Quarterly Update
September 2016
Faculty Writing Group
If you are looking for assistance with reviewing & editing your proposal, join the Writing Group being led by Dr. Nikolay Anguelov. 

To join the Faculty Writing Group:

1. Contack Nick Anguelov directly (nikolay.anguelov@umassd.edu; ext. 6979)
2. Become a member of the Writing Group & get access to the drop box.

Please keep in mind the following:
  • Allow minimum 2 & preferably 3 weeks to help with copy editing, prior to the actual proposal submission deadline.
  • In order for proposals to be copy edited formal participation in the Faculty Writing Group is required.
Updates from ONR
Due to the switch in systems without any migration from PayWeb to WAWF:
  • 2 grant numbers will be assigned for the same project funded by ONR in the near future
  • only one final report for both grant numbers will be required
  • reference both grant numbers on all reports: technical, financial, patent, property, etc., as well as in any communications with the federal agency
  • both grants will be extended to maintain a consistent end date on both grants for NCEs.
Expenditure/Burn Rates:

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Because of the tough budget situation, ONR as well as the other DoD agencies, are looking more closely at the expenditure/burn rates to assess where the funds are currently needed & if the funds are not being spent within the proposed time frames, the Program Officers will need to cut the funding. Please note, it is stressed by the federal agencies that the funding levels are not guaranteed.

Pre-award & Sub-recipient Manager 

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Gayle Baxter, Pre-Award and Sub-recipient Manager at SPA has just accepted another position at Lifespan and will be leaving the University on October 21, 2016.
During her service at UMassD Gayle has made significant contributions to improve the sub-recipient monitoring & pre-award processes.  This is a big loss for our office and the University and even though we are planning on replacing the position ASAP this will cause temporary delays in pre-award & sub-awards processing due to staffing shortage.

Updates from the Office of Technology Commercialization and Ventures 
OTCV has had a good start to Fiscal Year 2017. During the first quarter of the year, we've received three new invention disclosures, and we've filed two new patent applications with others in preparation. Congratulations to Chancellor Professor Yong Kim and Adjunct Professor Armand Lewis for receiving U.S. Patent No. 9,440,413 on September 13, 2016, for the first patent in our portfolio covering impact-resistant "FEAM" materials, and which is one of the inventions exclusively licensed to Corsair Innovations LLC of Fall River.

In addition to the recently-signed Corsair license, we are in active negotiations for exclusive licenses to two other UMassD technologies, one of which, for a novel technology for metal recycling invented by Dr. Chen-Lu Yang of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Bioengineering Department, is expected to be signed before the end of the quarter. License negotiations are also expected to begin soon with two other companies, including one that will create a new spin-off company in the exciting new field of the Internet of Things.
 
If you'd like to discuss your ideas for inventions or any project that may have commercial potential, e-mail dglass@umassd.edu and schedule an appointment.

Sincerely,

Elena Glatman
Director, Sponsored Projects Administration
  SPA Moved to a New Location  thanksgiving_decoration.jpg
Main location:
Foster Administration building, rooms 007 & 008
Satellite location:
 Biology conference room - SENG room 321
Pre-award hours:
Tuesdays - Michelle Plaud, 10am-12pm
Post-award hours:
Mondays - Paulette Deakin, 10am-12pm

FLSA & Budget Preparation accounts_man.jpg   
The new minimum annual salary rate for EXEMPT employees would be increased to $47,476 or $913/week,
in 
accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), effective December 1, 2016.  
All current and future grants are subject to this change & if an exempt employee is being compensated on a grant and is under the new threshold, please contact SPA and HR immediately to determine the most appropriate strategy to stay in compliance.
If you are working on a new proposal, please take the new minimum salary requirement into consideration to budget appropriately.

Funding Opportunities
    
Community Research Innovative Scholars Program (CRISP) at UMass Med supports faculty members' translational research working with community partners on health-related topics. Deadline is 
November 1, 2016.

NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) due date January 11, 2017.  This is a limited submission opportunity.

Life Sciences Moment Fund award from UMass Med supports collaborative research with UMass Med faculty members.  LOI due 
November 21, 2016.


If interested please contact Mary Hensel mhensel@umassd.edu; 8074.
Effort Certification Reminder

Effort certification for Spring, 2016 is closing today.  If you have any uncertified effort cards, please certify your effort right here to stay in compliance.  
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Contact Us
Sponsored Projects Administration

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
285 Old Westport Road
Dartmouth, MA 02747
Phone: 508-999-8953
Fax: 508-999-8868
Website: umassd.edu/spa