborative visits to a selected host site. Through collaborative research activities with the host site, Fellows will be able to learn new techniques, develop new collaborations, advance existing partnerships, benefit from access to unique equipment and facilities, and/or shift their research toward potentially transformative new directions. The experiences gained through the fellowships are intended to have lasting impacts that will enhance the Fellows’ research trajectories well beyond the award period. The benefits to the Fellows are also expected to improve the research capacity of their institutions and jurisdictions more broadly.
NOTE: Although EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII): EPSCoR Research Fellows offers two tracks NSF and NASA, OSU does NOT QUALIFY for the NASA track.
In both tracks, the EPSCoR RII: EPSCoR Research Fellows program provides opportunities for the participation of one trainee, who must be an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled full-time in an accredited degree program, or a postdoctoral researcher from an EPSCoR jurisdiction. Staff members, such as technicians or lab assistants could be considered as trainees when properly justified.
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LIMITED SUBMISSION: [NIH: National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)]NIGMS
Institutional Biomedical Undergraduate Research Training (BURT) Program (T34)
Internal Submission Deadline: Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Funding Organization's Deadline: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
The goal of the Institutional Biomedical Undergraduate Research Training (BURT) program is to strengthen research training environments and develop a pool of well-trained students who:
- Complete their baccalaureate degrees in biomedically-related fields, and
- Transition into and complete biomedical, research-focused higher degree programs (such as Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D.).
This notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a Limited Competition invites applications from eligible organizations to apply. In accordance with NIH standard peer-review processes, the applications will be peer-reviewed, and only meritorious applications will be considered. This funding announcement provides support to eligible, domestic organizations to develop and implement effective, evidence-informed approaches to biomedical undergraduate training and mentoring to help build a strong biomedical research workforce for the nation.
Applicant organizations must enroll undergraduate students and have received NIH Research Project Grant (RPG) funding averaging less than $50 million in total costs (direct and F&A/indirect) per year over the last three fiscal years (FY). To promote undergraduate research training opportunities across a range of eligible organizations, the program will accept applications in two tracks:
- Single Site: To support trainees from a single baccalaureate-degree granting organization.
- Community College Partnerships: To support community college trainee development through strong collaborations between at least one associate-degree granting organization (that is, a community college) and at least one baccalaureate-degree granting organization.
The proposed research training programs will incorporate didactic, research, and career development elements to prepare trainees for careers that will have a significant impact on the health-related research needs of the nation.
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) does not allow Trainees to lead an independent clinical trial, but does allow them to obtain research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.
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[National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification]Research Grant Program
https://nctrc.org/research-grant-program/overview/
DEADLINE: Twice a year, March 15th and October 15th
NCTRC funds three types of research for students, faculty, and practitioners:
- Basic: Pursuit of new knowledge or theoretical understanding related to recreational therapy. It is exploratory in nature involving the development of or testing of concepts or functions that can lead to applied research.
- Applied: Utilizes the findings of basic research or other existing knowledge toward discovering new scientific knowledge that has specific commercial objectives with respect to new products, services, processes, or methods.
- Program evaluation: Systematic method for collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and using information to answer questions about programs, such as how well a program is working and why.
NCTRC offers a Research Grant Program to support opportunities for individuals pursuing a career in or already practicing recreational therapy to establish and maintain lines of research and promote the collaboration between higher education faculty and practitioners.
- This grant is open to individuals who hold active status as a CTRS® or are currently enrolled in TR/RT coursework.
- A maximum of $5,000.00 per proposal will be awarded to the selected applicant(s).
- Funding supports student assistants, supplies, costs related to data collection, and other costs of the research project.
If you are a RT/TR student or CTRS professional interested in pursuing research and contributing to the profession of therapeutic recreation and the practice of recreational therapy, please review the NCTRC Research Grant Program eligibility, process, and deadlines found on the application.
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[Cotton Foundation] Project Support
https://www.cotton.org/foundation/cf-project-support.cfm
DEADLINE: July 1, 2026
The U.S. cotton industry is enjoying a healthy return on investment from Foundation member support of general projects and special projects. National Cotton Council staff estimates that accounting for cash and in-kind services, the Foundation’s general projects, for example, enjoy a return of about $3 for every dollar devoted to these projects. By supporting these projects, the Foundation is truly fostering innovative: 1) research to find solutions to cotton problems; 2) technology to implement those solutions; 3) education to speed new research application and 4) communication to spread information throughout cotton's production and marketing chain.
The Cotton Foundation is actively seeking research proposals for funding during the 2027 growing season. Research proposals can encompass any subject, ranging from the production of raw fiber to finished textiles. Proposals are due July 1, 2026. You will find below a PDF containing additional information and directions for submitting research proposals as well as a PDF containing a priority list of research and education topics.
Click here to download the Request for Proposals.
Click here to download the Research and Education Priorities list.
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[Spencer Foundation] Research Grants on Education: Large
https://www.spencer.org/grant_types/large-research-grant
Required Pre-Proposal DEADLINE: February 24, 2026
Full Proposal (By Invitation) DEADLINE: June 23, 2026
The Large Research Grants on Education Program supports education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived, with budgets ranging from $125,000 to $500,000 for projects ranging from one to five years. We anticipate awarding grants with budgets across each of the following funding tiers: $125,000 to 250,000; $250,001 to $375,000; and $375,001 to $500,000. Within each of our funding tiers, we evaluate projects within tier and strongly encourage applicants to submit for funding that best fits their project rather than applying for the highest amount of funding. We accept preproposals once a year.
This program is “field-initiated” in that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, method, or location. Our goal for this program is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education.
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[National Institutes of Health] Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03 Clinical
Trial Not Allowed)
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-25-302.html
DEADLINE: February 16, 2026 (following Standard Due Dates)
The NIH Small Research Grant Program supports discrete, well-defined projects that realistically can be completed in two years and that require limited levels of funding. This program supports different types of projects including, but not limited to, the following:
- Pilot or feasibility studies;
- Secondary analysis of existing data;
- Small, self-contained research projects;
- Development of research methodology; and
- Development of new research technology
Applications are assigned to participating Institutes and Centers (ICs) based on receipt and referral guidelines and applications may be assigned to multiple participating ICs with related research interests. Applicants are encouraged to identify a participating IC that supports their area of research via the R03 IC-Specific Scientific Interests and Contact website and contact Scientific/Research staff from relevant ICs to inquire about their interest in supporting the proposed research project.
This Notice of Funding Opportunity does not accept applications proposing clinical trial(s).
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[U.S. DHHS – Administration for Community Living] Rehabilitation Research and Training
Center (RRTC) on Interventions to Promote Community Living Among People with Disabilities
https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/360525
Note: This is a Forecasted Opportunity. The solicitation is not posted yet, but is expected to be posted on January 21st, 2026 with an expected application deadline of March 23rd, 2026.
The purpose of the RRTCs is to achieve the goals of, and improve the effectiveness of, services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act through well-designed research, training, technical assistance, and dissemination activities in important topical areas as specified by NIDILRR. This particular opportunity is for an RRTC to conduct research toward evidence-based services, supports, or interventions to promote community living outcomes among people with disabilities. NIDILRR plans to make one grant under this opportunity. The grant will have a 60-month project period, with five 12-month budget periods.
Link to Additional Information: https://acl.gov/programs/research-and-development/rehabilitation-research-and-training
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[National Science Foundation] Science of Learning and Augmented Intelligence
https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/science-learning-augmented-intelligence
DEADLINE: February 11, 2026
Science of Learning and Augmented Intelligence (SL) supports potentially transformative research that develops basic theoretical insights and fundamental knowledge about principles, processes and mechanisms of learning, and about augmented intelligence — how human cognitive function can be augmented through interactions with others or with technology, or through variations in context.The program supports research addressing learning in individuals and in groups, across a wide range of domains at one or more levels of analysis, including molecular and cellular mechanisms; brain systems; cognitive, affective and behavioral processes; and social and cultural influences.
The program also supports research on augmented intelligence that clearly articulates principled ways in which human approaches to learning and related processes, such as in design, complex decision-making and problem-solving, can be improved through interactions with others or through the use of artificial intelligence in technology. These could include ways of using knowledge about human functioning to improve the design of collaborative technologies that have the capacity to learn to adapt to humans.
For both aspects of the program, there is special interest in collaborative and collective models of learning and intelligence that are supported by the unprecedented speed and scale of technological connectivity. This includes emphasis on how people and technology working together in new ways and at scale can achieve more than either can attain alone. The program also seeks explanations for how the emergent intelligence of groups, organizations and networks intersects with processes of learning, behavior and cognition in individuals.
Projects that are convergent or interdisciplinary may be especially valuable in advancing basic understanding of these areas, but research within a single discipline or methodology is also appropriate. Connections between proposed research and specific technological, educational and workforce applications will be considered as valuable broader impacts but are not necessarily central to the intellectual merit of proposed research. The program supports a variety of approaches, including experiments, field studies, surveys, computational modeling, and artificial intelligence or machine learning methods.
Examples of general research questions within scope of Science of Learning and Augmented Intelligence (SL) include:- What are the underlying mechanisms that support transfer of learning from one context to another or from one domain to another? How is learning generalized from a small set of specific experiences? What is the basis for robust learning that is resilient against potential interference from new experiences? How is learning consolidated and reconsolidated from transient experience to stable memory?
- How do human interactions with technologies, imbued with artificial intelligence, provide improved human task performance? What models best describe the interplay of the individual and collaborative processes that lead to co-creation of knowledge and collective intelligence? In what ways do the capacities and constraints of human cognition inform improved methods of human-artificial intelligence collaboration?
- How can we integrate research findings and insights across levels of analysis, relating understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of learning in the neurons, to circuit and systems-level computations of learning in the brain, to cognitive, affective, social and behavioral processes of learning? What is the relationship between assembly of new networks (development) and learning new knowledge in a maturing or mature brain? What concepts, tools (including Big Data, machine learning, and other computational models) or questions will provide the most productive linkages across levels of analysis?
- How can insights from biological learners contribute and derive new theoretical perspectives to artificial intelligence, neuromorphic engineering, materials science and nanotechnology? How can the ability of biological systems to learn from relatively few examples improve efficiency of artificial systems? How do learning systems (biological and artificial) address complex issues of causal reasoning? How can knowledge about the ways in which humans learn help in the design of human-machine interfaces?
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[National Science Foundation] STEM K-12 (STEM K-12)
https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/stem-k-12-nsf-stem-k-12
DEADLINE: Full proposal accepted anytime!
The NSF STEM K-12 program in the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) in the Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) supports fundamental, applied, and translational research that advances STEM teaching and learning and improves understanding of education across the human lifespan and a range of formal and informal settings.
The NSF STEM K-12 program encourages multidisciplinary collaborations that bring together expertise and methodological approaches from various fields, including education research, social and behavioral sciences, implementation sciences, computer science, and all STEM disciplines. In addition, the program encourages partnerships that integrate perspectives from education research, education practice, and industry, as well as perspectives of learners and other critical stakeholders who would benefit from the work.
The program also welcomes quantitative, qualitative, mixed method approaches, and a range of research and/or development efforts across broad areas of scientific inquiry, including but not limited to:
- foundational studies that advance theory or build new conceptual frameworks related to STEM learning and teaching;
- design-based research that iteratively develops and refines learning environments, instructional models, systems, or approaches;
- projects aimed at cultivating the skills, dispositions, and knowledge needed to succeed in computer science, AI pathways, and technology careers, and more generally build capacity in the STEM workforce;
- development and study of innovations for teaching and learning (e.g., curricula, assessments, professional learning resources, technologies, media, etc.) for any STEM field;
- investigations of teaching and learning processes, including cognitive, motivational, or social aspects of learning;
- development and use of advanced research methods and analytical frameworks and tools, such as data science methods and machine learning, to study learning at scale or in complex learning environments; and
- the study of deeper learning and more effective teaching to create opportunities for all Americans everywhere.