Spring is here and so is the eleventh issue of the UTEP Research Newsletter. In this issue we feature new research awards, stories, and profiles published in UTEP’s Expertise Connector, updates on research administration, patents received by UTEP researchers, as well as research news written by UTEP University Communications Office in the last four months. Also included in this issue is an article on the January Virtual Research Forum. Enjoy your read!
Victor R. McCrary, Ph. D., Vice Chair of the National Science Board (NSB), believes the nation is at a point in time that calls for bold and decisive action to secure its place as the global leader in science and engineering (S&E).
“We feel we’re at a Sputnik 2 moment right now here in the United States,” McCrary told members of The University of Texas at El Paso’s faculty and staff during his keynote speech for the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP) virtual research forum on January 26, 2021. The leaders of the country’s S&E ecosystem must work together, McCrary said, much as they did in 1957, when the launch of the second Russian satellite seemed to threaten American technological and scientific preeminence.
The January research forum was somewhat atypical. In a break from the customary sequence of events, McCrary’s keynote address was preceded only by brief opening remarks from Roberto Osegueda, Ph.D., UTEP vice president for research, and an introduction by UTEP President Heather Wilson.
In her remarks, Dr. Wilson told the audience she believed it was important for UTEP researchers to understand the vision of the NSB, which oversees the National Science Foundation (NSF). Dr. Wilson also made special mention of McCrary’s advocacy on behalf of minorities in STEM throughout his career.
McCrary’s presentation, titled “NSB Vision 2030: A Pathway towards Research for All”, laid out the board’s bold plan to help the United States remain the world’s leader in S&E. To do that, McCrary said, partnerships among all stakeholders in the S&E ecosystem, including government agencies, academia, and private industry will have to be strengthened and expanded.
Infrastructure will also continue to be vital, McCrary said. Advances in software development, computational and network capacity, and research facilities must all be prioritized.
The NSB’s plan also calls for greater efficiency in the practice of science. The U.S. must work to streamline the process of discovery to product, McCrary said, to allow the American businesses and entrepreneurs to remain globally competitive.
Talent is another area identified as critical in the NSB plan. To remain competitive, McCrary said, the U.S. must be a STEM powerhouse. To do this, it must expand and diversify domestic talent and continue to attract global talent.
Diversity is a major area of focus in the NSB plan. To close the talent gap, McCrary said the board will take a multi-pronged approach that includes working to improve the attractiveness, inclusivity, and equity of research careers, and taking decisive action to ensure that members of underrepresented groups achieve leadership positions in the STEM/S&E ecosystem.
In the Q&A section of his presentation, McCrary spoke of what he perceives as a paradigm shift taking place at funding agencies like the NSF. These agencies, he told the audience, are increasingly looking for Hispanic-serving institutions and Historically black colleges and universities that in the past may have been partners in major proposals to be the leaders of such proposals going forward.
“People are now saying, ‘Not only is the innovation there, but also the talent is there,’” McCrary said.
McCrary’s presentation was followed by the awards section of the program. The January research forum recognized 67 awards and 3 patents received by UTEP faculty and staff members since September 2020.
Returning to his role as master of ceremonies, Stephen Aley, Ph.D., associate vice president for research informed the audience that Fall 2020 was a banner semester for research at UTEP, with at least one award for each college and school in the University as well as 2 university offices.
The variety in the subject matter of the awards that were recognized once again demonstrated the considerable breadth of the investigative activity of UTEP researchers – from a study funded by the U.S. Treasury into the potential benefits to the economy of an El Paso suburb due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to an award from the Paso del Norte Community Foundation to assemble and deploy a team of community health workers, known colloquially as “promotoras de salud”, to disseminate critical COVID-19 information to some of the most underserved areas in the El Paso region.
While most of the awards that were recognized during the January research forum were not related to the coronavirus pandemic, the substantial number of grants that were tied to COVID-19-related research demonstrated yet again the faculty’s ongoing commitment to the University’s mission to positively impact the wellbeing of the community it serves and to advance discovery of public value.
Congratulations to all those who were recognized.
GO MINERS!
To access the January 2021 Research Forum, please follow this link.
We are pleased to announce all sponsored projects officially received by ORSP between the period of December 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021. Please click on the “Read Full Announcement” link to learn more about each award below.
May 01, 2021 through Apr 30, 2023
$2,000,000
Read Full Announcement
Mar 15, 2021 through Mar 31, 2025
$654,980
Read Full Announcement
Dec 17, 2020 through Dec 16, 2022
$373,791
Read Full Announcement
Nov 30, 2016 through Sep 30, 2022
$280,440
Read Full Announcement
Jul 01, 2021 through Jun 30, 2023
$240,000
Read Full Announcement
Feb 05, 2021 through Sep 30, 2021
$206,337
Read Full Announcement
Jan 20, 2021 through Nov 30, 2021
$133,880
Read Full Announcement
Jan 01, 2021 through May 31, 2021
$130,482
Read Full Announcement
Jan 01, 2021 through Jun 30, 2022
$100,000
Read Full Announcement
Mar 01, 2021 through Aug 31, 2021
$93,546
Read Full Announcement
Nov 16, 2020 through Oct 31, 2021
$85,633
Read Full Announcement
Jan 01, 2021 through Dec 31, 2022
$82,860
Read Full Announcement
Feb 01, 2021 through Jul 31, 2022
$75,000
Read Full Announcement
Mar 01, 2021 through Dec 31, 2021
$60,180
Read Full Announcement
Apr 01, 2021 through Mar 31, 2022
$48,000
Read Full Announcement
Feb 01, 2021 through Jun 30, 2021
$21,000
Read Full Announcement
Jun 01, 2021 through May 31, 2022
$5,000
Read Full Announcement
Feb 10, 2021 through Dec 31, 2024
$1,486,540
Read Full Announcement
Jan 01, 2021 through Dec 31, 2022
$1,000,000
Read Full Announcement
Apr 01, 2021 through May 31, 2023
$819,219
Read Full Announcement
Mar 01, 2021 through Feb 29, 2024
$745,655
Read Full Announcement
Jan 01, 2021 through Jun 30, 2023
$645,059
Read Full Announcement
Jun 01, 2021 through May 31, 2024
$482,153
Read Full Announcement
Feb 01, 2021 through Jan 31, 2022
$406,130
Read Full Announcement
Feb 01, 2021 through Jul 31, 2021
$370,722
Read Full Announcement
Jan 01, 2021 through Dec 31, 2022
$302,000
Read Full Announcement
Jan 04, 2021 through Dec 31, 2021
$300,000
Read Full Announcement
Oct 01, 2020 through Sep 30, 2022
$157,871
Read Full Announcement
Jan 29, 2021 through Jul 31, 2021
$130,000
Read Full Announcement
May 17, 2021 through Feb 16, 2022
$125,000
Read Full Announcement
Jun 01, 2020 through Dec 31, 2021
$100,000
Read Full Announcement
Feb 01, 2021 through Mar 31, 2022
$79,224
Read Full Announcement
Feb 01, 2021 through Aug 31, 2022
$75,000
Read Full Announcement
Jan 01, 2021 through Sep 30, 2022
$75,000
Read Full Announcement
Mar 01, 2021 through Jun 30, 2022
$65,000
Read Full Announcement
Dec 01, 2020 through Aug 31, 2021
$60,249
Read Full Announcement
Jan 15, 2021 through Jun 30, 2021
$50,000
Read Full Announcement
Feb 01, 2021 through Jul 31, 2021
$50,000
Read Full Announcement
Jan 01, 2021 through Dec 31, 2021
$45,000
Read Full Announcement
Mar 01, 2021 through Feb 28, 2022
40,000
Read Full Announcement
Mar 01, 2021 through Feb 28, 2022
$40,000
Read Full Announcement
Mar 01, 2021 through Feb 28, 2022
$40,000
Read Full Announcement
Nov 24, 2020 through Aug 31, 2021
$37,500
Read Full Announcement
Sep 01, 2020 through Aug 31, 2021
$26,269
Read Full Announcement
Dec 01, 2020 through Jun 30, 2021
$15,000
Read Full Announcement
Feb 01, 2021 through Oct 31, 2021
$14,000
Read Full Announcement
Dec 31, 2020 through Jan 31, 2021
$13,000
Read Full Announcement
Dec 21, 2020 through Jun 01, 2021
$10,000
Read Full Announcement
Mar 01, 2021 through Feb 28, 2022
$10,000
Read Full Announcement
Feb 01, 2021 through Mar 31, 2021
$8,800
Read Full Announcement
Mar 01, 2021 through Feb 28, 2022
$8,750
Read Full Announcement
Sep 01, 2020 through May 31, 2021
$8,000
Read Full Announcement
Apr 01, 2021 through Jun 30, 2021
$5,320
Read Full Announcement
Dec 01, 2020 through Nov 30, 2021
$5,000
Read Full Announcement
Jan 25, 2021 through Jun 30, 2021
$5,000
Read Full Announcement
Dec 01, 2020 through Sep 30, 2021
$5,000
Read Full Announcement
UTEP is striving to increase its number of US patents issued each year. Two patents were issued in fiscal year 2015, six in 2016, five in 2017, nineteen in 2018, eighteen in 2019, and eighteen in 2020. This fiscal year, since September 1, 2020, nine US patents have been issued. This impressive and consistent increase represents UTEP’s commitment to research, discovery and creativity, and innovation and invention.
Below you will find the most recent collection of research-related articles published by University Communications. ORSP recognizes our important partnership with University Communications which helps promote the accomplishments of our faculty and staff. These research-related articles are also available in Expertise Connector and hyperlinked to the personal profiles and campus units featured in these pieces.
EL PASO, Texas – The University of Texas at El Paso’s Border Region Modeling Project (BRMP) has released long-range projections for the region’s demographics, labor markets, commercial activity, economic performance and more in “Borderplex Long-Term Economic Trends to 2049.”
Research being conducted at The University of Texas at El Paso by Wen-Yee Lee, Ph.D., is helping pave the way for advances in early detection methods for prostate cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer death among men according to the American Cancer Society.
EL PASO, Texas – Students from The University of Texas at El Paso will have more opportunities to train for competitive jobs in the energy industry through a $1 million grant from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
EL PASO, Texas – Newly minted NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) fellow, Amelia Greig, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso, will have the opportunity to expand her research to harvest water on the moon through the receipt of a highly competitive NIAC award.
The U.S. Department of State has awarded a $34,000 grant that researchers from The University of Texas at El Paso will use to evaluate training programs offered to international representatives to enhance U.S. security.
The University of Texas at El Paso is now home to one of only three femtosecond laser machines in the world – a feat that significantly enhances the University’s advanced manufacturing research and is funded by six grants totaling more than $1 million backed by the U.S. Department of Energy through Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies.
Chu-Young Kim, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The University of Texas at El Paso, is helping combat the threat of superbugs – illnesses caused by drug-resistant bacteria – by returning to nature.
The work of a faculty member from The University of Texas at El Paso is helping build understanding of the recent reactivation of Steamboat, the world’s tallest active geyser located at Yellowstone National Park.
The University of Texas at El Paso is one of eight U.S. universities participating in a multisite study to increase sustainable employment and career advancement opportunities for individuals with disabilities, including veterans with disabilities.
The University of Texas at El Paso will aid the establishment of a coalition aimed at broadening participation by Hispanic students in engineering through a grant awarded by the NASA Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP).
EL PASO, Texas – Ann Gates, Ph.D., vice provost at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), has been awarded the 2021 Alfredo de Los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership Award – a prestigious honor by the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE). Gates will accept the award March 2 during the 2021 AAHHE National Conference.
EL PASO, Texas – An effort led by Lin Li, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics at The University of Texas at El Paso, in collaboration with students and faculty from Howard University, has identified key variants that help explain the differences between the viruses that cause COVID-19 and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
For a complete list of research news, please visit the Expertise Connector Research Stories page
Below are brief summaries of the new research faculty and professional staff who have joined Expertise Connector.
Dr. Eppie Rael is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree at The University of Albuquerque, his Master’s Degree from New Mexico Highlands University, and his Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the University of Arizona. He came to UTEP in 1975 as an Assistant Professor, where he progressed to the rank of Associate Professor and then to Professor. At UTEP he served as Director of the Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) Program from 1982 through 1990, served as Director of the MBRS – SCORE Program from 1998 to 2005, and served as Director of the Border Biomedical Research Center from 1999 to 2005. He was the Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences from 1999 to 2005. He received numerous research grants while at UTEP from the NIH and NSF, and from other granting institutions. He is one of the Founding Fathers of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). Fifteen of his master’s students went on to receive the Ph.D. degree from various universities in the U.S.; twenty of his master’s students received M.D. degrees; and thirty-five additional students completed the requirements for the M.S. degree at UTEP. He authored or co-authored sixty-two journal articles with topics ranging from drug-drug interaction, immune cell function, venom distribution in rattlesnake populations, development of immunotoxins, and molecular models of metalloproteinases and their potential drug use.
Research Forums provide an opportunity to recognize the recent achievement of researchers on campus as well as feature a distinguished UTEP researcher discussing his/her research experiences and findings with the university community. The Vice President for Research invites you to join the faculty, students, alumni, and staff in discussing important and timely research topics to stimulate further investigation in advancing our collective knowledge.
Please click here to RSVP.
NIH Updated Biosketch
NIH is requiring a new biosketch for proposals due on or after May 25, 2021.
Sections of the Biosketch that have been modified:
A. Personal Statement:
Briefly describe why you are well-suited for your role(s) in this project. Relevant factors may include: aspects of your training; your previous experimental work on this specific topic or related topics; your technical expertise; your collaborators or scientific environment; and/or your past performance in this or related fields, including ongoing and completed research projects from the past three years that you want to draw attention to (previously known as research support).
B. Positions, Scientific Appointments, and Honors:
List in reverse chronological order all positions and scientific appointments both domestic and foreign, including affiliations with foreign entities or governments. This includes titled academic, professional, or institutional appointments whether or not remuneration is received, and whether full-time, part-time, or voluntary (including adjunct, visiting, or honorary). High school students and undergraduates may include any previous positions. For individuals who are not currently located at the applicant organization, include the expected position at the applicant organization and the expected start date.
C. Contributions to Science
No changes (still up to 5 contributions and 4 publications each).
Section D, Research Support is NO LONGER included. Any relevant research support will need to be included in Section A.
The New biosketch format can be found here.
FAQs can be found here.
NIH Other Support Updates
NIH has made changes to the Other Support requirements effective May 25, 2021 for Other Support forms and the RPPRs.
Excerpted from NIH, full text found here.
Other Support includes all resources made available to a researcher in support of and/or related to all of their research endeavors, regardless of whether or not they have monetary value and regardless of whether they are based at the institution the researcher identifies for the current grant. This includes but is not limited to:
Resources and/or financial support from all foreign and domestic entities, that are available to the researcher. This includes but is not limited to, financial support for laboratory personnel, and provision of high-value materials that are not freely available (e.g., biologics, chemical, model systems, technology, etc.). Institutional resources, such as core facilities or shared equipment that are made broadly available, should not be included in Other Support, but rather listed under Facilities and Other Resources.
Consulting agreements, when the PD/PI or other senior/key personnel will be conducting research as part of the consulting activities. Non-research consulting activities are not Other Support.
In-kind contributions, e.g. office/laboratory space, equipment, supplies, or employees or students supported by an outside source. If the time commitment or dollar value of the in-kind contribution is not readily ascertainable, the recipient must provide reasonable estimates.
Other Support does not include training awards, prizes, or gifts. Gifts are resources provided where there is no expectation of anything (e.g. time, services, specific research activities, money, etc.) in return. An item or service given with the expectation of an associated time commitment is not a gift and is instead an in-kind contribution and must be reported as Other Support.
Reporting of Other Support is required for all individuals designated in an application as senior/key personnel—those devoting measurable effort to a project. Information on Other Support is not specifically requested for Program Directors, training faculty, and other individuals involved in the oversight of training grants since applicable information is collected in other sections of a training grant application. Other Support is not required to be submitted for individuals categorized as Other Significant Contributors.
Recipients are reminded to establish and maintain effective internal controls (e.g. policies and procedures) to ensure that individuals designated in applications as senior/key personnel fully disclose all Other Support information to their institution as soon as soon as it becomes known.
Updated Requirements for Recipients:
Effective May 25, 2021, NIH requires the following:
Supporting documentation, which includes copies of contracts, grants or any other agreement specific to senior/key personnel foreign appointments and/or employment with a foreign institution for all foreign activities and resources that are reported in Other Support. If the contracts, grants or other agreements are not in English, recipients must provide translated copies.
Immediate notification of undisclosed Other Support. When a recipient organization discovers that a PI or other Senior/Key personnel on an active NIH grant failed to disclose Other Support information outside of Just-in-Time or the RPPR, as applicable, the recipient must submit updated Other Support to the Grants Management Specialist named in the Notice of Award as soon as it becomes known.