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Research highlights | New awards | Summer fieldwork | Unsung heroes
Faculty kudos | Research development | Nuts & bolts of research administration
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Discovering the KU research community
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A year ago, I wrote my first introductory message for the inaugural KU Discoveries newsletter. It seems like a good time to take stock of what I’ve discovered since then. Certainly, there are some things I expected: cutting-edge scholarship and research in a wide range of disciplines, great creativity, and lots of really smart, dedicated and hard-working people. I found problems in some of the ways we provide administrative support for our researchers and scholars. I found people with interests in common who knew nothing about each other’s work.
So when people ask me now about what I’ve discovered since I came to KU, the answer is easy: I’m proud to be a Jayhawk.
Simon Atkinson
Vice Chancellor for Research
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“Much of my work grew from working in shelters and seeing that women’s sexual health needs were often unmet. By the time I was doing my Ph.D., I knew I wanted to form an intervention to help women beyond small groups, and I’m grateful I get to do that.”
Meredith Bagwell-Gray | Assistant Professor | Social Welfare
READ MORE →
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“The take-home message from this paper really is that biodiversity is found even in the smallest puddles in South America.”
Rachel Smith | Undergraduate Student | Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Andrew Short | Associate Professor | Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
LEARN MORE →
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A new study concludes that, even in this period of anti-LGBTQ backlash, candidates from these groups are not facing new or significant hurdles when running for state legislative seats.
Don Haider-Markel | Professor & Chair | Political Science
READ MORE →
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Wastewater sampling appears to give Kansas researchers a one-week heads up that the coronavirus is surging in a community, before case numbers and hospitalizations begin to officially rise.
Belinda Sturm | Professor | Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering
READ MORE →
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“Instead of going through a process, I’m asking them, how do they want to learn?" one teacher said. "We discuss their strengths and also what they want to improve on. Then I’m able to incorporate that into my teaching.”
Karrie Shogren | Professor | Special Education
READ MORE →
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KU investigators are improving outcomes for students with autism spectrum disorder through self-determined learning models, advancing understanding of drought adaptation in plants and their microbiomes, making supercomputers more accessible to scientists, engineers, mathematicians and other researchers who need to harness their data-processing power, and more — all with the aid of external funding awarded in the past few months.
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KU researchers have returned to the field this summer, striving to make discoveries that change the world. With carefully crafted safety plans to keep COVID-19 at bay, they’re collecting data for long-term plant, prairie and water studies; testing a compact, unmanned, autonomous aircraft with the potential to unlock mysteries about the behavior of ice sheets and their contributions to sea-level rise; stitching together the life history of Tyrannosaurus rex by continuing to uncover a rare juvenile specimen in a Montana rock formation, and so much more.
These are just a few highlights. Share your summer fieldwork stories with Mindie Paget at mpaget@ku.edu. Who are you? Where are you? What is your project about? What is the big question you are investigating, and why is it important? Photos and video strongly encouraged.
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Understanding our environment
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Emma Hauser, doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, transplants seedlings as part of her research project at the KU Field Station greenhouse complex. Hauser is mentored by Sharon Billings, Dean’s Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey. “I am growing seedlings in deep pots containing artificial soils that mimic different stages of soil development,” Hauser explained. “After the seedlings grow, we will harvest them to look at the ways their root systems develop in response to these soils,” which will reveal much about the ways plants and soils interact and how they cope with increasingly invasive human activity. Photo by Andy White / KU Marketing Communications
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Patti Beedles, left, assistant researcher at the Kansas Biological Survey, works with undergraduate students at the KU Field Station’s Spatial Coexistence in Prairie Restoration Experiment site. The long-term prairie restoration experiment is led by the lab of Bryan Foster, director of the KU Field Station, professor of ecology & evolutionary biology, and Kansas Biological Survey scientist. Photo by Andy White / KU Marketing Communications
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Members of the Harris research group at the Kansas Biological Survey prepare ponds at the KU Field Station for an upcoming study on harmful algal bloom mitigation. Researchers will replicate blooms then test mitigation techniques for safety and effectiveness. Ted Harris is an assistant research professor at the Survey.
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Researchers at KU’s Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets are perfecting a method to map the bedrock topography of Greenland’s Helheim Glacier – an accomplishment that will improve modeling and help scientists better understand behavior at the rapidly changing terminus of the ice sheet. With funding from the Heising Simons Foundation, they are testing a lightweight, agile, unmanned aerial system – or UAS – that uses high-frequency radar to map bed topography more completely than large, fixed-wing, manned aircraft have been able to do in the past. If testing goes well, the UAS will be deployed to Greenland next spring or summer to collect critical data. Carl Leuschen, director of CReSIS, is the principal investigator on the project, and Shawn Keshmiri, professor of aerospace engineering, is co-investigator.
Photo: Researchers tested the Astrid 2930 UAS this month at a model airfield just south of Lawrence. The aircraft has a 9.61-foot wingspan, weighs 54 pounds, and can take off and land vertically and complete missions autonomously.
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David Burnham, paleontologist and vertebrate paleontology fossil preparator at the Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum, recently returned to a KU excavation site in Montana, where he’ll be working until mid-August. The site has previously yielded several fossils, including the jawbone and teeth of “Laurel,” a juvenile T. rex. This site was featured in October 2019 on CBS Sunday Morning.
Burnham is working to excavate through the bone layer on this visit. He’ll also stop by a few related KU sites while in Montana. Accompanying him on the trip is a crew who have worked at the site before, including KU undergraduate student Loren Gurche and several volunteers.
Top left photo: “The tooth was waiting for us, glinting in the sun as we walked up to the juvenile T. rex site,” Burnham said. It was found by Gurche; Burnham holds it in his hand for scale.
Top right photo: The team digs at the site on Wednesday, July 29.
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Behind every successful award are teams of KU research development and administration staff who help investigators identify opportunities, prepare and submit complicated proposals under strict deadlines, and then help manage finances and compliance for funded projects. They are the unsung heroes of KU research, greasing the wheels of innovation and discovery.
In each issue of KU Discoveries, we will shine a spotlight on a staff member deemed particularly outstanding by colleagues. Click the button below this month's story to nominate a deserving candidate from any unit on campus.
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Sustaining KU research momentum with creativity, initiative and thoughtfulness
Carolyn Caine | Research Development & Administrative Specialist | IPSR
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Imagine KU’s Institute for Policy & Social Research as a well-balanced bicycle wheel. If scholars from a range of disciplines are the spokes that help propel the wheel beyond the boundaries of current knowledge, then Carolyn Caine is among the staff at the wheel’s hub – bringing researchers together and facilitating connections that sustain momentum.
“As a collaborator, Carrie is well-informed, generous and creative,” a colleague said. “Above all, she has a passion for learning and is committed to stepping up and providing what a group needs to succeed in a thoughtful way, even when that means she learns a new skill in order to do it.”
As the research development and administrative specialist for IPSR – a research center for social scientists who focus on social problems and policy-relevant questions – Caine handles a range of detail-oriented responsibilities, often under tight deadlines, while never losing sight of the big picture.
“Her flexibility, positive attitude, initiative, team focus and ability to relate well to whomever she’s working with make her a great asset to the center,” a co-worker said.
And to the entire university. When a multi-institution proposal for a million-dollar National Science Foundation grant led by KU was reviewed as highly favorable, Caine worked with the project team to quickly clarify items so the NSF program officer could make a final decision. Despite her hustle, the project was not funded, and the principal investigator was hesitant to resubmit the following year.
“I believe because of Carrie’s excellent work on the first round and the strong relationship she built with the PI and her team, the PI decided to resubmit and the project was ultimately funded for $1.4 million,” a co-worker recalled. “Since then, Carrie has helped secure additional funds for this project and remains in close contact with the PI.”
She also expanded IPSR’s public relations presence, created a marketing piece that communicates the IPSR story to the center’s affiliated faculty, and played a major role in producing the first IPSR annual report in 15 years.
Caine’s reliable excellence and good humor make her “such an important part of research activity at KU,” colleagues said. “She is fun to be around while always getting the job done and exceeding expectations. We are lucky to have her.”
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- Helen Alexander, professor of ecology & evolutionary biology, and Julie Schwarting, biology and environmental science teacher at Lawrence Free State High School, received the Educator Award from the Kansas Association for Conservation & Environmental Education (KACEE) for their development of a 1.4-acre demonstration prairie restoration at an old high school football field. The prairie serves as a rich learning resource for the school and community and is supported by the Kansas Biological Survey.
- Deborah Dandridge, African American Experience curator for KU Libraries, received the Association for the Study of African American Life and History Information Professionals’ 2020 Dorothy Porter Wesley Award. The award recognizes the work of information professionals in preserving African American history.
- Matt Jacobson, professor of film & media studies, and alumnus Jeremy Osbern, were nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the Best Cinematography category for the web series “The Square Root.”
- An article published by Ward Lyles, associate professor of urban planning, and Stacey Swearingen White, professor and director of the School of Public Affairs & Administration – “Who Cares? Arnstein’s Ladder, the Emotional Paradox of Public Engagement, and (Re)imagining Planning as Caring” – was named the American Planning Association’s article of the year.
- Tarun Sabarwal, De-Min & Chin-Sha Wu Associate Professor of Economics, was elected an Economic Theory Fellow by the Society for Advancement of Economic Theory.
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Seeking proposals for major research infrastructure improvements
The Kansas NSF Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research is seeking proposals to create new knowledge, approaches and solutions to enable adaptive and resilient systems.
One major initiative will be selected to be included in the $20 million RII Track 1 EPSCoR proposal to be submitted in August 2021. The selected initiative is expected to foster an interdisciplinary research community of engineers, computer and computational scientists, and social and behavioral scientists that creates new approaches and engineering solutions for the design and operation of infrastructure, processes or services.
Important dates
Aug. 13, 2020: Q&A session | 12 pm | Register on Zoom
Sept. 1, 2020: white papers due
Nov. 16, 2020: full proposals due (by invitation only)
View the full request for proposals →
New KU faculty: Jump-start your research program
As a tenure-track faculty or unclassified academic staff member, you are eligible to apply for up to $8,000 (Option 1) from the New Faculty General Research Fund (NFGRF). If you are pursuing an external funding opportunity that exceeds $200,000, you are eligible to compete for an increased NFGRF award of up to $20,000 (Option 2). This year, due to COVID-19, faculty are able to apply during their first 36 months on the Lawrence or Edwards campus.
NFGRF awards may be used to support scholarship, creative activity and research or as seed funding for major external funding opportunities. Increased interest in this program has made the applications competitive. To optimize the use of NFGRF funds, no faculty summer salary is allowed in these proposals. Click below to learn more about program details and how to apply.
Amount: Up to $8K / Up to $20K | Deadlines: Rolling / October 1
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Connecting research interests, COVID-19 funding opportunities
Federal agencies and other organizations continue to direct funding toward priorities that align with their missions and meet a diverse range of needs related to COVID-19 infection and impact.
KU Research Pre-Award Services sends a weekly email highlighting new funding opportunities to investigators who have opted in to receive such notices. You can explore an archive of those notices — both current and expired — on the COVID-19 Funding Opportunities webpage.
Please contact your preferred research center or kucrpremgmt@lists.ku.edu for assistance if you are planning a submission to these funding opportunities. Proposals from KU-Lawrence applicants must be reviewed and approved by authorized Pre-Award staff before submission.
Questions about developing a submission? Contact the KU Research Development team: Carol Burdsal, director, carol.burdsal@ku.edu, or Doug Bornemann, assistant director, dbornemann@ku.edu.
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TWITTER
LINKEDIN
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RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION
Save the date for the August Grant Coordinator meeting
Please mark your calendar and make plans to join us for the August Grant Coordinator meeting:
August Grant Coordinator Meeting
Thursday, August 13 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Register via Zoom
You may send advance questions to Nancy Biles by Tuesday, Aug. 11, and Office of Research staff will respond in the meeting as time allows. You also will have the opportunity to submit questions to presenters during the meeting. The agenda will be announced in the August edition of Research Administration News & Notes.
These quarterly meetings provide an opportunity for grant coordinators and Research Administration staff to discuss important changes and hot topics, view demonstrations of new systems, and review updates to policies, forms and processes. Most importantly, the gatherings provide a venue for open dialogue involving everyone engaged in supporting research and sponsored projects at KU.
Subscribe to Research Administration News & Notes →
RESEARCH INTEGRITY
Is it 'Human Subjects Research'?
KU's Human Research Protection Program continues its Final Friday Ethics series this summer, focusing on ethical considerations for human subjects research.
Is it "Human Subjects Research"?
Friday, July 31 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Zoom link | Password: 817595
The session will include:
- Discussion of the definition of “human subjects research” to help researchers identify when a study needs IRB approval.
- Resources, including a new decision chart, for assisting researchers in determining whether their study is considered human subjects research.
- Scenarios and examples of what is/is not considered human subjects research.
Questions? Please contact HRPP Administrator Alyssa Haase.
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The KU Office of Research: We're here to help
With all the demands of writing proposals, conducting research, mentoring trainees, teaching classes and so much more, it can be easy to lose sight of the staff who are here to help you succeed. This may be especially true at a time when most of our interactions are virtual. So this is just a reminder that the Office of Research is full of dedicated experts who are here to help across the entire life cycle of your research. Visit our KU Research Staff webpage to match faces with names, and don't hesitate to contact us for assistance. It's our privilege to help facilitate your creative work and discoveries.
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Final Friday Ethics Series: Is it ‘Human Subject Research’?
Friday, July 31 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Zoom link | Password: 817595
Humanities in the Wild: Christine Olejniczak
Wind Maps, the Sound of Drawing and Performance Scores
Friday, July 31, 2020 | 7 – 8 p.m.
Zoom link | Password: 175803 | Learn more
Jurassic Park Tweet-Along
Hosted by Larryville Life and the KU Natural History Museum
Thursday, Aug. 6 | 8 p.m. | On Twitter @LarryvilleLife + @kunhm
KU’s Free Workplace Culture Summit: Race in the Workplace
Tuesday, August 11 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Zoom link
Hall Center Summer Lecture Series: José Olivarez
Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020 | 7:30 p.m.
Zoom link | Password: 904399 | Learn more
Communicating for Inclusion:
Constructing Workplaces that Welcome Difference
Thursday, Aug. 20 | 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Zoom link
Coffee & Conversation: The Big Ideas Incubator
Featuring Katie Batza and Nicole Reiz
Friday, Aug. 21 | 9 – 10 a.m. | Zoom link
Humanities in the Wild: A Pilgrim’s Experience
Exploring Art, History and Landscapes While Hiking the Camino de Santiago
Friday, Aug. 28, 2020 | 7 – 8 p.m. | Zoom link TBA
Learn more
Migration Stories: An Evening with Juan Felipe Herrera
Wednesday, Sept. 16 | 7:30 – 9 p.m.
Presentation details TBA | Learn more
Meet KU’s Authors: David Farber
“Crack: Rock Cocaine, Street Capitalism, and the Decade of Greed”
Wednesday, Sept. 23 | 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Presentation details TBA | Learn more
Humanities Lecture Series: Jerry Mitchell
“Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era”
Tuesday, Sept. 29 | 7:30 – 9 p.m.
Presentation details TBA | Learn more
See all KU Research events →
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Questions? Comments? Content suggestions?
Mindie Paget | Office of Research | mpaget@ku.edu
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