Faculty and students can now take advantage of LibKey Nomad, a free browser extension that can help improve research activities. 

LibKey Nomad automatically provides instant links to articles from journals, ebooks and open-access sources available to K-State Libraries. In short, the extension determines the fastest path to full-text content across thousands of publishers and millions of articles. The extension also helps users avoid publisher paywalls and saves time and money. Fewer clicks, less time, more access. 

No personal account is needed to use LibKey Nomad. The extension is available for all major browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Brave and Vivaldi. 

Download the LibKey Nomad tool.

If you have questions about using the tool, please contact the Hale Library e-resources team at janehale@k-state.edu.

Register today for KibbleCon Lite

Thursday, Nov. 2

K-State Alumni Center



If you are involved or interested in working with the pet food industry, you are encouraged to attend KibbleCon Lite 2023. The in-person half-day event will be on Thursday, Nov. 2 at the K-State Alumni Center.  

KibbleCon Lite is an excellent opportunity for K-State faculty, staff, and students to network with colleagues and industry experts. This year’s bite-sized version of KibbleCon features an engaging keynote session, updates on K-State's research, insights from industry experts, presentations by graduate students, and plenty of chances to network. View the full list of speakers and itinerary on the KibbleCon website.

To register at no cost, K-State faculty and staff should use the code, FACULTYKC23. K-State students should use the code, STUDENTKC23. Online registration closes on Oct. 31. Attendance is limited, so don't delay. 

Are you a student with research relevant to pet food? Submit your poster abstract to Stephanie Pierce, smpierce@k-state.edu, by Oct. 13 to be entered into a poster presentation competition. The top submissions will be asked to present their research at KibbleCon for a chance to win scholarships — first place will receive $800, second place will receive $500, and third place will receive $200. 

KibbleCon was created by the K-State Pet Food Program and K-State Innovation Partners and is a place to have honest conversations on the future of the industry with pet food visionaries and industry influencers. Since 2017, K-State has hosted an annual Pet Food R&D Showcase featuring networking, cutting-edge research and interactive experiences with top pet food suppliers. As the experience progressed, the event was rebranded to KibbleCon.

KibbleCon sponsors attending include Extru-Tech Inc., BSM Partners, Parker Freeze Dry, United Sorghum Checkoff Program, Balchem, Wilbur-Ellis, Biorigin, Eurofins, National Corn Growers Association, and Petfood Forum — Watt Global Media.

2 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 23

The Office of Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities, or EFMA, will host an informational webinar to discuss the Ideas Lab: Personalized Engineering Learning program solicitation NSF 23-627 and to answer questions from prospective applicants.

The goal of the Personalized Engineering Learning Ideas Lab is to extend engineering education research to enable advanced personalization in pedagogy and assessment in a K-12 or higher education context.

Learn more and register to attend.

NSF's Ethical and Responsible Research program is holding an informational webinar about its new funding solicitation. The program supports fundamental science centered on the responsible and ethical conduct of research and the adoption of that knowledge by STEM researchers, practitioners and educators at all career stages.

A webinar will be held on October 23 at 2 p.m. and again on October 25 at 11 a.m.

The content presented on each day will be the same. Attendees should only register for the day they wish to attend. Program directors will provide an overview of the new funding solicitation, highlight major changes and discuss the goals of the program. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions.

Researchers, administrative staff and others engaged in developing ethical and responsible conduct of STEM research practices are encouraged to attend.

• Registration is required. Register here and select the desired webinar date in the dropdown menu at the top of the page.

2 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 24

The Office of Polar Programs offers postdoctoral research fellowships to provide opportunities for early career scientists, including social scientists, to accomplish one or more of the following goals: expand their work across traditional disciplinary lines, develop new partnerships connecting the polar regions and/or non-polar research communities, and provide entry to researchers who have traditionally had limited access to polar research resources, sites and facilities. If you are interested in applying to this program, please join program officers who can answer your questions about this program.

Register to attend.

Noon–1 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 24

Join this open-ended session to ask questions about what’s needed when creating a preliminary proposal in response to the dear colleague letter encouraging the submission of new CREST Center proposals focusing on social, behavioral and economic sciences research. The three program directors will be available to answer questions and point you to appropriate resources. Prior to this session, we encourage you to learn more about the CREST Centers solicitation, then come prepared with any questions you have.

Register to attend.

2-3 p.m.

October 24

The Office of Polar Programs, or OPP, is hosting an office hour on the OPP postdoctoral research fellowship, or OPP-PRF, program. The current solicitation can be found on the NSF website. During the office hour we will discuss the program, eligibility, the application process, and NSF review criteria. Program officers will go over frequently asked questions and there will be plenty of time for attendees to ask their own questions.   

OPP postdoctoral research fellowships provide opportunities for early career scientists, including social scientists, to conduct two years of research on a polar science topic with an expert mentor. Examples of previous awardees can be found on the PRF awardees webpage. The program provides salary plus a research allowance for travel, supplies, and other expenses. Applicants may have already worked in the polar regions or they may be new to polar science. If you are interested in applying to this program, please join the office hour to meet the program officers, learn about this amazing opportunity, and ask your own questions. 

Regardless of whether you can join this event, please contact opp-prf@nsf.gov, with any questions you may have.

Register to attend.

October 25-26

Lenexa, Kansas

You're invited to the first annual Grundfos Industrial Sustainability Summit at the Grundfos Americas Industrial building & state-of-the-art training lab in Lenexa, Kansas.

Gain actionable insights and discover innovative solutions to reduce energy costs, carbon emissions and water consumption at your industrial facilities, driving toward more sustainable and efficient operations to support your sustainability strategy and ambitions. 

Featured presentations on Oct. 25 and 26 include: 

• Case studies demonstrating new water movement and reuse solutions.  
• Research on the water-energy nexus and its role in industrial sustainability. 
• New motor and drive technology that can reduce energy consumption by up to 30%. 
• Measurable insights into plant operations and energy savings opportunities. 

Grundfos is happy to extend the offer to cover 2-nights hotel accommodations for the first 50 registrants.

Learn more and register to attend.

2:30-3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 25

The U.S. National Science Foundation's Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity, or EPIIC, program invites you to attend a webinar. In this session, program directors will share updates about the EPIIC program and provide information about submitting proposals to the upcoming funding opportunity.

Register to attend.

1 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 26

Access to post-award research administration support is critical to ensure broad and diverse participation in research activities. NSF GRANTED Dear Colleague Letter 23-152 “Growing Post-Award Research Support and Service Infrastructure for Nationally Transformative Equity and Diversity” encourages proposals focused on building capacity in post-award regulatory, financial, administration, and workforce development. Join the NSF GRANTED Team for a webinar presentation and Q&A related to NSF DCL 23-152. Registration is required to attend this webinar event.

Register in advance for this webinar. 

November 28-30

Gaylord National Harbor in Washington D.C.

This is our 12th annual program, bringing together defense, private industry, federal agencies, and academic leadership to accelerate applications for state-of-the-art technology solutions. Our unique Innovation Partner packages for Defense TechConnect 2023 offers exceptional networking, showcase, pitch, and expo opportunities for your organization. By participating, you will have the chance to be front and center at one of the largest dedicated emerging tech and innovation matchmaking conferences of the year. Become a TechConnect Innovation Partner!

In addition to Defense TechConnect 2023, we are co-locating two conferences - SBIR/STTR Fall Innovation and Smart Cities 2023. This collaboration will provide a unique opportunity for networking and knowledge exchange.

Save the date and mark your calendars for this premier event! Already prepared to apply? Go ahead and submit your technology applications.

Saturday January 13, 2024

Sunday January 14, 2024

Hilton Garden Inn, Manhattan, Kansas

The K-INBRE annual symposium is back once again, and we are excited to bring together students, faculty and staff from our 10 universities in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Register to attend by December 1.

Submit abstracts by December 1.

Symposium Schedule

Please contact Heiata Chapman or Clare Frantz with any questions.

NSF congratulates laureate of the 2023 Nobel Prize in economics

The U.S. National Science Foundation congratulates Claudia Goldin on her 2023 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Her groundbreaking research has given new insights into women’s historical and contemporary roles in the labor market and reveals new patterns, identifies causes of change, and speaks to the main sources of why gender gaps remain. NSF

Research suggests natural selection can slow evolution, maintain similarities across generations

Natural selection is usually understood in the context of change. When organisms deviate from the norm, they may gain advantages that let their lineages outlast those of their less-adaptable relatives. NSF

New calculations say there are more living cells than grains of sand or stars in the sky

From bacteria to blue whales, the number of cells in living things exceeds the estimated number of sand grains on Earth by a factor of a trillion. It’s 1 million times larger than all the stars in the universe. And the number of cells that have ever lived is 10 orders of magnitude larger still, according to new estimates researchers reported last week in Current Biology. These calculations aren’t just an exercise in superlatives. They could also help scientists better understand our planet’s fecundity and predict how lifeforms may use carbon in the future. Science

One Million Years Ago, Our Human Relatives May Have Challenged Giant Hyenas for Carcasses

In southern Europe, a million years ago, a horse or elephant kill was a big event. It meant a nutritious, fatty group feast for Homo erectus, made possible by the skill and tenacity of the hunter who brought down the beast, which all surely appreciated. But in this era before advanced weapons, the successful hunter may not have been human at all. Predators like saber-toothed cats dominated the food chain, and our ancestors and their relatives may have frequently relied on scavenging their felled prey as part of the prehistoric diet. Smithsonian Magazine

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