Originally published through the Research Radar e-newsletter
on October 30th, 2024
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Colleagues,
When I decided to pursue a Ph.D. in engineering, I was drawn to the simplicity of establishing equations that governed specific problems, setting up optimization routines, and ultimately arriving at solutions. Having just completed two degrees in natural resources and environmental sciences with an engineering focus, I had grown tired of the social debates and conflicting goals surrounding resource utilization. However, over the years, I came to realize that engineering-optimized solutions rarely prevail in society, as they often overlook factors that are difficult to quantify. Today, I find myself working as an engineer alongside economists, policymakers, resource managers, and social scientists, contributing to society’s transition to clean energy.
As scientists and creatives, we are all influenced by those around us. Our perspectives on a problem, the tools we utilize, and the solutions we devise stem from our communities of thought. Traditionally, these communities were defined by our academic departments, but as research increasingly addresses broad societal issues, our communities must evolve to encompass diverse academic disciplines. This interdisciplinary space is where centers and institutes can play a vital role. The Office of Research (OR) hosts several such organizations. This year, we have focused on understanding when best to establish a center or institute, how to resource these units, and the value they can bring to the university and the communities we serve.
Addiction and substance use research is a key focus for our communities and for public health researchers across our system. This expertise ranges from the basic neurophysiology of addiction to best practices for community-based interventions for substance use disorder. WSU is also a national leader in researching the effects of cannabis use on individuals and society, especially as its legality and acceptance continue to grow. Recognizing this as a significant area of research and clinical excellence, we aim to maximize WSU’s support for this work. To assist in this effort, we have invited Dr. John Roll to serve as a Faculty Fellow in the Office of Research. Over the next year, he will lead a review of our office’s programs and convene a working group of researchers from various colleges and campuses to make recommendations about how WSU can best sustain and expand these impactful research areas.
We welcome your thoughts on this research strength and how we can better organize our diverse efforts to maximize our impact. Please feel free to reach out to John or our office with any insights.
Michael P. Wolcott
Regents Professor
Interim Vice President for Research
Research Happens Every Day
Research Happens Every Day recognizes the fact that faculty make contributions to the WSU research enterprise every day of the year. In support of this crucial research and creative activity, ORAP will be hosting events celebrating diverse research and creative contributions as well as providing workshops, information sessions, and other training opportunities year-round.
We are launching a new monthly Q&A series featuring faculty research and creative work. This month, we are highlighting the research and creative work of Jiemei Lin, assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences Department of Art. Lin uses visual communication to tell stories, helping audiences of all ages navigate issues of social justice and identity.
Upcoming Events
New Faculty Seed Grant Q&A
The Office of Research and Office of the Provost support the annual New Faculty Seed Grants to help junior faculty develop research, scholarly, or creative programs that lead to sustained professional development and extramural funding. This program supports projects that will significantly contribute to the PI’s long-range goals by kick-starting a more complex project or idea. Projects with a strong potential to lead to significant external funding and/or PI portfolio development are encouraged. Awards may not exceed $25,000. The 2025 application cycle begins Friday, November 1. A Notice of Intent is required and must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Monday, December 2, to be considered for this program. Full proposals are due Friday, February 7, 2025 by 5 p.m. The Office of Research will hold a New Faculty Seed Grant Q&A from noon – 1 p.m., on Wednesday, November 6. This will be a virtual event held via Zoom. RSVP for the Zoom meeting details.
Indigenous Food Sovereignty Across International, National, and Local Settings
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, WSU’s Native Programs and Common Reading Program will present a talk on Indigenous food sovereignty on Thursday, November 7, from 3-4 p.m. Landon Charlo, (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes/Blackfeet) assistant professor in the School of the Environment with research specialties in Indigenous food systems and ecological knowledge, will present with Linda McLean, the director of Colville Tribal extension and a Tribal member. Together they will discuss Indigenous Food Sovereignty at several different strata of conceptualization and practice, from general meanings that have developed historically and internationally, to local contexts of the Colville Reservation. Register to receive the Zoom link.
Ruth and Loren Olsen Festival of Native American Music featuring Artist-in-Residence Conor Chee (Navajo)
The Ruth and Loren Olsen Festival of Native American Music is an annual event to highlight the depth of Indigenous artistry through performing and educational events. The Artist-in Residence for the 2024 inaugural year will be Navajo composer and pianist Conner Chee. The festival will be held Tuesday, November 12 and Wednesday, November 13. For a full list of events, visit the College of Arts and Sciences School of Music website. The festival is presented in partnership with WSU Student Affairs, the Ruth and Loran Olsen Fund, the Center for Student Organizations and Leadership, and the David G. Pollart Center for Arts and Humanities.
We are Still Here: Native American Diversity in Heritage and Research
Several of WSU’s Native American faculty will be sharing their research during a panel discussion entitled We are Still Here: Native American Diversity in Heritage and Research, from 2:30-3:30 p.m., on Thursday, November 14. This panel is hosted by the Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships. The discussion will feature panelists:
Cheryl Ellenwood (Nez Perce/Navajo), assistant professor in Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs and director of the Indigenous Organizations and Data Lab
Angel Sobotta (Nez Perce), assistant professor of Cultural Studies and Social Thought and director of Clearinghouse on Native Teaching and Learning
Micheal Holloman (Colville Tribes), associate professor of Native American Art History
Ryan Booth (Upper Skagit), assistant professor of History, focusing upon Indigenous Military History.
Moderated by Ken Lokensgard, PhD, co-director for the Center for Native American Research & Collaboration
This event will be held via Zoom. Please RSVP online to attend.
Executive Policy 41, Policy on Tribal Engagement, Consultation, and Collaboration Training
On Tuesday, November 19, from noon – 1:30 p.m., CRNR will host the Executive Policy 41, Policy on Tribal Engagement, Consultation, and Collaboration Training. The program will include time for CNRC affiliates, associates, and other to engage with our guests. Come hear from Zoe Higheagle Strong (Nez Perce), vice provost of Tribal Relations and Programs and director of the CNRC, Ken Lokensgard, co-director of the CNRC, Cheryl Ellenwood (Nez Perce/Navajo), assistant professor in Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs and director of the Indigenous Organizations and Data Lab, and Sequoia Dance (Shoshone Bannock), traditional ecological knowledge scholar and BioRise coordinator. This event will be held via Zoom. Contact Ken Lokensgard for the Zoom link.
Lunch & Learn: Using SciENcv to Create NSF/NIH-Compliant Documents
Currently National Science Foundation (NSF) requires that senior personnel complete Biosketches and Current and Pending Support (CPS) documents using the online SciENcv portal and National Institutes of Health (NIH) will soon follow suit. Whether you are planning a proposal for NIH or NSF, on Tuesday, December 3, from noon – 1 p.m., plan to bring your lunch and your laptop to the Lighty 280 conference room and work alongside Cheryl Dykstra-Aiello, research development specialist in the Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships, as she demonstrates the steps you need to create your own compliant Biosketches and CPS documents in SciENcv. RSVP online to attend.
Spring Fundamentals of Grant Writing Across Disciplines Series
Bring your targeted funding opportunity and develop your proposal! Open to participants from any discipline and from any career stage, the series will be five 1.5-hour weekly sessions (Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m., starting February 18, 2025 through March 25, 2025, no session the week of spring break), each targeting a specific section of the proposal. Activities will include participant discussions, short lectures, take-home assignments, and in-class sharing and feedback on take-home assignments. This series is a great opportunity to hone proposal writing skills and receive feedback from peers from other disciplines. Need assistance finding a funding opportunity? Come to the prerequisite session “Finding Funding” on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, or contact the Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships at or.orap.servicedesk@wsu.edu to set up an individual meeting. Interested faculty members are invited to submit an online application, including a letter of support from their chair or director, by Friday, January 24, 2025.
Call for Proposals
Notice of Intent Due: Community Engaged Research Tier Two Seed Grant
The 12-month Community Engaged Research Tier Two Seed Grants are intended to support WSU Pullman faculty who are new to community engaged research or creative activity and are meant to provide seed funding to establish relationships with community partners, which may include travel, hosting a series of listening sessions, focus groups, etc. A Notice of Intent is required to apply and is due Friday, November 1. Late NOIs will not be accepted. Full proposals will be due Sunday, December 1, and the funding period will begin Wednesday, January 29, 2025. For more information, visit the Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships website or email or.orap.servicedesk@wsu.edu.
Synthetic Microbial Communities for Biology, Mitigating Climate Change, Biotechnology, and Sustainability
This solicitation seeks projects that use a model synthetic microbial community to better understand the formation, maintenance or functionality of natural communities and to understand a natural community’s impact on the host, when applicable. This solicitation also seeks projects that create synthetic communities with novel capabilities and aim to understand the biological underpinnings for these novel capabilities. Projects that address fundamental biological principles at any scale, from the molecular to the ecosystem scale, are welcome. Ultimately, this solicitation aims to build a comprehensive biological knowledge base that scientists can use to rationally design synthetic microbial communities with novel applications in climate resiliency, sustainability, biotechnology, and biomanufacturing. Full proposals are due at 5 p.m., on Monday, February 3, 2025.
For Your Information
Application announcement for ninth cohort of DGRP
The WSU Office of Research, the WSU Graduate School, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are pleased to announce the call for applications for the ninth cohort of the Distinguished Graduate Research Program (DGRP). Incoming students are nominated jointly by a WSU faculty and a PNNL scientist. The DGRP is intended to increase the quality and quantity of STEM doctoral students across the WSU system while providing an enhanced research experience by aligning WSU faculty, students, and PNNL scientists with the unique capabilities and research programs at PNNL. Students in the DGRP are funded by their WSU and PNNL advisors, not by the DGRP. Interested co-advisors from WSU and PNNL should submit a joint-DGRP application online by November 4, 2024, for priority consideration. Advisor applications have a hard deadline of February 3, 2025. For more information and application instructions, please visit the DGRP website or email DGRP@wsu.edu.