Faculty research spotlight | |
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Laura Moley, research assistant professor, geography and geospatial sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research overview:
One project looks at how communities make decisions about adapting to climate change, and that work is based in part on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change future climate scenarios. The goal is to determine what factors would steer people toward sustainable behaviors before climate impacts become severe enough to be the driving influence directly. My other current research looks at how we identify and respond to new environmental risk in a geographic area. That includes work on the spread of invasive pests impacting trees, especially in urbanized landscapes; and our goal is to provide earlier detection tools for better landscape outcomes. My related work also looks at the spread of insect-borne diseases in humans, especially in areas where the risk is not widely recognized. and may be changing. Our objective is to provide tools that illustrate areas and levels of risk, both to medical professionals and community leaders, and also to individuals engaged in outdoor activities.
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What motivated you to pursue research in this specific field, and how has your focus evolved over time?
I have always been interested in human cultural landscapes and human- environment interactions. Over time, that interest has become especially focused on understanding and addressing different kinds of environmental stress, such as urbanization, climate change, invasive species and disease.
What is your approach to this research?
The approach is interdisciplinary and collaborative, so our teams have a variety of perspectives that tend to give a well-rounded view of the problems being addressed. I do mixed methods research that integrates field work, lab work, human survey and interview methods, and spatial data analysis.
Have there been any significant challenges or breakthroughs in your recent research, and how have you addressed or leveraged them?
Most recently, I have been looking at a spatial simulation model that has been used for gaming and strategy, and I have been figuring how to use it to simulate potential results of human environmental behaviors, for looking at landscapes, climate change, diseases, and other environmental risks.
What is the potential impact of your research on your field and on broader societal issues?
With tools to identify the factors driving human environmental decisions and risk perception, we can promote better outcomes, more positive future scenarios in human interactions with the environment, such as supporting vulnerable landscapes, limiting disease spread, and addressing climate change.
Each week The Office of the Vice President for Research will feature one faculty member and their scholarly work in Research Weekly. If you would like to nominate yourself or a colleague, please fill out the online form.
*Please note that not all nominations will be accepted as there are limited weeks each semester.
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K-State events and announcements | |
Grant Writing Cohort Opportunity | |
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The Office of Research Development (ORD) is seeking nominations for participation in a Grants Academy to be offered in conjunction with Hanover Research. This experience will provide participating faculty members with grantsmanship training, an individualized development plan, advice on best-fit funding opportunities, and review of proposals.
Eight faculty members will be selected from nominations by department heads. Participating faculty members must commit to:
- Attendance at four grants webinar trainings
- Creation of a development plan that may address professional/career objectives; training skills assessment; and individualized support needs
- Two Hanover Research projects selected from:
- Proposal research and alignment (opportunity identification)
- Proposal revision (edits and suggestions)
The minimum qualifications are:
- Be in at least the second year at K-State
- Planning to submit an NIH R01 or comparable proposal such as NSF CAREER, DOE Early Career, or large USDA NIFA
- Have previously demonstrated success with smaller awards
- Be willing to commit to participating for the full year and all components of the program
- Plan to submit the proposal within the year
The grant academy will begin January 1, 2025, and run through calendar year 2025. The OVPR is paying Hanover for this opportunity; however, the departments/colleges of faculty members who drop out of the program will be charged for their participation. ORD staff will participate in training activities and provide additional support to faculty.
Department heads should provide nominations in the form of names of faculty by email to ord@k-state.edu by December 15. Nominations must include a brief CV/biosketch of the faculty member. Faculty members selected for cohort participation will be notified by December 22.
Questions should be directed to Dr. Beth Montelone, ORD Director, bethmont@k-state.edu.
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Help Us Welcome Visiting Fulbright Scholar Dr. Nurmala Simbolon | |
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Kansas State University’s Office of International Programs and the Manhattan Area Technical College are hosting Dr. Nurmala Simbolon a Fulbright Visiting Scholar from Indonesia. She directs the language center at the Pontianak State Polytechnic in West Borneo, Indonesia. She is currently working at the University of Virgina, Charlottesville through a Fulbright award.
As part of her visit to our campus, she will be giving a Vernon Larson Lecture on her research concerning “English for Specific Purposes” at 3:30 pm on Thursday December 12 in the Business Building’s room 4061. Her lecture will be followed by a Fulbright panel discussion at 4:30 pm. If you want to find out more about the Fulbright program, this is an event you should definitely attend. Her visit to our campus is made possible by a grant from the Fulbright Outreach lecturing Fund (OLF).
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Save the Date: Posters, Pinot and Partnerships event | |
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Starting in Spring 2025, the Office of the Vice President for Research is excited to host a monthly networking poster session for K-State researchers. Faculty can enjoy light refreshments and wine while discussing ongoing research and projects.
The first session will take place from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, on the 5th floor of Hale Library. Once available, additional information and a registration link will be published in future editions of Research Weekly.
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American Association of University Women Funding Opportunities | |
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The American Association of University Women (AAWU) has been one of the largest funders of women’s graduate education, investing in women who go on to change the world. As of 2024, AAWU has given more than $146 million to over 14,000 women and nonprofit organizations around the world. Their recipients include some of the most influential voices of the past two centuries — women who have helped shape history — as well as nonprofit organizations at the forefront of driving social change. Some current funding opportunities with upcoming due dates include:
American Fellowships-- support women scholars pursuing full-time study to complete dissertations, conduct postdoctoral research, or prepare research for publication over eight consecutive weeks. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
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American Dissertation Fellowship--offsets scholars’ expenses during their final year of dissertation writing and deepens AAUW’s impact by accelerating diversity, equity and inclusion in academia. The program is open to women in all fields of study, though those engaged in science, technology, engineering and math fields, or those researching gender issues, are especially encouraged to apply.
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American Short-Term Research Publication Grants aim to increase the number of women with academic tenure and promote gender equity for women in higher education by providing funding to women in academia to prepare research manuscripts for publication.
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American Postdoctoral Research Leave Fellowship Program increases the number of women in tenure-track faculty positions and promotes gender equity for women in higher education by providing funding to women in academia to pursue independent research over the course of a year.
Career Development Grants support the career progression of women by funding to women preparing to advance or change careers or re-enter the workforce. Primary consideration is given to women pursuing their first advanced degree or credentials in education, health and medicine, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and social sciences. Grants are available to support full-time or part-time coursework such as a second bachelor’s or first master’s degree, a certification program, or specialized training in these fields.
International Fellowship Program promotes education and equity for women by investing in international applicants who will be pursuing postgraduate studies in the U.S., with the intention of applying their expertise, professional skills and leadership in the context of their home countries. This program is specifically designed for women who are non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents, with a track record of academic excellence and empowering other women and girls.
International Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program promotes education and equity for women by investing in international applicants who will be pursuing postdoctoral research in the U.S., with the intention of applying their expertise, professional skills and leadership in the context of their home countries.
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External events and announcements | |
Strengthen & Modernize U-I Partnerships: A New UIDP Initiative | |
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Representatives from academia, government, industry, and nonprofits/private funders are keenly interested in examining how cross-sector partnerships can maximize resource investment for greater impact.
Last week, during UIDP’s fall conference, UIDP Board Chair Nerissa Draeger and I announced a groundbreaking new initiative to explore effective strategies and tactics for dramatically increasing the power of these partnerships.
The Strengthen and Modernize U-I Partnerships initiative is envisioned to revolutionize how the sectors collaborate (university, industry, government--federal, state, and local-- and nonprofit) by addressing four areas of specific need identified by science and technology leadership.
Learn about the focus areas and read the full article here.
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DOE Office of Science Office Hours | |
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This fall, the Office of Science (SC) is transitioning to one SC-wide monthly virtual Office Hour to share information about our programs and provide opportunities to ask questions. Researchers at all institutions are welcome to attend and learn more about our programs; no existing relationship with DOE or the DOE national laboratories is required to attend. Research administrators are also encouraged to attend.
Office Hours will take place on the first Tuesday of each month, from 1 - 2 p.m. Each office hour will begin with a brief presentation followed by questions and answers on a monthly topic. After the presentation and questions, we will move to breakout rooms by program office to answer general questions. We will then move to breakout rooms by individual program office for general questions from the community.
For more information on SC Office Hours, including registration and upcoming topics, and to view slides and recordings of past Office Hours, please visit the DOE website.
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National Science Foundation office hours and webinars | |
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The National Science Foundation is hosting a variety of office hours and webinars throughout 2024 covering a wide range of programs and topics. Links to register and more information for each series can be found below:
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CyberTraining Program Office Hours: December 9 - 16, 2024
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Human Networks and Data Science Program Office Hours: January 7, 2025
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CISE Research Expansion Office Hours: January 9, 2025
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Division of Biological Infrastructure Virtual Office Hours: December 17, 2024
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EPSCoR Research Fellows Office Hours: December 11, 2024 - January 21, 2024
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Division of Materials Research Office Hour: December 20, 2024
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Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Office Hours: December 18, 2024 - January 15, 2025
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ExpandAI Virtual Office Hours: December 16, 2024
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Boosting Research Ideas for Transformative & Equitable Advances in Engineering Program Webinar: January 6, 2025
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IUSE Office Hours: December 11, 2024 - January 7, 2025
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IOS Virtual Office Hour: Interpreting Panel Summaries, Reviews, and Program Officer Comments: December 19, 2024
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Science of Science - DCI Office Hours: December 19, 2024 - January 17, 2025
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New Federal Common Disclosure Forms Strengthen Integrity and Security of NIH-Funded Research | |
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Back in April, we announced that Common Disclosure Forms for the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support would be required for all applications and progress reports submitted in 2025, amongst several other changes. These Common Forms aim to standardize disclosure requirements and processes across federal research agencies, with the goal of reducing the time and effort researchers spend providing disclosure information to federal funders and ensuring integrity throughout the research process. We recently released a Guide Notice with additional information and expectations for applications and progress reports effective May 25, 2025, including the requirement that Senior and Key Personnel use an Open Researcher and Contributor Identification digital identifier (ORCID ID).
Read the full announcement here.
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Kauffman Foundation grant opportunities | |
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The Kauffman Foundation has announced new grant opportunities in coordination with the release of their new strategic priorities: Grant types (kauffman.org)
Research Grants provide funding to design and implement or scale a research project that builds deeper understanding of our strategic priorities and focus areas, addresses gaps in our research base, and translates research findings into practice: Strategic priorities
Together with our community, we believe we can shift the landscape in three strategies — college access and completion, workforce and career development, and entrepreneurship — prioritized because of their anticipated power to advance economic mobility: Focus areas
In alignment with these priorities, we are seeking projects at the intersection of innovation and impact through the focus areas of essential competencies and skills, education and employer connection, participation and belonging, and equitable access.
Letters of interest open Oct. 15.
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Calling All University Faculty: Accepting Applications for Summer 2025 Visiting Faculty Program | |
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College and university faculty at emerging research institutions are invited to apply to collaborate with national laboratory scientific research staff on research projects of mutual interest, the Department of Energy Office of Science announced today.
The Visiting Faculty Program (VFP) is offered in two tracks:
- The VFP Research Collaboration
- The VFP Teaching Initiative Track (available for returning VFP participants)
Applications are now being accepted for the Summer 2025 term. The application deadline is January 8, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST.
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Fall 2024 NSF Virtual grants Conference | |
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The U.S. National Science Foundation invites all to the Fall 2024 NSF Virtual Grants Conference on December 9 – 12, 2024.
The NSF Grants Conference is designed to give new faculty, researchers, and administrators key insights into a wide range of current issues at NSF. NSF staff will provide up-to-date information about policies and procedures, specific funding opportunities, and answer attendee questions.
Attendees will:
- Learn about new NSF programs and initiatives
- Understand how to write a successful proposal
- Learn about NSF’s Merit Review Process and conflict of interest policies
- Participate in NSF directorate sessions
- Understand award management policies and procedures
Attendees are encouraged to review the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Recordings from the Spring 2024 NSF Grants Conference are available in the Resource Center.
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Nominate yourself or a colleague for a Golden Goose Award | |
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The Golden Goose Award celebrates the importance of federally funded research that has led to major breakthroughs and resulted in significant societal impact.
The Golden Goose Award tells the stories behind the research, to show the public and Congressional leaders the tangible outcomes behind the federal research dollars spent. The Golden Goose Award was envisioned by former Congressman Jim Cooper of Tennessee in coordination with several science and higher education associations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
If you have a story or idea to share – please consider submitting a nomination. For consideration for the 2025 Award, nominations should be received by Friday, December 13, 2024. More information about the nomination process is also available on the AAAS website.
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Helpful Tips for Applicants to OADR-ORWH’s Common Data Elements Notice of Special Interest | |
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The Office of Autoimmune Disease Research in the Office of Research on Women’s Health (OADR-ORWH) created a video to help prospective applicants to the Notice of Special Interest: R13 Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings to Support Consensus Building for Autoimmune Disease Research Related Common Data Elements (NOT-OD-24-145). Slides used in the video are also available for reference.
The next due dates are December 12, 2024, April 12, 2025, and August 12, 2025. Please note that interested applicants must contact OADR-ORWH no later than six weeks prior to the due date (contact OADR-ORWH by October 31, 2024, March 1, 2025, and July 1, 2025, for the listed due dates, respectively).
More information can be found here.
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NSF Opportunities Introduction & Listening Session | |
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Join the U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) to learn about EDU funding opportunities. EDU program representatives will introduce funding opportunities and invite questions. They will then open the floor to discussion about ideas and challenges associated with acquiring NSF funding. This information is especially helpful to institutions in EPSCoR Jurisdictions.
Register here.
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NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences will be present at the 2025 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Annual Meeting from January 3-7, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Visit us at the NSF Booth #17 open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
Sign-ups will be available for individual meetings with NSF staff.
Program Officers will also present three sessions:
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What’s new in NSF BIO and Q&A session: Saturday, January 4
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Early Career Networking Session: Navigating NSF Funding Opportunities: Sunday, January 5
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Student Research Funding Opportunities at the U.S. National Science Foundation: Sunday, January 5
Additional information, including presenters and presentation times, can be found here.
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Agency news and trending topics | |
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k-state.edu/research
researchweekly@k-state.edu
785.532.5110
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