With support provided by the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) and the Office of Research and Creative Achievement (ORCA), we are happy to announce a new funding initiative called FEAT. The program is designed to help broaden the technology pipeline, while also assisting with later stage technology commercialization. It is available to UMBC’s entrepreneurial PIs to advance their technical concept, or their idea (social/behavioral/policy related) in conjunction with technology, towards commercial success, and out to meet societal needs. FEAT is flexible to assist UMBC researchers in obtaining additional commercialization funding, and providing mentorship services.

FEAT will support things like prototype builds, market surveys, business plans, CEO support, mentoring assistance, special facility or equipment access -whatever your specific needs are to obtain your next commercialization funding (MII, MIPS, SBIR/STTR, Momentum Funds, etc.).  This program will also enable UMBC, through OTD and bwtech, to identify for faculty existing resources, as well as provide new resources (like Market databases) based on faculty requests.

Proposal and Award Requirements:  UMBC PI eligible applicants must submit a one-page proposal which details the following:

• A non-confidential summary of the idea and its value proposition. What sets you apart from the competition?
• Describe how the funding will result in the project receiving additional internal or external funding [ABCE CENTRE fund, OTD Technology Catalyst Fund, TEDCO Maryland Innovation Initiative, UMD I-Corps , Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS), SBIR/ STTR program basics ] or advancing the technology to disclosure, licensing, or the creation of a start-up company.
• A list of goals you hope to achieve. What specific threshold(s) will you cross?
• The amount of funds needed for the project using a budget table.
• When you will need the funds and when you expect the work to be completed.

• Deliverable – After the project is completed, awardee will provide a brief summary of how the funding assisted in the advancement of the technology. This can be relatively short (MII requirement satisfied, proposal submitted, award received, technology licensed, start-up formed).

Deadlines: Rolling submission, due the first Monday of the month, monthly reviews. Submit your one-page proposal to Wendy Martin at wmartin@umbc.edu. Reviewed monthly, proposals are funded at the level deemed necessary to achieve the goals outlined in the proposal.

Register today! 

On this episode we hear a rebroadcast of a special 5th anniversary event hosted by the UMBC Center for Social Science (CS3).

The roundtable, which took place in October of 2023, brought together three fabulous UMBC alumni from across the social sciences: Dr. Delta Merner, (GES '14), Lead Scientist, Science Hub for Climate Litigation at the Union of Concerned Scientists; Dr. Brent Gibbons, (PUBL '13), Health Policy Researcher in the Health Economics Program at RTI International; and Dr. Brittany Gay, (PSYC '21), Associate Director of Implementation Science at the Research-to-Policy Collaboration (RPC).  The roundtable was moderated by CS3's Associate Director, Dr. Felipe Filomeno.  Click here for a full recording of the event.

Campus Connections

Stay tuned for a special Campus Connection featuring our new Production Assistant, Jean Kim, who details two fabulous programs for current students sponsored by CS3:

Data Science Scholars

GRANTED Award

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NIH Announces Supplemental Funding Opportunity for Outstanding DEIA Mentors

NIMH and multiple NIH Institutes are inviting applications for the Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Administrative Supplements to Recognize Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Mentorship, which recognizes the crucial role great mentors play in developing future leaders in scientific research. 

These supplements will provide up to $250,000 in direct costs to support outstanding mentors who have shown a strong dedication to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the biomedical and behavioral sciences.

Review the NOSI and the DEIA mentorship supplements FAQ for eligibility and application information. The deadline to apply is Friday, February 16, 2024.

NSF has partnered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to use SciENcv: Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae as the NSF-approved format for preparation of both the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support Sections of the Proposal. 

Read more on the recent change from the NSF Office of Budge Finance and Award Management (BFA), Division of Institution and Award Support Policy Office.

I’m pleased to announce that Courtney Hobson will be the new Manager of Programs in the Dresher Center, effective Nov.1. Courtney has done extraordinary work in her time as Coordinator, managing the Humanities Forum and contributing to nearly every aspect of the Dresher Center above and beyond her official duties. Her new role will acknowledge this work and make more formal her role in managing the Forum and other Dresher programs and workshops. She will also step into some of Rachel Brubaker’s former duties as well as partner with me and the Dresher Center team to support and promote humanities work on and off campus. Please join me in congratulating Courtney!

I am also pleased to welcome Jacqui Lom as Administrative Assistant (part-time) in the Dresher Center. Jacqui has been doing a terrific job working with the Humanities and Linnehan Scholars programs and we’re grateful for her willingness to take on some additional tasks in support of the Center.  Welcome Jacqui!

Jessica Berman

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On this episode I speak with Dr. Christine Armstrong Mair, Associate Professor of Sociology and Gerontology and Director of the Center for Health, Equity, and Aging (CHEA) in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health (SAPH) at UMBC. We discuss Dr. Mair's ongoing research into aging and older adult lifestyles across the world.

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