October 30, 2026
We are pleased to acknowledge those who received awards in September 2026. So far in FY2027, WSU researchers under Academic Affairs submitted external proposals in the amount of $25,401,701 and received $19,190,955 in external awards.
Wichita State researchers will soon gain access to Cimarron, Oklahoma State University's next-generation supercomputer, providing powerful new resources for advanced computing, AI, simulation, and data-intensive research. Visit our WSU HPC External Resources page for more details and to learn about access opportunities, launch events, and upcoming training workshops.
WSU leadership continues to monitor federal actions and sponsor guidance that may affect our research programs. If you receive any communication from a federal sponsor that could impact your project or funding, please forward it to your respective Office of Research.
Past and future editions of this newsletter may be found here:
https://www.wichita.edu/research/ResearchNewsletter/index.php.
Appreciate your commitment to excellence in research and innovation.
Pierre Harter, Associate VP Research and Industry Engagement
LAST MONTH'S
AWARDS
TRIO DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM
PI/Department: Brooke Allen, ED - Disability Services Student Sup
Sponsor: Department of Education - US
Amount: $306,514
UPWARD BOUND MATH SCIENCE CENTER
PI/Department: Lorene Berg, ED - Upward Bound Math & Science
Sponsor: Department of Education - US
Amount: $384,775
RII TRACK-1: ARISE: ADAPTIVE AND RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE
PI/Department: Tonya Bronleewe, HWS of Urban & Public Affairs
Sponsor: Univ of Kansas Ctr - Research, Inc. / Natl Science Foundation
Amount: $39,872
GEARUP AT SOUTH AND WEST
PI/Department: Brooke Burrough, ED - GEAR-UP
Sponsor: Department of Education - US
Amount: $810,400
TRIO SSS-STEM PROJECT
PI/Department: Ashley Cervantes, ED - Student Support Services
Sponsor: Department of Education - US
Amount: $272,364
KANSAS ENGINEERING TRAINING GRANT (FY27)
PI/Department: Ali Gordon, Engineering Dean's Office
Sponsor: Kansas Department of Commerce
Amount: $3,500,000
THE KANSAS NASA EPSCOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT (RID) PROGRAM
PI/Department: Pierre Harter, Aerospace Engineering
Sponsor: Natl Aeronautics & Space Admn
Amount: $525,000
GEAR UP AT HAYSVILLE
PI/Department: Jose Hinojosa, ED - GEAR-UP
Sponsor: Department of Education - US
Amount: $720,000
IDENTIFICATION OF SUITABLE CONSTRUCTION TASKS FOR ARM SUPPORT EXOSKELETON USE (URCA FY26)
PI/Department: Michael Jorgensen, Industrial & Manufacturing Eng
Sponsor: State of Kansas
Amount: $4,482
BRIDGING THE ADHERENCE GAP: A LOW-COST PAPER-BASED INTERVENTION FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH
PI/Department: Bryan Lehecka, Physical Therapy
Co-PI/Department: Brent Ehresman, Physical Therapy | Robert Manske, Physical Therapy
Sponsor: Kansas Health Foundation
Amount: $4,608
VETERAN STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AT WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY
PI/Department: Stacia Lyday, ED - Veterans Upward Bound Program
Sponsor: Department of Education - US
Amount: $272,364
KANSAS KIDS @ GEAR UP (KKGU)
PI/Department: Vanessa Souriya-Mnirajd, ED - GEAR-UP
Sponsor: Department of Education - US
Amount: $3,500,000
GEAR UP AT HEIGHTS AND SOUTHEAST
PI/Department: Shauntelle Thompson, ED - GEAR-UP
Sponsor: Department of Education - US
Amount: $1,070,400
CHASE CO HEALTH & WELLNESS COALITION TRANSITION PLANNING
PI/Department: Scott Wituk, Community Engagement Institute
Sponsor: Flint Hills Extension District #13
Amount: $2,367
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH - EDUCATION & ADVOCACY
PI/Department: Scott Wituk, Community Engagement Institute
Sponsor: Kansas Department for Aging & Disability Services
Amount: $1,393,219
WICHITA PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF TRAINING
PI/Department: Scott Wituk, Community Engagement Institute
Sponsor: Wichita Public Library Foundation
Amount: $625
MONTHLY AWARDS FOR THE DIVISION OF INDUSTRY AND DEFENSE EQUAL $88,988,957 OF WHICH $88,806,957 BELONGS TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AVIATION RESEARCH (NIAR).
FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES
Focused Funding Opportunities
Please reach out early and as soon as you have found a potential opportunity that you wish to apply for. Early notifications allow the Office of Research to minimize the risk of missing agency deadlines, to fix potential errors, to ensure compliance with WSU policies and procedures, and to ensure the best service from our office.
Pivot is the funding opportunity database WSU subscribes to; you must affiliate with Wichita State University to access the system. To request assistance with a customized search please contact funding@wichita.edu. If any of the following opportunities are of interest to you, please email proposals@wichita.edu as soon as possible so that a grant specialist may be assigned to assist. Visit Pre-Award Services to find out more about applying for external funding.
Funding Agency: NASA Kansas Space Grant Consortium (KSGC)
Title: Teacher Workshop Program (TWP)
Application Deadline(s): November 30, 2026
Purpose: "The NASA Kansas Space Grant Consortium (KSGC) Teacher Workshop Program (TWP) supports the development and implementation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) educator workshops. NASA is especially interested in helping teachers bring NASA-relevant material and content into middle-school classrooms." Please email proposals@wichita.edu for a copy of the solicitation.
Amount: $15,000 - $50,000
Funding Agency: American Heart Association
Title: 2027 Career Development Award
Application Deadline(s): December 1, 2026
Purpose: "American Heart Association offers career development funding to support healthcare and academic professionals that hold an MD, PhD, DO, DVM or DDS in their first years in basic, clinical or population research science."
Amount: $231,000
Funding Agency: American Philosophical Society
Title: Franklin Research Grants
Application Deadline(s): December 1, 2026
Purpose: "The Franklin program is particularly designed to help meet the costs of travel to libraries and archives for research purposes; the purchase of microfilm, photocopies, or equivalent research materials; the costs associated with fieldwork; or laboratory research expenses."
Amount: $7,000
Funding Agency: Climate Intervention Environmental Impact Fund (CIEIF)
Title: Grants
Application Deadline(s): December 1, 2027
Purpose: "The Climate Intervention Environmental Impact Fund supports and advises innovative investigators across the world who are working to reverse climate change. We do this by making grants solely to support predictive environmental impact assessments (EIA), impact modeling studies, and stakeholder engagement efforts for small-scale field tests of new technologies."
Amount: $75,000
Funding Agency: North Central Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center
Title: Critical Issue Grant NOFO
Application Deadline(s): December 1, 2026
Purpose: "...provides short-term funding to address critical pest issues—including diseases, weeds, insects, and other pests—impacting agricultural crops, livestock, natural ecosystems, urban areas, and human health or safety across the North Central region."
Amount: $300,000
Funding Agency: Russell Sage Foundation (RSF)
Title: Margaret Olivia Sage Grants
Application Deadline(s): Letters of Inquiry due December 1, 2026. If invited, full proposal due February 22, 2027.
Purpose: "The Russell Sage Foundation's Margaret Olivia Sage (MOS) Grants support research by multi- or inter-disciplinary teams on social, economic, and political challenges with generational consequences for social and living conditions in the United States. Such challenges are typically national in scope, involve both systemic and individual factors, and the questions they raise are as urgent for policymakers and communities as they are for researchers. Exemplifying the scope and ambition of MOS projects, we have identified four current priority areas for support: (1) democracy, (2) the societal impacts of artificial intelligence, (3) inequality and affordability, and (4) data infrastructure for social science research."
Amount: Direct costs are capped at $750,000
REMINDER: Funding Agency: Teagle Foundation, The
Title: Cornerstone: Learning for Living
Application Deadline(s): Concept papers due December 1, 2026
Purpose: "The Cornerstone: Learning for Living initiative aims to reinvigorate the role of the humanities in general education, and in doing so, expose a broad array of students to the power of the humanities; help students of all backgrounds build a sense of belonging and community; strengthen the coherence and cohesiveness of general education; and increase teaching opportunities for humanities faculty."
Amount: Planning grants up to $25,000; Implementation grants up to $300,000
Funding Agency: Kansas NASA EPSCoR Program (KNEP)
Title: NASA EPSCoR Basic Research FY 2027
Application Deadline(s): December 2, 2026 at Noon
Purpose: "The Kansas NASA EPSCoR Program (KNEP) is seeking proposals for eventual submission to the NASA EPSCoR Basic Research FY 2027 funding opportunity..." Please email proposals@wichita.edu for a copy of the solicitation.
Amount: $750,000
Funding Agency: ARPA-H
Title: Systems for Phenotypic Evaluation, Clinical Trajectories, Response, and Agency (SPECTRA)
Application Deadline(s): December 2, 2026 (Technical Areas 1 & 2) and January 19, 2027 (Technical Area 3)
Purpose: "The SPECTRA (Systems for Phenotypic Evaluation, Clinical Trajectories, Response, and Agency) program takes a bold approach, anchoring autism research in objective, multi-factor measurement and computation rather than behavioral observation alone. The program is built on the hypothesis that nonlinear interactions among genetic, environmental, family, metabolic, immune, microbiome, and developmental factors shape distinct developmental, health, communication, and functional trajectories.
By integrating these data across the lifespan, SPECTRA aims to build tools that serve two connected goals: improving quality of life, independence and autonomy for people diagnosed with ASD, and improving assessment so that measurement becomes continuous, real-world, and a natural part of everyday life. Together, these tools will help match individuals to tailored interventions most likely to help and enable continuous improvement of care and outcomes overtime."
Amount: Unspecified
REMINDER: Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Title: NSF 26-525: Expeditions in Computing (Expeditions)
Application Deadline(s): LOI due December 2, 2026, Full proposal due July 27, 2027
Purpose: "Investigators are strongly encouraged to come together within or across departments or institutions to identify compelling, transformative research agendas that look ahead by at least a decade and promise disruptive innovations in computer and information science and engineering for the years ahead. Expeditions may advance a range of areas including, but not limited to, fundamentally new architectures for intelligence and the hardware and compute substrates that make them possible; rigorous physical and mathematical theories of how systems learn, generalize, and can be interpreted; neuroscience-inspired approaches to learning, memory, reasoning, and behavioral steering; intelligence embodied in the physical world through general physical intelligence, advanced robotics hardware, and novel architectures and learning paradigms for embodied systems; transformative approaches to next generation communication and networking; and high-risk, high-reward areas that no single discipline could pursue alone."
Amount: $15,000,000
Funding Agency: Hearing Health Foundation (HHF)
Title: Emerging Research Grant
Application Deadline(s): Letters of Intent due December 7, 2026
Purpose: "HHF Emerging Research Grants are intended primarily for promising researchers who are in the early stages of their careers and focusing on hearing loss, hearing restoration and hearing and balance related conditions. Senior investigators are also eligible for grants in specific hearing and/or balance topics. The primary purpose of this Award is to enable the Principal Investigator (“PI”) to become established and/or produce quality research that will allow the PI to successfully compete for NIH grants or grants from other sources."
Amount: Varies; see website for details.
REMINDER: Funding Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
Title: Public Humanities Projects
Application Deadline(s): December 9, 2026
Purpose: "The Public Humanities Projects program supports projects that bring the ideas of the humanities to life for general audiences through public programming. Projects must engage humanities scholarship to analyze significant themes in disciplines such as history, literature, ethics, and art history. Awards support projects that are intended to reach broad and diverse public audiences in non-classroom settings in the United States. Projects should engage with ideas that are accessible to the general public and employ appealing interpretive formats."
Amount: Planning: $75,000, Implementation: $500,000
Funding Agency: Institute for Humane Studies
Title: AI and the Workforce
Application Deadline(s): December 15, 2026
Purpose: "IHS invites applications from academic scholars whose research pertains to how AI influences employment, productivity, occupational change, economic opportunity, and innovation over time. We are especially interested in proposals that bridge disciplines. Research deliverables can include peer-reviewed publications, policy white papers, or shareable research databases."
Amount: $20,000
REMINDER: Funding Agency: Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) and partners
Title: Modernizing Academic Appointment and Advancement Challenge
Application Deadline(s): January 8, 2027
Purpose: "The Modernizing Academic Appointment and Advancement (MA3) Challenge invites proposals from U.S.-based accredited, tax-exempt colleges and universities to reimagine their academic hiring, review, promotion, and tenure (RPT) processes. This initiative seeks bold, creative strategies to develop academic reward systems that foster a collaborative, responsive, and transparent research environment."
Amount: $250,000
Funding Agency: National Endowment for the Arts Big Read
Title: Grants
Application Deadline(s): Phase 1 (Eligibility Review) due January 12, 2027, Phase 2 (Final Applications) due January 26, 2027
Purpose: "The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read is a program that awards cost share grants ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 to U.S. organizations, supporting community reading programs designed around a single book and a common theme. Grantees receive funding for their programming and purchasing books, and tools to support them in working with local partners, developing public relations strategies, and leading meaningful book discussions."
Amount: $5,000 - $30,000
LIMITED: Funding Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
Title: National Digital Newspaper Program
Application Deadline(s): Limited: Because WSU may only submit one application, Notices of Intent to apply must be sent to proposals@wichita.edu by November 25, 2026 at 12noon, in case an internal competition is needed. The goal date for informing you if you have been chosen to proceed is December 16, 2026. Full Applications due January 13, 2027.
Purpose: "The National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP) is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress (LC) to create a national digital resource of historically significant newspapers published between 1690 and 1963, from all the states and U.S. jurisdictions. This searchable database will be permanently maintained at LC and will be freely accessible online (see the Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers website). The accompanying US Newspaper Directory of bibliographic and holdings information on the website directs users to newspaper titles available in all types of formats. During the course of its partnership with NEH, LC will also digitize and contribute to the NDNP database a significant number of newspaper pages drawn from its own collections."
Amount: $325,000
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Title: NSF 25-531: Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure (CICI)
Application Deadline(s): January 20, 2027
Purpose: "The objective of the Cybersecurity Innovation for Cyberinfrastructure (CICI) program is to advance scientific discovery and innovation by enhancing the security and privacy of cyberinfrastructure. CICI supports efforts to develop, deploy and integrate cybersecurity that will benefit the broader scientific community by securing science data, computation, collaborations workflows, and infrastructure. CICI recognizes the unique nature of modern, complex, data-driven, distributed, rapid, and collaborative science and the breadth of infrastructure and requirements across scientific disciplines, practitioners, researchers, and projects."
Amount: Varies; see website for details.
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Title: NSF 23-520 Training-based Workforce Development for Advanced Cyberinfrastructure
Application Deadline(s): January 20, 2027
Purpose: "The goals of this solicitation are to (i) ensure broad adoption of [cyberinfrastructure (CI)] tools, methods, and resources by the research community in order to catalyze major research advances and to enhance researchers' abilities to lead the development of new CI, and (ii) integrate core literacy and discipline-appropriate advanced skills in advanced CI as well as computational and data-driven methods for advancing fundamental research, into the Nation's undergraduate and graduate educational curriculum/instructional materials. "
Amount: Varies; see website for details.
LIMITED: Funding Agency: Teiger Foundation
Title: Grants
Application Deadline(s): Limited: Because WSU may only submit one application to the call for proposals, Notices of Intent to apply must be sent to proposals@wichita.edu by November 24, 2026 at 12noon, in case an internal competition is needed. The goal date for informing you if you have been chosen to proceed is December 15, 2026. Full Applications due January 26, 2027.
Purpose: "Teiger Foundation supports group exhibitions, single-artist surveys, community-engaged art projects, digital exhibitions, performance in the context of the visual arts, and as-yet-unknown curatorial forms involving contemporary visual art and artists."
Amount: Varies; see website for details.
Funding Agency: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Application Deadline(s): January 26, 2027
Purpose: "to support educational activities that help recruit individuals with specific specialty or disciplinary backgrounds to research careers in biomedical, behavioral and clinical sciences."
Amount: $250,000 direct cost per year
Funding Agency: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Application Deadline(s): January 27, 2027
Purpose: "...aims to support [Resource-limited institutions (RLIs)] with few to no biomedical research doctoral students to conduct research, enhance the research environment, and increase sponsored programs administration capacity. By supporting research capacity building at RLIs, the BRE-SPAD program will broaden the pool of faculty conducting biomedical research and the organizational settings where NIH-funded research is performed."
Amount: Direct costs should not exceed $500,000/year
Funding Agency: Brady Education Foundation
Title: Research Project and Existing Program Evaluation Proposals
Application Deadline(s): Letter of Intent due January 30; If invited, Stage 1 due March 1, 2027
Purpose: "The Foundation is particularly focused on supporting projects that are consistent with a strength-based perspective and have the potential to inform future educational research, practice, major philanthropic giving, and/or public policy."
Amount: Varies; see website for details.
Funding Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
Title: Fellowships
Application Deadline(s): April 14, 2027
Purpose: "NEH Fellowships are competitive awards granted to individual scholars pursuing projects that embody exceptional research, rigorous analysis, and clear writing. Applications must clearly articulate a project’s value to humanities scholars, general audiences, or both."
Amount: $60,000
LIMITED: Funding Agency: Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, The
Title: Dreyfus Foundation Program for Transformative Research
Application Deadline(s): Limited: Because WSU may only submit one proposal, Notices of Intent to apply must be sent to proposals@wichita.edu by March 9, 2027 at 12:00 noon, in case an internal competition is needed. The goal date for informing you if you have been chosen to proceed is March 30, 2027. Proposals due April 27, 2027.
Purpose: "The Program is designed for accomplished, mid-career faculty who are ready to move beyond their existing work and pursue new and unconventional scientific directions. Transformative research may take many forms, from fundamental advances that open new frontiers in the chemical sciences to discoveries with the potential for substantial societal impact."
Amount: The first phase of the Program will provide eight Transformative Research Development Grants of $600,000, disbursed in three annual installments of $200,000. In the final year of the Development Grants, the Foundation will evaluate the projects and select one for an additional Transformative Research Award of $1.5 million, based on the potential of the work.
Funding Agency: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Application Deadline(s): LOI due January 6, 2027, Full proposal due May 4, 2027
Purpose: "PCORI is “seeking to fund implementation projects that promote the uptake of peer-reviewed findings from specific PCORI-funded patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research in the context of the body of related evidence. This PCORI Funding Announcement is an open competition opportunity for principal investigators to propose implementation projects that move evidence toward practical use in improving health care and health outcomes.”
Amount: Up to $1.8 Million in direct costs
Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Title: FY 2027 Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program
Application Deadline(s): This NOFO will remain open until September 30, 2027.
Purpose: "The DOE [Office of Science (SC)] program hereby announces its continuing interest in receiving applications for support of work in the following program areas: Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, Fusion Energy Sciences, High Energy and Nuclear Physics, and Isotope R&D and Production."
Amount: Varies; see website for details.
Funding Agency: Bob Woodruff Foundation
Title: Grants
Application Deadline(s): Ongoing; applications accepted year-round
Purpose: "We provide grants that help close the gap between what veterans and service members need and the resources available to them. We’re proud to support our grantees who are working to address these critical issues and make an impact in the lives of those who have served our nation."
Amount: Unspecified
Funding Agency: Department of Commerce: Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Title: FY 2025 EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs
Application Deadline(s): Ongoing, until new PEWAA is issued or funds are expended
Purpose: "EDA funds community or regionally generated ideas and assists communities to advance to the next level of economic development."
Amount: $100,000 - $30,000,000
REMINDER: Funding Agency: Tourette Association of America (TAA)
Title: Support for Research Consortia and Collaborative Research Projects
Application Deadline(s): Letters of Interest accepted on a rolling basis
Purpose: "TAA has historically provided critical seed funding to research consortia working on large issues relevant to TS, including the TAA genetics consortium, neuroimaging consortium, behavioral sciences consortium, deep brain stimulation registry and Treating Tourette Together summit. These efforts have demonstrated a direct impact on the patient and research community. TAA aims to continue supporting research efforts like these, that crossover different scientific and medical disciplines and that encourage collaboration among researchers and institutions."
Amount: Unspecified
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Title: NSF Individual and Small Team Proposals
Application Deadline: Varies by topic; proposals are accepted anytime unless a specific due date is listed.
Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (AGS-PRF)
Cultural Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards (CA-SR) – tbd
EDU Core Research (ECR: Core) – Oct 7, 2027
Foundational Research in Robotics (FFR)
Infrastructure Capacity for Biological Research (Capacity)
Linguistics –tbd
Mathematical Biology / Statistics
Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics – tbd
MPS Astronomical Sciences Research Programs (MPS Astro)
MPS Materials Research Programs
MPS Physics Research Programs (MPS Physics) – Varies by topic
Research Infrastructure in the Social and Behavioral Sciences (RISBS) – tbd
Science of Learning & Augmented Intelligence – tbd
Security, Privacy & Trust in Cyberspace (NSF SaTC) – Jan 25, 2027
Security and Preparedness – tbd
Social Psychology – tbd
Sociology – tbd
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Title: NSF Special Programs
Application Deadline: Varies by topic – click each topic to learn more about these special program opportunities. Proposals are accepted anytime unless a due date is listed.
Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE): Core Programs – February 4, 2027
Critical Aspects of Sustainability (CAS) – Various funding mechanisms available
Human-Environment and Geographical Sciences Program (HEGS) – tbd
Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program
National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program (NRT) – tbd
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) – Aug 18, 2027
Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science – Oct 13, 2027
Research in the Formation of Engineers (RFE)
EDUCATION &
TRAINING
SuRE Resource Center Webinar: Enhancing Research Capacity through the NIH S10 Instrumentation Grant Program for Resource-Limited Institutions: November 5, 2026
“This session will provide an overview of the instrumentation funding opportunity, PAR-27-067, that supports the purchase of state-of-the-art scientific instruments to enhance the research and educational missions of resource-limited institutions. Instruments may support basic, translational, clinical, or biomedically-related behavioral fields with ongoing deadlines in January and July.”
NSF Question and Answer Session: Office Hours: Intro to America’s Seed Fund at NSF: November 10, 2026
“The U.S. National Science Foundation relaunched its Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (NSF SBIR/STTR) programs with $250 million for the nation's startups and small businesses, including a new $40 million pilot emphasis area targeting the next generation of scientific instrumentation. The programs will support technologies that open entirely new fields of discovery, including novel experimental platforms and advanced scientific equipment. In this session, NSF SBIR/STTR Program Directors will answer questions about how to get started, the basics of eligibility, and what we look for when we review Project Pitches.”
Register for NSF’s Q&A Session
REMINDER: Candid Learning Webinar: Introduction to Proposal Writing: November 10, 2026
“Are you new to proposal writing or want a quick refresher? If so, you don't want to miss one of our most popular classes! This indispensable class will give you a step-by-step guide to creating a grant proposal to a foundation...”
Register for Candid Learning Webinar
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU): Data in Action Webinar: Understanding the NIH Common Fund Data Ecosystem: What It Is and How to Use It: November 13, 2026
“The NIH Common Fund programs generate datasets from a variety of projects ranging from genomics to phenotypes. The Common Fund Data Ecosystem (CFDE) aims to facilitate improved discovery, reuse, integration, and analyses of these datasets to form novel hypotheses for accelerating discoveries in biomedical research. The CFDE Training Center, managed by ORAU and BioData Sage, LLC, serves as a hub for developing and implementing training programs that bridge knowledge gaps, improve access to CFDE resources, and foster collaboration among CFDE and other researchers.”
NSF Webinar: ENG ECCS Core Program: November 16, 2026
“The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering (NSF ENG) will hold a webinar about the NSF ENG: Electrical, Communications, and Computing Systems solicitation (NSF 26-514) and core programs…”
Read More about the NSF Webinar
REMINDER: Candid Learning Webinar: Navigating Federal Funding Cuts - A Peer Learning Exchange about Collaborations: November 18, 2026
“Working together can help organizations leverage complementary strengths, share resources, expand reach, and pursue funding opportunities that may be difficult to secure alone. Yet successful collaboration is rarely as simple as bringing organizations together. Effective partnerships require trust, alignment around shared goals, clear communication, and a commitment to navigating challenges collectively.”
REMINDER: Hanover Research Webinar: Assessing Alignment & Competitiveness in Grant Prospecting: November 19, 2026
“While many grant seekers have access to a wealth of information about funding opportunities, finding the right fit can still be a challenge...”
Register for Hanover Research Webinar
Grants Office Webinar: From Proposal to Practice: How Your Grant Application Shapes Post-Award Management: November 19, 2026
“Most grantseekers treat the application and the award as two separate jobs. The application is about winning, and post-award management is about delivering. But once the grant is funded, every budget line, timeline, outcome measure, and partner named in your application becomes a commitment your organization is expected to keep. Join Grants Office for a Grantscast® that connects the two. We’ll look at the common promises that appear in grant applications, how they translate into the day-to-day work of managing the award, and how to write your next application with that work in mind.”
Register for Grants Office Webinar
Grants Office Webinar: Know the Funders: Inside the Grantmaking Priorities of DOJ, DHS, and DOT: December 3, 2026
“…look at three of the federal government's most significant public safety grantmakers - the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of Transportation (DOT) - and examine how each one actually makes grants. You'll come away knowing how the money is organized, what drives their funding decisions, and where they're directing their dollars in the coming year.”
Register for the Grants Office Webinar
REMINDER: Department of Education: Grants Training and Management Resources, Online Grants Training Courses
“This 60 [minute] course prepares you to write competitive applications for the U.S. Department of Education by providing an overview of the Federal grants process.”
Access Online Grants Training Courses
REMINDER: Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Online Radiation Safety & Health Physics Training Courses
“Whether you are just starting your career in the health physics field or are a seasoned professional who needs a refresher or way to develop new radiation safety skills, [Professional Training Programs offer] a variety of radiation safety and health physics courses for any experience level.”
Register for ORAU Online Training Courses
REMINDER: US Department of Justice (DOJ) Weekly Training Webinars: Various
“…As a supplement to the self-guided training materials, the JustGrants team offers additional opportunities through Weekly Training Webinars for award recipients to receive real-time technical assistance and support on JustGrants system functionality.”
Register for a DOJ Training Webinar
Data Privacy & Security Training, Questions or Reporting
If your research includes patient medical data and you need to take HIPAA / Sensitive Data Handling training, if you have a question about data privacy or security, or need to report a concern, please contact the WSU Privacy or Security Office.
Privacy: 316-978-4HIP (4447) or privacy@wichita.edu
Security: 316-978-4SEC (4732) or askinfosec@wichita.edu
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Important Announcements – October 2026
Cimarron: Open for Research
Wichita State researchers will soon gain access to Cimarron, Oklahoma State University's next-generation supercomputer, providing powerful new resources for advanced computing, AI, simulation, and data-intensive research.
REMINDER: Responsibility Matrix for Sponsored Research and Other Creative Activity: Roles and Responsibilities Clarified
Successful research administration depends on a strong partnership between Principal Investigators, departments, and the central research office. To help clarify these roles, we have developed a Responsibility Matrix that identifies key responsibilities across the sponsored project lifecycle for projects supported by the Academic Affairs Office of Research. This matrix is intended to promote transparency, consistency, and effective stewardship of sponsored projects. We encourage all Principal Investigators to familiarize themselves with this resource.
Visit the Office of Research webpage for more information.
Alzheimer’s Research Program (AZRP): Request for Information: FY27 AZRP Stakeholder Survey
“The Alzheimer’s Research Program (AZRP) has posted a Request for Information (RFI) on SAM.gov to help shape our future research direction. We invite feedback from all stakeholders—including academia, industry, community and non-profit organizations, scientific groups, federal agencies, and the public… Responses must be received by December 4, 2026.”
Continue Reading about AZRP’s RFI
NIH: Request for Information: Opportunities to Reduce Administrative Burden in NIH Extramural Research
“The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking input from the biomedical research community and other interested parties on opportunities to further reduce administrative burden associated with obtaining, maintaining, and reporting on NIH extramural research funding. NIH is interested in identifying administrative requirements, policies, processes, forms, and systems, that impose unnecessary or uniquely disproportionate administrative burden on researchers and research institutions (e.g. small businesses, investigator career stage, institution type), without providing commensurate value to the stewardship, accountability, integrity, or effectiveness of NIH-supported research. Through this Request for Information (RFI), NIH seeks specific, actionable recommendations for making the life cycle of the NIH grants process more efficient and effective, while maintaining appropriate accountability for and oversight of Federal research funds.…Responses will be accepted through December 8, 2026.”
Read More about NIH’s Request for Information
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) NEWS: New ORISE Peer Review Resource Hub
“…a space for current and potential reviewers to gain a better understanding of grant proposal peer review as it relates to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The goal is to increase reviewers’ capabilities and therefore, provide more meaningful evaluations to DOE and others. New learning modules and resources are being added over time, so check back for what is new!”
Continue Reading about the ORISE Peer Review Resource Hub
NIH: Highlighted Topic: The Missing Middle: Perimenopause as an Understudied Life Stage
“This topic encourages investigator-initiated research that treats perimenopause as a distinct life stage warranting its own evidence base…”
NIH: Highlighted Topic: Implementation Science and Women’s Health
“This topic encourages innovative research applying implementation science (IS) concepts and methods to narrow the Know–Do gap in women's health care…”
Continue Reading NIH Highlighted Topic of Interest: Implementation Science and Women’s Health
HHS News: More Than $35 Million in New Grants for Disability Research, Technology, and Training
“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)… announced $35,763,912 in fiscal year 2026 funding for 68 new grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). The grants pay for research, technology development, training, and technical assistance. They aim to improve health, expand job opportunities, and support independent living and community life for people with disabilities.…”
NSF News: NSF Leadership in a New Golden Age of Science
“NSF is taking decisive action to meet this moment, introducing new and ambitious ideas that capitalize on the changes in the scientific ecosystem to advance our core mission. We are embracing a portfolio approach that delivers the highest return on our investments; strengthening the agency's ability to measure, learn from, and improve how we evaluate and support science; enabling ambitious, multidisciplinary inquiry at the scientific frontiers; harnessing AI to accelerate discovery; and investing in exceptional students and early career researchers to support as much scientific creativity as possible…”
REMINDER: DMP Tool Now Available for WSU Researchers
Dr. Jung Mee Park, Data Librarian, Ablah Libraries, has created a libguide for WSU researchers who are interested in using the free DMPTool to create data management plans that are compliant with sponsor requirements. The libguide may be found here: https://libraries.wichita.edu/dmptool. Researchers interested in using the DMPTool do not need to wait to have a formal proposal to start using the tool. Ablah Librarians are also available to assist with creating data management plans within the DMP Tool system. Remember, the WSU Office of Research should be notified in advance of any planned submissions for external sponsored funding: proposals@wichita.edu, so that our office may assist with meeting sponsor requirements.
REMINDER: NIH: Helpful Reminders to Ensure Integrity of NIH-Supported Research When Using Artificial Intelligence
“Today, we are sharing some helpful reminders on the appropriate use of AI tools when applying, managing awards, and conducting the research process itself…”
Continue Reading NIH Reminders about Use of AI
REMINDER: WSU Participating in NSF Emerge for Industry and Research Collaborations
“Halo is a platform where researchers can discover industry-sponsored funding opportunities, connect with corporate research and development teams, and showcase their work to potential partners.”
Read about NSF Emerge and Register for an Account on the HALO Platform
REMINDER - ORCID ID – Persistent Digital Identifiers for Researchers
ORCID is an international, interdisciplinary, open, non-proprietary, and not-for-profit organization created by the research community for the benefit of all stakeholders, providing a persistent digital identifier (an ORCID iD) that distinguishes researchers with record that supports automatic links among all professional activities. A researcher’s ORCID iD and connections are stored in the ORCID Registry, in an account owned and managed by individual researchers. The WSU Office of Research recommends that Researchers set up their ORCID if they have not already, as some federal funders may require the use of an ORCID as part of a researcher’s biographical sketch or CV.
View Training Videos about ORCID and setting up your ORCID ID
REMINDER - Wichita Public Schools (USD 259): Advance Notice Required for Letters of Support and/or Participation in Research
Wichita Public Schools (USD 259) requests a minimum of 30 business days to process letters of support or participation in research. It is WSU’s responsibility to have appropriate support from the school(s)/personnel that will be involved in the project prior to submitting a request. Letters of Support/Grant Proposals: WSU personnel who need a letter of support or USD259 participation on a grant proposal, should complete the External-Request for Grant Support form and are encouraged to reach out directly to Holly Wilson at hwilson@usd259.net early in the process for questions/clarification. Research Requests: WSU personnel who want to conduct research in USD 259, are encouraged to reach out directly to Katelyn Schoenhofer at kschoenhofer1@usd259.net early in the process for questions/clarifications.
As a reminder, all proposals submitted on behalf of WSU must be reviewed by the Office of Research prior to submission. This includes proposals where WSU is a direct recipient of funds and proposals where WSU is a proposed subawardee/subcontractor. Please contact the Office of Research at proposals@wichita.edu to get started.
FREE WSU Office of Research Services
Email funding@wichita.edu to:
- Set up a Pivot account and receive guidance on how to search the database to find funding opportunities; and
- Subscribe to funding announcements and funding-related alerts
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