10/26/10

Changes in NSF Proposal and Award Policies & Procedures

NSF has instituted significant changes to the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, including a requirement for Special Information and Supplementary Documentation.  NSF 11-1 January 2011 is effective for proposals submitted on or after January 18, 2011.  Some of these changes are listed below in Item # 15.   Proposals due before this date should follow the guidelines in NSF 10-1  http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf101

10/26/10

Promoting Innovation in the Social Sciences

The Office of the Vice President for Research and the Rackham School of Graduate Studies is pleased to announce a request for proposals for a new program, the Social Sciences Annual Institute:  A Five-Year Experiment in Promoting Innovation in the Social Sciences.

The program is intended to support innovative proposals for new directions in the social sciences. The RFP can be viewed and downloaded from http://research.umich.edu/social-sciences-initiative/

Two-page pre-proposals are due November 12. Those who are invited to submit full proposals should plan to do so by December 10. Questions can be directed to Toni C. Antonucci at [email protected] or Marvin Parnes at [email protected]

10/26/10

Faculty Awards

Congratulations to the following UM-Flint faculty:

– Vahid Lotfi, Associate Provost, who recently received a  $32,327 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Flint for the project “Peace Garden”

– John Sonnega, Assistant Professor of Health Sciences & Administration, SHPS, who recently received a $ 11,589 sub-award in a grant from the Department of Health & Human Services, CDC, for the project “Michigan Youth Violence Prevention Center”

– Mary Jo Finney, Dean of the School of Education and Human Services, who recently received a $100,000
 grant from Michigan Future, Inc. for the project “Small High School Network Teacher Preparation Partner”  

– Marge Andrews, Director of Nursing, SHPS, who recently received a $3,500 grant from State of Michigan, Department of Community Health, for the project “State of Michigan Bureau of Health Professions Nursing Scholarships – Additional Funding”

– Connie Creech, Assistant Professor of Nursing and Director Academic Programs, SHPS, who recently received a major $ 1,425,600 grant from the Department of Health & Human Services, for the project: “Increasing the Supply of Adult Primary Care Nurse Practitioners: An accelerated two year inline Masters of Science in Nursing program at the University of Michigan- Flint”

10/14/10

Research Spotlight: Sy Banerjee, School of Management

sy.jpgJoin us next Wednesday, October 20th at noon for our second Research Spotlight! For this month’s spotlight, we focus on School of Management Marketing professor Sy Banerjee, as he discusses the area of his research interest:  Mobile Commerce. Sy has been working on several projects as he studies the changes brought to shopping, marketing practices and society at large through mobile devices. 

The talk will take place in the Office of Research Seminar Room, Room 536 French Hall. Come hear about is research endeavors, network with other researchers on campus.  This event is free and open to all interested faculty, staff and students, and refreshments will be served.

10/12/10

First UM-Flint Student Presents at SACNAS

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From the desk of Mel Serow, University Relations

University of Michigan-Flint senior Cameron Waites recently returned from one of the largest scientific conferences for undergraduate and graduate students in the U.S. The 2010 SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) National Conference was held in Anaheim, California.

Waites is the first UM-Flint student to ever present a poster at the conference, and this year, was the only representative from any University of Michigan campus. His presentation was based on research he did while at the NIH (National Institutes of Health) this past summer.

“While a scholar in the National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship Program, I worked in the lab of Helene Rosenberg, M.D., PhD. My research project was titled Developing a qPCR assay for Influenza A/FM/1/47-MA: Cloning of the Mouse-Adapted Influenza M1 Gene,” said Waites. “During this project, I learned many molecular and microbiology techniques, and completed the basis for future work in the lab that will allow us to assess the amount of influenza virus in various tissues.”

For Waites, participating in the conference was critical in making the most of his undergraduate education, and remaining an active participant in research will assist him to reach his future goals of becoming a physician-scientist.

While having the opportunity to participate in various programs, including the recent conference, Waites has developed additional knowledge and skills in the area of cultural competency.

“As I reflect on my cultural competency interests at UM-Flint, and the internship experience as a Michigan in Washington Program participant in Washington D.C., I recognize the need for increased participation and representation of Persons of Color in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, and being able to gain further experience through personal relationships, networks, and conversations at SACNAS has further enriched my understanding of these issues.”

This isn’t the only time Cameron has represented UM-Flint as a first. In 2009, he was also the first UM-Flint to present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Way to go, Cameron!

10/8/10

UM-Flint to be Part of Advanced Nursing Education Expansion

From the desk of Mel Serow, University Relations

The University of Michigan-Flint will receive $1,425,600 to help with expanding Advanced Nursing Education. U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, both D-Mich., announced $13,322,537 in grants for nine projects across the state to train primary health care workers in Michigan. The funding was made available through the Prevention and Public Health Fund under the Affordable Care Act.

UM-Flint is one of just 26 schools of nursing to be selected for the grant to increase full-time enrollment in primary care nurse practitioner (NP) and nurse midwife (NMW) programs. It is projected that over 1,300 primary care nursing stipends will be supported through this five-year program.

“This award will directly support 30-60 graduate students who wish to become Primary Care Nurse Practitioners (NPs). NP’s are cost-effective, and part of the solution to the shortage of primary care providers,” said Director of the Graduate Nursing Program Constance Creech.

“This funding will support students who want to study full time, but could not afford it previously.”
According to Creech, the average Nurse Practitioner student leaves the UM-Flint graduate program with nearly $42,000 in student loans.

“By providing a stipend of $22,000 per student per year for up to two years, this funding will reduce the financial burden of attending school full-time, and help to accelerate graduation rates to increase the number of advanced practice nurses,” said Barbara Kornblau, dean of the School of Health Professions and Studies.

“The Affordable Care Act will give more families access to quality, affordable health care. These funds will help make sure there are enough doctors and nurses available to treat those new patients,” Stabenow said. “These investments in our health care workforce will create new, good-paying jobs and will ensure that Michigan families continue to have access to the medical care they need.”

“Six months after the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, Michiganians are starting to see the very real improvements that health care reform will bring to their lives,” Levin said. “These funds are just a beginning in the investments we will be making in Michigan’s health care, training new primary care doctors and nurses to help Michigan families.”

Congratulations to the staff and faculty in both the School of Nursing and the entire School of Public Health and Health Sciences!

10/7/10

New Interim Dean of SHPS

From the desk of Gerard Voland, Provost:

Professor Donna Fry has been named the Interim Dean of the School of Health Professions and Studies, effective immediately. Dean Barbara Kornblau has resigned from the position, and I thank her for the contributions that she has made to the School and the University of Michigan-Flint.

Dr. Fry is an esteemed colleague and scholar. She has served in numerous capacities at UM-Flint since she first came to campus as a lecturer in 1987. Most recently, she was the Director of the Department of Physical Therapy. Professor Fry has played a major role on many committees over the years, including Faculty Council, Chair of Academic Affairs Advisory Committee, Budget Priorities and Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, Institutional Review Board, NCA/HLC Accreditation Chairs Committee, General Education Design Team Steering Committee as well as several others. She has an extensive list of published works to her credit as well. I am appreciative of Professor Fry’s willingness to accept this role and confident that she will be a strong leader for the School of Health Professions and Studies.

A national search for a new dean will begin shortly. I will be working closely with all SHPS faculty to assist with this leadership transition.

Thanks to Dr. Kornblau for her valuable service and congratulations to Dr. Fry on the new appointment!