The University Record, March 29, 1999

Research Reporter

Satellite Video Conference on Award Administration

DRDA will sponsor a live satellite video conference presented by the National Council of University Research Administrators and the Council on Governmental Relations. "Straight Talk: A Primer on Award Administration" will be broadcast via satellite 11:10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. April 8.

Five modules will cover:

  • Overview of Federal Regulations, 11:10 a.m.-12:05 p.m., Julie Norris, MIT. What is the difference between a grant and a contract? What are all these "A" Circulars about? This session will provide an introduction to the terms used in award administration and review the overriding requirements of federal funding.

  • Roles and Responsibilities, 12:10-12:50 p.m., Geoffrey Grant, Stanford. Who has the final word on project spending? Why does the grants office (DRDA) sign proposals? Defining roles and responsibilities of each party involved in the award administration process sets the stage for compliance activities. This session will suggest these appropriate roles and responsibilities for all involved.

  • A-21 Made Easy, 1:05-1:55 p.m., John Richards, Cal. Tech. Aren't F&A ("indirect") costs just a tax? Find out in this session, which will take the mystery out of F&A costs and their calculation.

  • What You Should Know About Costing, 2-3 p.m., Bob Killoren, Penn State. Why can't I charge lunch to my grant? What is cost sharing? Allowability, allocability, consistency--what do these terms mean and how do they relate to proposal budgeting and award costing? This session will tell you all.

  • Day to Day Administrative Issues, 3:15-4:25 p.m.. Gunta Liders, U Rochester; John Case, Nevada; Carol Quintana, New Mexico State. When do I need agency approval? What are effort reports? Why can't a faculty member receive extra salary on a grant? These and a myriad of other issues will be discussed and tips presented for award administration in this session.

  • Conference Wrap-up, 4:25-4:30 p.m. The conference will be briefly summarized and then turned over to DRDA staff for a question-and-answer period.

    The teleconference will be shown in the Anderson Room, Michigan Union, and the Teleconference Center, Room 1180, Media Union. These locations will be interactive with an opportunity for real time questions from the audience through the use of 800 numbers and on-site handouts. DRDA Project Representatives will be at each location to answer questions. There is no charge to participants.

    Staff and faculty members also will be able to access the conference on April 8 through Channel 12 on UMTV.

    Modeling and Simulation-Based Life-Cycle Engineering (NSF 99-56)

    The National Science Foundation and Sandia National Laboratories are inviting proposals to address modeling and simulation advances in a number of key engineering focus areas.

    Funds: $2 million for six to 12 grants. Project period typically is three years; individual awards range from $60K to $80K for individual investigator awards and $300K-$400K for group awards.

    Key engineering focus areas include Thermal Transport, Solid Mechanics, Engineering Design (including Design Theory and Modeling and Simulation Uncertainty), and Computational Intelligence and Engineering Systems. Deadline: May 10. DRDA Contact: David Plawchan, 764-7237, or davedrda@umich.edu. Web site: www.nsf.gov/pubs/1999/nsf9956/nsf9956.txt..

    NSF and the Education Department: Education Research

    This is the first part of a major continuing interagency initiative on child learning also involving the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Officials are interested especially in large studies that integrate and build on basic science and involve collaborations within and across fields and span research and practice.

    Funders will support studies in three major areas: (1) school readiness for learning reading and math; (2) K-3 learning in reading, math and science; and (3) education of pre K-12 math, science and reading teachers in content knowledge and science underlying cognitive development and learning. Of special interest is the use of information and computer technologies in these areas.

    Funds: $30 million in fiscal 1999 for small grants of $150K-$250K total over the life of the award and large awards of $1-$3 million.

    Deadline: April 1 for brief letters of intent; May 14 for proposals. DRDA Contact: David Plawchan, 764-7237, or davedrda@umich.edu.

    NIH Training Grants--How to Stay on Top of All the Paperwork

    This workshop, presented by Doreen Graden, will cover the various forms used for training grants as well as when to use them, and where to send them. It also will address such issues as who qualifies to be a trainee and how to determine the stipend level. This workshop is designed for the person who manages the day to day operation of NIH training grants. Please come and bring all your questions with you. The workshop will be held 10 a.m.-noon April 13 in Room G378, School of Dentistry. To register for this workshop, consult the research Web site ( www.research.umich.edu) for on-line registration or contact Janet Seegert, jseegert@umich.edu. There is a $10 fee to cover materials.