Originally published through the Research Radar e-newsletter
on February 26, 2025.
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Letter from the VPR
Colleagues,
I ran track and cross country in middle and high school. I really wanted to be a sprinter, but I wasn’t built for that. I remember my coach pulling me aside and telling me that while the glory seemed to lie in sprinting, endurance was the real flex. He was right. I continue to run, although not the distances I used to. As I got older, the solace of long-distance running was what I craved. After mile two, all the to-do lists, the things I should be doing, and the noise of the day fell away.
Last week, along with other WSU senior leadership, I presented to the Board of Regents about the budget and the outlook for our research enterprise, given the current unknowns of federal funding. While I provided projections about the losses we could face if indirect costs decreased dramatically and I gestured to the longer-term effects of some executive orders, I didn’t have definitive answers to many questions. We just don’t know. That doesn’t mean we’re not working hard to navigate these changes or that we can’t push back against some proposals. We are, and we have.
Later the same day, Glynda Becker-Fenter, the vice president for External Affairs and Government Relations, and I were part of the College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) town hall focused on the federal transition and its effects on research. Like in the board meeting, I found myself answering many questions prefaced by qualifiers — “if this happens, then…” scenarios. In the town hall, I heard both anxiety and determination. Faculty were worried about what may happen to them, their colleagues, the institution, and the values we put into practice as a land grant institution. But they were also committed to continuing the research that was meaningful to them in ways that aligned with their goals and commitments.
In both venues, I found myself saying, “This is a marathon, not a sprint.” Later that week after one morning run, I started to reflect on that saying. On the surface, it’s straightforward: sprints are over quickly, marathons are not. Buckle up—this is not going to be over anytime soon. But there’s more to it than that. A marathon mindset encourages you to pace yourself, stay focused on what you can control, and be ready to adjust and adapt. It emphasizes patience and reminds us that immediate results may not come. It rewards consistency, perseverance, and resiliency. Finally, it requires both effort and rest. You’ve got to put in the miles, and you also need your days off, too.
I believe we have the endurance to navigate what lies ahead if we remember the marathon mindset and continue to focus on our mission and our values. As the town hall ended, the dean asked if we had any final thoughts. I said this: “Take care of yourselves and each other.” And that’s my reminder to all of us—let’s keep pushing forward, together.
Kim Christen
Vice President for Research
Federal Updates
Partial Preliminary Injunction Placed on Executive Orders
Previously, under Executive Order 14173 Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity (issued January 21, 2025), WSU was providing certifications of compliance with these orders on a case-by-case basis as requested by federal funders on specific grants.
Last week, Democracy Forward filed a lawsuit challenging aspects of this Executive Order and Executive Order 14151, Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing, on behalf of the AAUP (representing faculty members), the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (representing their diversity officer members), the City of Baltimore (representing a public sector grantee), and Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (representing a private sector grantee).
On Friday, the US District Court for the District of Maryland granted a partial preliminary injunction on parts of the executive orders, including the certification provision. News story here. While this injunction is in place, no federal sponsors should be requesting that grantees submit this certification statement. If you receive requests, please email ORSO at orso@wsu.edu with a copy of the request.
Office of Research Creates Resource Listing Canceled or Paused Grants
To help faculty navigate the shifting status of federal funding opportunities, the Office of Research has developed a list of grants currently known to be cancelled or paused for revisions available at: Updates to Federal Opportunities. The list will be updated frequently as information becomes available. If you know of any funding opportunities that have been canceled or paused that are not currently listed, please email the information to the Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships at or.orap.servicedesk@wsu.edu.
Provost Office to host Promotion and Tenure Town Halls
Doug Call, senior vice provost, and Lisa Guerrero, vice provost for Equity and Inclusive Excellence, will provide an overview of updates to the 2025–2026 Promotion and Tenure process, discuss WSU’s land-grant mission, and address questions related to faculty success and support. Please join us at either of the sessions: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., on Friday, February 28, and 3 – 4:30 p.m., on Tuesday, March 18. Join the broadcast on Zoom by clicking on this link. Questions? Contact the Provost Office via email at provosts.office@wsu.edu.
WSU Federal Funding Website
In recent weeks, there have been significant and rapid changes to the legal and procedural landscape affecting researchers and the federal agencies that fund much of WSU’s research. To keep our WSU community informed, we have created a dedicated web page with agency-specific updates and information.
Research Happens Every Day
Faculty in Focus Spotlight
We’re highlighting our faculty and their research in our monthly Q&A series. This month, we are excited to highlight the research of Yuliya Ardasheva, associate professor in the College of Education at WSU Tri-Cities. Ardasheva’s current research focuses on the contributions of individual differences to second language development and the interplay between second language and academic development.
INSPIRE! Community Engaged Research Seed Grants Tier 2 and Graduate Student Summer CER Announces Winners
We are excited to announce our winners to the competitive INSPIRE! Community Engaged Research Tier 2 and Graduate Student Summer CER Seed Grants. The awardees for these to programs are:
Our Tier 2 Pullman-based awardee is Landon Charlo, an assistant professor in the School of the Environment. He will receive $10,000 for his project titled, “Revitalizing Inchelium Red Garlic on the Colville Reservation Through Story and Community Engagement.”
This year, the Tier 2 program was also able to fund a non-Pullman-based principal investigator. Rachel Wilbur, an assistant research professor with the IREACH program in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, will receive $10,000 for her project, “Connecting Generations for Indigenous Wellbeing.”
Also new this year was an opportunity for graduate students, the Graduate Student Summer CER grant. Jordan Thompson, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Anthropology, will receive $10,000 for her project titled, “Echoes of the Earth: An Ethnogeological Approach to Nimíipuu Knowledge and Landscape Adaptation in the Bitterroot Mountains.”
Upcoming Events
Office Hours with the Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships
On alternating Mondays and Thursdays at noon, come to the Office of Research conference room, Lighty 280, for some dedicated proposal writing time in a quiet space. Have questions for our development specialists? Come in-person or visit virtually by clicking the Zoom link on our website.
Engaged! A Conversation on Enabling Community Engaged Research at WSU
Interested in community engaged research (CER) to help address societal problems? Have ideas on how WSU can foster CER? Join the Center for Environmental Research, Education and Outreach (CEREO) and an invited panel from 8:40 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., on Tuesday, March 4, in PACCAR 202 to learn about and discuss current efforts and what still needs to be done to fully support and enable CER that contributes to society’s efforts to tackle complex issues in a changing world. Register online!
Calls for Proposals
INSPIRE! CERSG “Pullman in Focus” NOI Due March 1
Funding of up to $10,000 through the INSPIRE! Community Engaged Research Seed Grant “Pullman in Focus” program is intended to support WSU Pullman faculty who have established communication with a local Pullman-area community for intended community-engaged research. For more information and to submit the required Notice of Intent by the March 1 deadline, visit the website.
INSPIRE! CERSG-Tier 3 NOI Due March 15
Funding of up to $20,000 through the INSPIRE! Community Engaged Research Seed Grant-Tier 3 program is intended to support WSU Pullman faculty who have established CER programs and community relationships and who need assistance in moving their research agenda to a stage for external funding applications. For more information and to submit the required Notice of Intent by the March 15 deadline, visit the website.
New Samsung University Collaboration Program Accepting Proposals
The Strategic Alliance for Research and Technology (START), Samsung’s new university collaboration program, will accept proposals for research that aims to discover new, emerging, frontier technologies and conduct advanced research for Samsung’s future. We focus on technologies targeting the Device Experience (DX) division, the completed goods side of Samsung’s business (mobile phones, TVs, home appliances, etc.). Projects selected will be awarded up to $150,000 for a 1-year project, with the possibility for renewal at the end of the year. The submission window is now open for abstract submissions and will be open until 5 p.m., on Tuesday, March 21. If you have a topic not covered by a CFPs but you feel could be a critical game changer for Samsung, please still submit it for review. Learn more about CFP Briefs, participation details, program updates, and announcements by visiting the START Program website.
Murdock Charitable Trust: Sciex 7500+ Seed Grant Call for Proposals
The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust has granted funding to sponsor a seed grant program for WSU faculty to conduct initial research using the Sciex 7500+ instrument. The purpose of the seed grants is to help WSU faculty investigate how this instrument can enhance their research and help them secure additional funding to use the instrument in their research. Accordingly, these small grants aim to support new faculty investigators who have not used a Sciex 7500+ system to utilize the instrument to seed new projects. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m., on Friday, April 4. For more information, visit the program document or contact John Clarke j.clarke@wsu.edu or Ze Liu ze.liu@wsu.edu.
For Your Information
Dryad Provides More Data Repository Features for WSU Researchers
With more funding opportunities now requiring researchers to address data management and sharing as part of their proposal submissions, WSU now has another option that meets the desirable characteristics listed by most federal agencies for an acceptable repository. WSU Libraries has partnered with Dryad, an open data-publishing platform, that will supplement data sharing and storage services previously only available through WSU Research Exchange. Compared to Research Exchange, Dryad has options for larger datasets, supports the peer-review process, and is integrated with workflows for some journals. Learn more about Dryad in WSU Libraries’ Guide to Data Management Plans.
WSU’s Newest Machine-Harvest Raspberry Patent Recently Issued from the USPTO
WSU’s newest machine-harvest raspberry patent was recently issued from the USPTO. This raspberry (‘WSU 2188’), trade named ‘Cascade Legacy’™ was bred by researcher Pat Moore and maintained by raspberry technician Wendy Hoashi-Erhardt. ‘Cascade Legacy’™ has large, firm fruit that maintains its shape during machine harvest. It has great flavor and dark color with a high yield. It has root rot tolerance and good winter hardiness. It is expected to do well in the Pacific Northwest with raspberry growers and should be available commercially this spring. This variety will be used mainly for frozen or processed markets, which is the main market for Washington grown machine harvest raspberries. Licensing associate Deah McGaughey was told at the 2024 Raspberry Field Day that most of the raspberries in the Kirkland brand triple berry blend are Washington/PNW grown berries!
WSU Inventors Secure Patent for Cost-Effective Pyrolysis Process to Produce High-Performance Biochar for Phosphate Removal
WSU inventors Manuel Garcia-Perez, Jean-Sabin McEwen, Sohrab Haghighi Mood, and Michael Apasiku recently had a patent issued for their invention that created a cost-effective single-step pyrolysis process to develop nitrogen-metal doped carbonaceous biochars for the efficient removal of phosphates from liquid effluents. A synergistic effect of nitrogen functionalities and metals on char surface/structure resulted in biochars with improved adsorption and high retention capacity for phosphates. Also, biochar enriched in phosphates from wastewaters can be directly applied to agricultural fields as a slow-release fertilizer to improve soil fertility and contribute to soil carbon.