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NMSU Research Leadership's New Year's Resolutions
My New Year’s resolution is simply more face-to-face time with our research and creativity community members. Continuing to tout your accomplishments on social media, I will now aim for regular acknowledgements of research, scholarly, and creative accomplishments through in person social occasions. In turn, I will carry on monthly meetings with the Faculty Senate standing committee on Research and Creativity. Quarterly meetings of the Council of Academic Deans for Research will be a venue for better communication with the NMSU’s research enterprise, including centers and institutes, facilities and administration, sponsored programs administration, and others. Finally, I am determined to join you in honoring our researchers, scholars, artists, performers at Research and Creativity Week 2023 (#NMSURCW2023), which takes place February 21-24th. Have a healthy, motivating, fulfilling, and learned 2023. Dr. Luis Cifuentes, Vice President for Research, Creativity, and Strategic Initiatives |
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In 2023, the Agricultural Experiment Station will continue to support fundamental and applied science and technology research to benefit New Mexico’s citizens in the economic, social, and cultural aspects of agriculture, natural resources management, and family issues. We will continue to work closely with the RCSI and pool resources to support post-doctoral researchers, research scientists, undergraduate and graduate students, and improve critical infrastructure at our 12 agricultural science centers located throughout the state as well identify ways to purchase important equipment needed to modernize our laboratory spaces on main campus. In the spring, we will be hosting townhall meetings to bring researchers together to discuss the 19 research umbrellas identified last year in ACES. These umbrellas will support the four ACES pillars and allow for quick response teams who are prepared to respond to research and funding calls. As the ADR and AES Director, I will host 4-6 listening sessions with our researchers to hear concerns and needs. These sessions will assist AES with setting goals for 2024. Dr. Leslie Edgar, Associate Dean for Research, College of ACES and Director of Agricultural Experiment Station |
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I will provide increased support to faculty and staff with regard to identifying and creating and submitting proposals to external funding opportunities, with the intent of growing the number of faculty receiving external funding support for their scholarly activities and the hope that students will directly benefit from financially supported experiential learning in their areas of study. I will also increase the College’s public recognition of creative and research outcomes and received external funding support accomplishments. I will create more opportunities to thank and recognize the substantial efforts of the ASRC staff. Dr. James Murphy, Associate Dean for Research, College of Arts and Sciences |
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We will strive to
Dr. Jay Misra, Associate Dean for Research, College of Engineering |
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Our first resolution is to revise the College of Health Education and Social Transformation (HEST)'s Research website. Once we meet with the Dean and the Dean's Executive Leadership Council, I am sure we will have other resolutions. Dr. Anita Herenandez, Co-Associate Dean for Research, College of HEST
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Streamlyne and Watermark Faculty SuccessBy Ms. Alisha Giron, Assistant Vice President for ResearchBeginning late last semester, data from Streamlyne, the official record of submitted proposals and externally-funded awards, was imported to Watermark Faculty Success via a detailed report and will continue a quarterly schedule. This process was previously completed with data from ARGIS. Due to the large quantity of legacy research activity data that was imported from one system to another, errors and omissions are expected until stabilization has concluded later this year. RCSI provides this research data from Streamlyne as a courtesy. Faculty are encouraged to work with their College/Unit research administrators and Department Heads on clarifying and properly recognizing their research activity. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we refine system processes from this vast undertaking. Please continue to email questions to the Streamlyne helpdesk at streamlyne@nmsu.edu. |
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Transition Period from Maestro to Streamlyne Ending on January 23, 2023
By Ms. Michelle Gavin, Research Integrity Coordinator, RICThe NMSU Office of Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC) and the NMSU Institutional Review Board (IRB) welcomes NMSU faculty, staff, and students as we begin our Spring 2023 semester. We hope you all have had a safe and enjoyable holiday break and are excited for this new year 2023. We have made great strides and progress in the transition to the eRA Streamlyne system as well as welcoming a new IRB Chair, Dr. Joe Tomaka, and Vice Chair, Dr. Julie Steinkopf to provide guidance and leadership to NMSU's IRB committee and researchers. All IRB protocols (active, expired or soon-to-be-expiring IRB protocols) in Maestro should be transferred to Streamlyne. All transferred protocols in Streamlyne should be processed and any renewals/amendments also processed so that the project is up-to-date and active. We urge researchers to review your protocols in Streamlyne and check the expiration dates for all your protocols and initiate a renewal request ASAP if it has expired and at your earliest convenience if it has not yet expired. You can check by logging into Streamlyne, selecting Main Menu, IRB, and then “All My Protocols.” Streamlyne Access & Support
NOTE: When submitting protocols in Streamlyne, the required human subjects training should appear in the Personnel Section under each team member’s training section. Please verify that the training is displayed and is current. See below for information on the CITI training. CITI Program Online Training As a reminder NMSU provides online training and free webinars via the CITI Program to its NMSU researchers (faculty, staff, and students) and affiliated team members. To access these webinars,
Individuals with expired protocols have until January 23rd to submit a renewal request. After that, the grace period will end, and we will close the protocol. Protocols in Maestro that have not been transferred to Streamlyne after January 23rd will have to be submitted as brand NEW protocols in Streamlyne and go through the complete IRB review and approval process. |
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Recognizing Large Proposal Submissions (December 2022)
By Dr. Hamid Mansouri Rad, Senior Proposal Development Specialist, RASCongratulations to Drs. Martha Desmond, Leslie Edgar, Betsy Stringam, Graciela Unguez, Elba Serrano, and Lara Prihodko for each leading a proposal exceeding a million dollars in December 2022. Dr. Martha Desmond, NMSU Regents Professor of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, led a proposal to the USDA NEXTGEN program requesting $20 million to attract, support and prepare underrepresented students for the USDA and other workforce. To develop this proposal, Dr. Desmond brought together the expertise in 10 minority serving institutions across New Mexico and one institution in Oklahoma. In addition, this collaborative proposal involves multiple workforce partners including nine at the USDA. The proposal’s goals include providing financial and career support to students; facilitating workforce preparation by connecting students with internships, other experiential learning and career opportunities; offering outreach and engagement targeting primary and secondary schools and underserved populations in our communities; and providing institutional capacity building through program development. For more information about this proposal please contact Dr. Desmond at mdesmond@nmsu.edu. |
Dr. Martha Desmond, NMSU |
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Dr. Leslie Edgar, Associate Dean for Research in the College of ACES, and the director of NMSU’s Agricultural Experiment Station led a $10 million proposal to the USDA NEXTGEN program. . The goal of this proposal is to increase the number of underrepresented graduate students (specifically American Indian) in the college of ACES obtaining graduate degrees (MA, MS, and PhD) and transition to the workforce. The proposed program will allow graduate students recruited for this program to participate in three experiential learning opportunities: in policy with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, in research at one of 12 NMSU agricultural research and science centers, and in outreach at one of 33 county Cooperative Extension Service offices in New Mexico. This collaborative proposal involves partners from the Haskell Indian Nations University School of Business (Kansas), Fort Lewis College School of Science and Health (Colorado), and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (Virginia). In addition to these partners, the proposal includes collaborators from the Chief Dull Knife College, Colorado state University, First Americans Land-Grant Consortium (FALCON), Utah State University, and Navajo Agricultural Products Industry, as well as New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich. For more information about this proposal, please contact Dr. Edgar at ledgar@nmsu.edu. |
Dr. Leslie Edgar, NMSU |
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Professor of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management, Dr. Betsy Stringam along with her NMSU collaborators Drs. Chris Cramer and Efren Delgado submitted a $10 million proposal to the USDA NEXTGEN program to support and prepare an increase in the number of students for diverse careers in food and agriculture using a farm-to-table centered approach. This proposal was submitted in collaboration with the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at California State University, Fresno, a Hispanic-Serving Institution. The goal of this proposal is to develop messaging and build educational courses and activities using a farm-to-table focus to capture student interest in sustainability, and to introduce students to careers in sustainable food and agriculture. The proposal also plans to provide opportunities for students enrolled in the program to participate in farm-to-table internships, national and international exchanges, and to participate in an international field experience through a four-week faculty-led internship at Florence University of the Arts (FUA): The Italian Food Industry Farm-to-Table. As Dr. Stringam explains it, NMSU has a long-standing partnership with FUA. For more information about this proposal contact Dr. Stringam at betsys@nmsu.edu. |
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Regents Professor of Biology, Dr. Graciela Unguez submitted a proposal to the National Cancer Institute requesting $7.1 million to extend the Partnership for the Advancement of Cancer Research (PACR) program, NMSU’s collaborative effort with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA. As Dr. Unguez explains it, since its inception in 2002, this program has contributed to the career development of 73 faculty, enriched the training and educational experiences for 680 students, and supported 47 unique research projects resulting in more than 170 publications with nearly 60% co-authored by students. The program’s accomplishments have made it a model for faculty development, involvement of underrepresented students in biomedical and cancer-related research, and dissemination of knowledge to our southern New Mexico community in detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer. This proposal aims to extend the PACR program for another five years, and in its first three years it will support pilot projects led by four NMSU faculty, two in the College of HEST’s Department of Public Health: Drs. Dejan Magoc and Tamara Stimatze. The program will also support pilot research proposed by Dr. Soyoung Jeon, in the Department of Economics, Applied Statistics, and International Business (College of Business); and Dr. Ivette Guzman, in the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences (College of ACES). For more information about this proposal please contact Dr. Unguez at gunguez@nmsu.edu. |
Dr. Graciela Unguez, NMSU |
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Regents Professor of Biology, Dr. Elba Serrano submitted a proposal to NSF for $2.3 million dollars to develop the H.S.I.-NET National Data Science Hub. The HUB aims to develop the strategies, resources, and curriculum that improve the quality and outcomes of undergraduate data science education and advance the data science careers of students and faculty at H.S.I.s. To develop this proposal Dr. Serrano worked with a multidisciplinary team of faculty from around the nation. The collaborative team includes NMSU co-PIs Dr. Gabriela Morales, Dr. Marshall Taylor, Dr. Jiannong Xu and colleagues from four partner institutions: San Francisco University, Northeaster Illinois University, CUNY-Borough of Manhattan Community College, and Universidad del Sagrado Corazon in Puerto Rico. “H.S.I.s enroll 67% of the nation’s Hispanic students and data science is one of the most highly desired of STEM skill sets in the American science workforce that crosscuts traditional STEM fields,” explains Dr. Serrano. “By building data science capacity at H.S.I.s, the HUB enables the success of URM students and their peers in completing data science degrees and entering career pathways in virtually all STEM areas-thus shrinking the representation gaps in disciplines ranging from the physical sciences to the behavioral sciences.” For more information about this proposal, please contact Dr. Serrano at serrano@nmsu.edu. |
Dr. Elba Serrano, NMSU |
Associate Director of Agricultural Experiment Station, Dr. Lara Prihodko and her NMSU colleagues collaborated with the University of New Mexico as the lead to submit a multi-million-dollar proposal ($1.8 million for NMSU) to NSF titled Regional Advancement Leveraging Innovations for Water and Energy Security Transformation. NMSU team’s contribution to this regional effort includes providing
For more information about this proposal please contact Dr. Prihodko at prihodko@nmsu.edu. |
Dr. Lara Prihodko, NMSU |
NMPWRC Updates MOU with NM Environment Department
By Dr. Patricia Sullivan, Strategic Initiatives, RCSIThe NM Produced Water Research Consortium (NMPWRC) has recently renewed a multi-year MOU with the NM Environment Department to further support identification of science-based standards for fit-for-purpose applications and/or reuse of treated produced water outside of the oil and gas industry that ensures public and environmental health and safety. The work of the NMPWRC is an important component of the State’s efforts to expand fit-for-purpose use of alternative water resources across the state. Building on the renewed MOU, the NMPWRC also held its Annual Meeting in December whereby information was shared on updates to research in the areas of toxicology, characterization, and the rule-making process. The Annual Meeting was attended by over 75 individuals from academic institutions, industry, government agencies and NGOs. |
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2023 Lab Safety Campaign
By Dr. Tanner Schaub, Director Research Cores ProgramHappy New Year, NMSU! The Research Cores Program invites interested departments to join us in a 2023 campaign to improve lab safety awareness. We are implementing several new and easy-to-execute measures at RCP facilities this year: a bi-weekly safety walkthrough inspection process, in which each lab conducts a self-check and logs their findings, and twice-annual unit-wide safety activities, including a group lunch with discussion followed by walk-through lab assessments/inspections with a group critique. We will also demo an electronic reminder and bookkeeping system to help labs track and manage their self-inspections (this tool is in development by the NMSU Safety Office). Together, these efforts will help ensure regular safety vigilance and identify improvement opportunities. Please contact me at tschaub@nmsu.edu if you are interested in participating. Have a safe and productive 2023! |
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NMSGC Seeking Applications for FY 2023 Scholarships and Fellowships
By Ms. Cristina Esquivel, Program Specialist, NMSGCNew Mexico Space Grant Consortium (NMSGC) will open its application period for scholarships and fellowships for the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters. The application period will be open from January 16 to April 10, 2023. NMSGC offers scholarships and fellowships to students enrolled in any community college or university in New Mexico. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and must be majoring in a STEM field, with exception of the Pre-Service Teaching Undergraduate Studies Scholarship and the In-Service Teacher Graduate Studies Fellowship. The Fall 2023 – Spring 2024 Scholarships and Fellowships offered are:
Please visit www.nmspacegrant.com to apply or for more details. If you have any questions please send email to nmsgc@nmsu.edu or call (575) 646-6414. |
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Ms. Vicki Morgan’s Retirement
By Dr. Hamid Mansouri Rad, Senior Proposal Development Specialist, RASCongratulations to Ms. Vicki Morgan, Senior Administrative Assistant at Research Administration Services (RAS) for her retirement at the end of this month. Ms. Vicki began working at NMSU in 2008 with the Alumni Office and later joined RAS in 2013. “I felt welcomed by everyone here from the first day. The friends I made here at RCSI are priceless and I will always treasure them,” she states. We all owe Ms. Vicki a great deal for her support and for keeping us organized. “Since Vicki’s start with us, she has gone above and beyond while displaying a contagious smile in support of the RCSI mission at our first-rate University,” says Ms. Alisha Giron, Assistant Vice President for Research. “Vicki has exemplified friendly, helpful customer service to the research community both internally and externally,” she adds. Unfortunately, Ms. Vicki experienced a great deal of sorrow when her husband of 21 years, Tony Morgan, passed away in April 2020. He was the first person in Dona County to lose his life to COVID. We all shared her grief those sad, sad days, as it truly felt like we had lost a family member, and tried to be there for her as she coped with her husband’s loss. What’s next for Ms. Vicki after retirement? She loves travelling, reading, and dancing and is most excited about visiting family and friends and enjoying time with her new-born great nephew. “Vicki has been an exceptional citizen of the Aggie community. She symbolizes what it means to be a true Aggie. Vicki participates in multiple campus activities, faithfully attends sporting events, and proudly wears her Aggie gear,” states Ms. Giron. “I have no doubt, she will continue to be our RCSI ambassador!” Ms Vicki is currently pursuing her degree in Individualized Studies at NMSU. She can be reached at vmorgan@nmsu.edu. |
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Limited Submission Funding OpportunitiesBy Dr. Hamid Mansouri Rad, Senior Proposal Development Specialist, RASResearch Administration Services maintains a list of limited submission funding opportunities for NMSU research community. The list is accessible through a link on the Research website, through the Research Administration tab. NMSU users can also access the list directly on SharePoint. We encourage NMSU researchers to periodically visit the site and if they are interested in any of the opportunities to please inform us by sending email to ras@nmsu.edu. |
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Pivot Funding Opportunity DatabaseBy Dr. Hamid Mansouri Rad, Senior Proposal Development Specialist, RASThis is a reminder that in order to assist NMSU faculty and staff in locating external funding opportunities, the RCSI has purchased a subscription to ProQuest’s Pivot available at https://pivot.proquest.com/session/login. Choose New Mexico State University from the Institution drop down menu. You will be prompted to log in using your NMSU username and password. Follow the process for NMSU's 2-Factor Authentication (2FA). To request a one-on-one or group Pivot training, send email to hamid@nmsu.edu. |
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Graduate School |
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Exit Survey for Fall 2022 GraduatesBy Dr. Carol Flinchbaugh, Interim Associate Dean for Graduate SchoolThe Graduate School is developing an exit survey to better understand our recent graduates’ experiences while at NMSU. The purpose of the survey is to learn more about our graduate students’ experiences and to get feedback about our operations, services, and programs. We’ll be sending these surveys to students after they graduate to allow for an open and safe setting for graduates. Based on graduates’ comments we will have a better understanding of what we offer that supports students and where we have gaps in our service areas. Any feedback we receive from our graduates will help us guide program and process improvements in the future. We anticipate the survey will include questions that include experiences at a general level and at a program specific level, including questions specific to what was challenging, what was rewarding, what advice they have for new graduate students, etc. We may also if students are interested in personal exit interviews, in addition to the survey. We anticipate sending out the exit survey to Fall 2022 graduates next month. Please send any question or suggestions to me at cflinch@nmsu.edu. |
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Questions and comments regarding NMSU’s Research Digest should be directed to Hamid Mansouri Rad, Ph.D. at hamid@nmsu.edu, (575) 646-6429. |
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