NIH operating under a continuing resolution through 12/11/14

The NIH announced on October 1st, the first day of their new fiscal year, that it is operating under a continuing resolution "at 99.9 percent of the FY 2014 enacted level." As a result, they will be issuing non-competing continuations below the level indicated on the most recent Notice of Award, "generally up to 90%". See the complete notice at NOT-OD-15-001.

Individual Development Plans - Introducing myIDP

Back in August we posted about NIH encouraging institutions to create Individual Development Plans with their graduate students and postdocs supported by NIH awards beginning on October 1, 2014. To assist in this process, respected journal Science has created myIDP, an in-depth and interactive website that helps grad students and postdocs explore their skills, strengths and interests, learn more about recommended careers in science, and discuss and share information with their mentors. They can also download their summary IDP as well as a certificate upon completing the website.

As of now, NIH PIs will be required to complete a section within their progress reports discussing the use of IDPs with any graduate students or postdocs included in the "List of Participants". The actual IDPs themselves need not be included in the report. The Office of Sponsored Programs suggests the use of myIDP to assist you in your reporting.

image from myIDP site

Fordham Professor wins NIH Peer Review Challenge!

NIH's Center for Scientific Review issued a challenge to Maximize Fairness in NIH Peer Review when a study revealed that black applicants do not fare as well as white applicants. Challenge #1 was "New Methods to Detect Bias in Peer Review", and the winner for that category is David Budescu from the Psychology Department. Congratulations to David! David and his colleague will receive a $10,000 award.

Click here for the announcement: The NIH Peer Review Challenge
Click here for more information about the winners: Learn More about the Winning Ideas

NSF distinguished lectures in mathematical and physical sciences

The National Science Foundation announces the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences distinguished lecture series 2014-2015 beginning on September 30th. All lectures take place at NSF headquarters in Arlington, VA. For a list of speakers/topics, see Media Advisory 14-017.

NIH will require eRA Commons IDs for students starting 10/1

For the purposes of project reporting, the NIH will be requiring that any graduate or undergraduate student participating on an NIH-funded project for one month or longer must have an eRA Commons username. Please contact our office to set up usernames for any students appearing in your report that need them.

Please also advise your students that since they'll potentially have these accounts for the entirety of their research careers, they may not want to use irreverent handles such as "labrat4lyfe" or "I_can_haz_neuroscience?"

NIH Loan Repayment Program

The National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) repay the student loans of doctoral level, biomedical or behavioral scientists conducting research funded by nonprofit institutions. The application cycle opens on September 1, 2014 and closes on November 17, 2014. You may be eligible to receive up to $70,000 of qualified educational debt repayment with a 2 year contract.

Apply here.

Are you putting off your scholarly writing? Don't.

Joli Jensen of the University of Tulsa says you'll always have "more important" things to do instead of writing and why you need to make the time for it in this Vitae article Face It: Your Decks will Never be Cleared.