News
AAAS and Partners Debut New Online Networks for Clinical and Minority Scientists
To help scientists and science trainees who hope to translate laboratory research into clinical medicine and to help minority scientists navigate their career paths, AAAS, Science Careers, and Science are launching a pair of online social-networking sites. The networks have been designed to serve two distinct groups: CTSciNet is a community for people pursuing careers in clinical and translational research, and MySciNet is a network focused on nurturing diversity in the scientific workforce. They were launched 20 October by Science Careers, AAAS's career development initiative.
After registering, users can post and respond to questions on career-related, academic, scientific, or social subjects; join virtual groups on specific topics or for specific organizations; read articles on navigating a career path; and pass along articles and hyperlinks from outside resources. To read the full story click here.
As of Sept. 1, RePORTER replaced NIH's now-retired CRISP system.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) now has a Web site where information is available about grants and the research they fund. The Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT) now has a "user-friendly system," the RePORT Expenditures and Results, or RePORTER system. "RePORTER combines NIH project databases and funding records, PubMed abstracts, full-text articles from PubMed Central, and information from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office with a robust search engine, allowing users to locate descriptions and funding details on NIH-funded projects along with research results that cite the NIH support," the agency said. For further infomation, or to access the RePORTER System, please click here.
National Institutes of Health Implements New Peer Review Scoring System
Implementation of many of the Enhancements to Peer Review began with the May 2009 review meetings, and some applicants are already receiving summary statements with scores determined under the new system. The final overall impact/priority score for each application is calculated by determining the average of the overall impact/priority scores given by all eligible review panel members to one decimal point and multiplying by ten. Thus, the new scores range from 10-90 in whole numbers. For a complete explanation of this system and more details on the review basis please click here.
Advanced Energy 2009 Conference
The recent slowdown of the global economy serves to underscore the critical importance of energy conservation and research into sustainable, alternative energy sources. Accelerating the development of emerging technologies through the sharing of ideas and innovative concepts is the goal of Advanced Energy 2009.
Advanced Energy has become the premier conference of its kind in the northeast. Produced by the Advanced Energy Center at Stony Brook University, last year’s conference attracted experts from around the world and across every sector of the energy industry. This years conference will take place November 18th and 19th at
The Hyatt Regency Long Island, Hauppauge, NY. For further details and to view the conference program please click here.
National Institutes of Health Releases revised Continuation Progress Report Instructions and forms
Instructions and forms are now available and will be accepted immediately for all progress reports and are required for all annual progress reports due on/after October 1, 2009. Corresponding changes to the eSNAP Commons Module will be released on October 9, 2009. For eSNAPs due October 15th, NIH encourages grantees to delay submitting eSNAP reports until after the October 9th enhancements are in production in order to implement use of the revisions for all progress reports submitted for FY 2010 funding.
This revision of the PHS 2590 implements a number of important policy changes, including:
- New All Personnel Report: Replacement of the Senior/Key Personnel Report with an All Personnel Report (Form Page 7) that collects information on all personnel who participate in the project for at least one person month or more. The All Personnel Report also implements a new NIH requirement that all individuals with a postdoctoral role with one person month of more of measurable effort must have an eRA Commons user ID.
- New Assurance for Institutions Receiving Awards for Training of Graduate Students for Doctoral Degrees: For institutions receiving NIH awards for graduate training through certain Institutional training grants, a new Graduate Student Assurance, required by the NIH Reform Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-482) is now included.
- Inclusion of Changes to Innovative Potential: As part of the NIH Enhancing Peer Review Initiative, PD/PIs are asked, if applicable, to address any changes to the innovative potential of the project. This information is now part of the Progress Report Summary, Section B. Studies and Results.
- Changes to the Biographical Sketch: Another change associated with the peer review initiative is the addition of a Personal Statement to the biographical sketch. The statement is for the senior/key personnel to address why their experience and qualifications make them particularly well-suited for their role on the project. Instructions for the biographical sketch also encourage applicants to limit the list of publications to no more than 15.
Inquires about preparing a specific progress report should be directed to the program official and/or grants management specialist of the awarding institute or center. For further information, or to see the full announcement of these changes, please click here.
Restructured Application Forms and Instructions for Submissions for FY2011 Funding
To align the structure and content of applications with the current review criteria NIH will soon implement a shortened and restructured application format for FY2011 funding submissions (beginning with due dates on or after January 25, 2010).
This new format (including shortened page limits) will apply to nearly all types of applications submitted to the NIH and will utilize new instructions and application forms.
NIH will issue a Guide Notice when the new forms and instructions are available. New parent announcements will be issued at the same time that the new application packages become available. Additionally, all active FOAs will be updated. The FOA changes will be completed at the same time that the new application packages and instructions are posted.
Detail on changes to page limits for specific sections of the application, time line of mechanism change over and updated requirements can be found by clicking here. Should you have further questions regarding these new guidelines please contact your assigned Grant and Contract Administrator.
