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Angela Cruze (Inst Future Data Computation)

This Notice of Funding Opportunity solicits applications for the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program (“Competitive Grant Program” or “Program”), the third of three digital equity programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, Division F, Title III, Public Law 117-58, 135 Stat. 429, 1209 (November 15, 2021) (“Infrastructure Act”) also known as the (“Digital Equity Act” or “DE Act”). The Digital Equity Act appropriated $2.75 billion to be awarded by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information (“Assistant Secretary”) to promote digital equity and inclusion.

The Digital Equity Act consists of three funding programs:

1. the $60 million State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program;
2. the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program; and
3. the $1.25 billion Competitive Grant Program.

The Digital Equity Planning Grant Program was launched in May of 2022 and is now complete. Under the Planning Grant Program, 56 States and U.S. Territories created Digital Equity Plans that identified the barriers to digital equity faced by certain populations defined by the statute (i.e., “Covered Populations”)1 and measurable objectives for addressing those barriers. The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity was released on March 29, 2024, and will provide funds to States and U.S. Territories to implement the Digital Equity Plans created through the Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, as well as provide funds for Indian Tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations (“Native Entities”) to address the digital equity needs of the Covered Populations within those communities. The Capacity Grant Program is on-going and will continue to address the needs of the Covered Populations as identified in the State and U.S. Territories’ Digital Equity Plans and as identified by Native Entities.

The Competitive Grant Program will make funds available to a wide range of entities to address barriers to digital equity faced by Covered Populations as defined by 47 U.S.C. §1721(8). The Competitive Grant Program will support efforts to achieve digital equity, promote digital inclusion activities, and spur greater adoption and meaningful use of broadband among the Covered Populations. Specifically, the Digital Equity Act authorizes funds to be used for the development and implementation of digital inclusion activities that benefit the Covered Populations; programs that facilitate the adoption of broadband by Covered Populations to provide educational and employment opportunities; training programs that cover basic, advanced, and applied skills; workforce development programs; access to equipment, instrumentation, networking capability, hardware and software, or digital network technology for broadband services at low or no cost; and the construction or operation of public access computing centers for Covered Populations. Awards will focus on addressing the needs of the Covered Populations not met by the Capacity Grant Program and will strive for a diverse pool of recipients. To ensure funds are directed to the most effective programs with the greatest reach, and to minimize administrative overhead, NTIA encourages proposals that demonstrate a broad partnership of entities with the ability to administer significant resources and address the varied concerns of the Covered Populations.

Tickets: 1 // Tickets Available: 0 

Forrest Baker (School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness)

Guidelines for Qualifying Applicants:

Each grant is reviewed by our Medical Advisory Board and recipients are selected based on their grading.

Goal and Focus:

The goal of these grants is to overcome barriers to clinical application of new treatment approaches for childhood cancer. A priority is to fund projects that have already shown great promise, but that have a specific funding need to move forward. The three main focus areas for this RFP are:

• Cancer immunotherapy/Targeted therapy
• High-grade brain tumors or other difficult-to-treat pediatric cancers
• Epigenetic modifying therapy or gene editing

Applications of novel technologies in these areas are welcome.

General Guidelines and Eligibility:

• Limit of one application per institution with endorsement of the Division Chief of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

• Two types of one-year grants will be awarded:

  • Collaborative: Up to 1 multi-institutional collaborative grant of $300,000 will be awarded
    • There must be at least 2 collaborating divisions of pediatric hematology/oncology.
    • Collaborative project can either include a new proposal or a proposal where preliminary data has already been gathered
  • Individual: 2-4 individual grants of $150,000 each will be awarded

  
  
  *Applications to fund correlative studies associated with clinical trials in the focus areas will be considered. Funding for the associated clinical trial must have already been secured and applications must include a description of the developmental pathway for the therapeutic approach.

Limit: 3 // Available: 0

C. Walker (Astronomy)
J. Thangavelautham (Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering) 
D. Lauretta (Planetary Sciences)

U of A may submit three pre-proposals.

Each STC must:

• Be focused on exceptionally innovative, complex research and education projects that require large-scale, long-term funding;
• Be based at an institution of higher education which assumes responsibility for oversight of sub-awards to all other partner institutions;
• Be directed by a faculty member with experience in leading research teams;
• Demonstrate institutional commitment to achieving strategic goals that are shared by the lead and other partnering institutions;
• Establish multi-institutional collaborations or linkages with other universities/colleges, national laboratories, research museums, private sector research laboratories, state and local government organizations, and international collaborations, as appropriate;
• Develop a management plan that integrates the research, education, broadening participation, and knowledge transfer activities across all partners and affiliates;
• Incorporate teams at all organizational levels of the Center that represent the full spectrum of diverse talent that society has to offer and include members of groups underrepresented in STEM;
• Provide research and education opportunities for U.S. graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty that will result in outcomes consonant with the Center's goals;
• Facilitate knowledge transfer through significant intellectual exchange between the Center and various types of institutions and organizations (e.g., nonprofit organizations; national laboratories; industry; Federal, state, and local governments); and,
• Establish and convene at least annually an External Advisory Committee to provide guidance, advice, and oversight.

Required U of A pre-proposal elements

The UA pre-proposal contains the following required sections and will be entered into text boxes on the application. Only text is accepted (no images, figures, tables, etc.):

1. Summary
   250-word limit. Provide a summary of your proposed activities. This should be a self-contained description of the proposed work and outcomes that would result if funded. This should be understandable to a scientifically or technically literate lay reader.
2. Significance
   250-word limit. Describe the compelling reasons for the proposal. How will the work be an original contribution or what problem will your proposal address?
3. Fit with Funder
   250-word limit. How does the proposed work fit the stated goals of the sponsor and the intentions of the funding program?
4. Approach
   500-word limit. Describe the proposed activities, procedures and methodology to be used. Note any potential problems or limitations that might arise.
5. Expected Outcomes
   250-word limit. What changes, impacts, results, or contributions to knowledge do you expect as an outcome of the proposed project?

Uploaded as a PDF:

1. NSF Project Summary page
   1-page limit; ensure that you address NSF's goals of broadening participation and impact clearly and distinctly
2. PDF List of all Project Personnel and List of all Institutions and Organizations
   Attempt to fit this on one-page, a table is preferred
3. PI NSF BioSketch
   NSF format BioSketch. There is a 3-page limit on BioSketches

Program Description

Full sponsor guidelines https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/science-technology-centers-in…

The Science and Technology Centers (STC): Integrative Partnerships program supports exceptionally innovative, complex research and education projects that require large-scale, long-term awards. STCs focus on creating new scientific paradigms, establishing entirely new scientific disciplines, and developing transformative technologies which have the potential for broad scientific or societal impact. STCs conduct world-class research through partnerships among institutions of higher education, national laboratories, industrial organizations, other public or private entities, and via international collaborations, as appropriate. They provide a means to undertake potentially groundbreaking investigations at the interfaces of disciplines and/or highly innovative approaches within disciplines. STCs may involve any area of science and engineering that NSF supports. STC investments support the NSF vision of creating and exploiting new concepts in science and engineering and providing global leadership in research and education.

Centers provide a rich environment for encouraging scientists, engineers, and educators to take risks in pursuing discoveries and new knowledge. STCs foster excellence in education by integrating education and research, and by creating connections between learning and inquiry so that discovery and creativity fully support the learning process.

Limit one submission:

Doane, CJ. (UAC)

U of A may submit eight (8) concept papers: four (4) in medical sciences and four (4) in science & engineering.

Medical Research: Limit: 4 // Available: 1
N. Zhao (Nutritional Science and Wellness)
S. Goldman (Medicine) 
H. Sadek (Sarver Heart Center - COM-T)

Science and Engineering - Limit: 4 // Available: 0
A. Zabludoff (Astronomy & Steward Observatory)
S. Kong (Astronomy & Steward Observatory) 
E. Lee (Electrical and Computer Engineering) 
B. Vasic (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

Required U or A pre-proposal elements

The UA pre-proposal contains the following required sections:

1. Overview
2. Methodology
3. Justification for Keck Funding
4. Key Personnel
5. Estimated Budget

A template is provided in the documents section of this limited submission. Use this template, complete it, and upload it as a PDF as part of this limited submission opportunity.

Uploaded as a PDF:

1. One-page Concept Paper based on attached template.
2. PI BioSketch or CV
   Agency-specific BioSketch preferred. There is a 5-page limit on CVs

Program Description

Full sponsor guidelines https://www.wmkeck.org/research-overview/

Post selection as one of the pre-proposals, a concept review Zoom will be held with the W.M. Keck Foundation, RDS, and the UA Foundation in January will determine which one medical research and one science and engineering concept paper will be moved to a Phase 1 Submission.

The W.M. Keck Foundation Research Program uses a three-step process for this opportunity. The first step is a Concept paper. The next steps are by the foundation’s invitation. U of A review criteria reflect previous interactions with the W.M. Keck Foundation. Proposals should focus on basic, fundamental science with broad applications. Grants range from $1 million to $5 million and are typically $2 million or less, and more specifically in the $1.2 to $1.3 million range.

The proposed work should show a significant leap forward rather than an extension of existing work.

To be considered by Keck, applicants must have a statement expressing that the project is not a good fit due to risk (rather than technical or theoretical fit) or a decline from a federal program where the summary statement or individual reviews highlight the incredible novelty, but the high-risk nature that makes it difficult to fund at the federal level.

The Science and Engineering Research Program seeks to benefit humanity by supporting high-risk/high-impact projects that are distinctive and novel in their approach to intractable problems, push the edge of their field, or question the prevailing paradigm. Past grants have been awarded to support pioneering science and engineering research and the development of promising new technologies, instrumentation, or methodologies.

The Medical Research Program seeks to advance the frontiers of medicine to benefit humanity by supporting high-risk/high-impact projects that are distinctive and novel in their approach to intractable problems, push the edge of their field, or question the prevailing paradigm. Past grants have supported pioneering biological research, basic research, and the development of promising new technologies. The Keck Foundation does NOT fund work that is clinical, applied, or translational; treatment trials; or research for the sole purpose of drug development.

Both senior and early career investigators are encouraged to apply. Team approaches, including interdisciplinary teams, are encouraged.

U of A may submit one proposal.

M. Rigdon (Center for Philosophy of Freedom)

Required U or A pre-proposal elements

The UA pre-proposal contains the following required sections and will be entered into text boxes on the application. Only text is accepted (no images, figures, tables, etc.):

1. Summary
   250-word limit. Provide a summary of your proposed activities. This should be a self-contained description of the proposed work and outcomes that would result if funded. This should be understandable to a scientifically or technically literate lay reader.
2. Significance
   250-word limit. Describe the compelling reasons for the proposal. How will the work be an original contribution or what problem will your proposal address?
3. Fit with Funder
   250-word limit. How does the proposed work fit the stated goals of the sponsor and the intentions of the funding program?
4. Approach
   500-word limit. Describe the proposed activities, procedures and methodology to be used. Note any potential problems or limitations that might arise.
5. Expected Outcomes
   250-word limit. What changes, impacts, results, or contributions to knowledge do you expect as an outcome of the proposed project?

Uploaded as a PDF:

1. PI BioSketch or CV
   Agency-specific BioSketch preferred. There is a 5-page limit on CVs

Program Description

Full sponsor guidelines https://www.mellon.org/article/sawyer-seminars

Purpose: The 30th anniversary of the Sawyer Seminars program arrives amid national turmoil over complex, existential topics that have the potential to affect university operations. Our present moment has created much uncertainty, but it also provides us with opportunities for deep thinking and intervention. Such opportunities are made possible through freedom of intellectual inquiry, which allows our society to think critically, dissent when necessary, and build more equitable, just futures.

In this vein, for the 2024 Sawyer Seminars, Mellon invites proposals that meaningfully engage faculty, other academic leaders, and visitors from a variety of fields in the study of academic freedom and democracy in the American university. We seek to support seminars that demonstrate through humanistic methods the ways in which a higher education system featuring a multiplicity of perspectives, thoughts, and voices is essential to a functional democracy.

Program Activities: Each seminar normally meets for one year, though some have continued for longer periods. To allow for planning, seminars need not be scheduled for the coming academic year. The seminar should be led or co-led by humanities faculty; however, the proposed seminar should be a collaborative effort involving participation by scholars and administrators from across disciplines and units, with varying perspectives on the problem being addressed. In addition, we encourage you to invite participants from nearby institutions, such as community colleges, liberal arts colleges, museums, research institutes, and local organizations to achieve interdisciplinary and community-engaged collaboration.

As Mellon reviews proposals, preference will be given to those that seek to:

• Bridge the gap between the socially equitable world envisioned in much humanities scholarship and the policies and practices characterizing today’s universities;
• Empower humanists to be active participants in the strategic conversations and planning that many universities are engaged in or preparing to undertake;
• Imagine new and revised university structures that would enhance the growth of the humanities and promote the realization of more just futures.

Grant recipients would be expected to highlight and disseminate findings across campus units using a medium that best fits their campus context, such as a white paper or town hall.

Budget: Funding requests should not exceed $300,000 for each seminar. The first budget period must begin with July 1, 2025. The first period may be longer or shorter than 12 months. Funds may support: one postdoc, up to two dissertation research fellows (in the form of graduate tuition or supplemental funding); travel and living expenses for short stays by visiting scholars; costs associated with coordinating seminars, including meals, honoraria, consulting fees, and stipends. Funds may not be used to cover release time for regular faculty participants, rentals of university space, or indirect costs.

 // Limit: 4 // Tickets Available: 0

Husain Al Yusuf (ECE/CompSci/SIE)

Yu-Zheng Lin (ECE/SIE)

Sujan Ghimire (SFWE/SIE)

Trevor Stanfil (OpSci/Physics)

Nominations are being accepted for the IBM Ph.D. Fellowship Awards Program

IBM invites applications for the IBM PhD Fellowship Awards from students whose graduate research work aligns with IBM’s strategic directions in Semiconductor Technology, Quantum Computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Multi-Cloud Computing and Hybrid Cloud Platforms for AI, Security, and Responsible Computing. Current topics of interest within these areas include:

• Two-Dimensional (2D) Materials
• Back-End-Of-Line (BEOL) Interconnects
• Quantum Algorithms Theory
• Quantum Algorithms Engineering
• Building a Vibrant AI Hardware Ecosystem
• Tools for AI Model and Application Building
• Expanding the Ecosystem of Open Models and Datasets
• Generative AI for Security
• Security of Generative AI
• Quantum-safe cryptography.

Please see the website for complete details, full eligibility, and submission guidelines: https://research.ibm.com/university/awards/index.html

UA Research Development Services (RDS) has advised that faculty should coordinate their nomination(s) with their department chair because there is a limit of three nominations per department. Four nominations are allowed from each university. If four nominations are submitted, it is IBM Global University program’s expectation that two of the four applications are for diversity candidates or underrepresented populations in technology. Contact RDS at limitedsubmissions@arizona.edu with questions on the limits.

All nominees must be nominated by a doctoral faculty member; students cannot nominate themselves.

The nomination period for the 2024 PhD Fellowships will be open from July 15, 2024, through August 30, 2024, 11:59PM Eastern Time.

Limit:  1*  // Tickets Available: 0

Patriricia Thompson-Carino (Cancer Center)