Colleagues,

My travel allowed me to attend the WSU Tri-Cities graduation ceremony. Since I have many colleagues on this campus, I felt at home and enjoyed the camaraderie among the faculty.

Across programs and disciplines, there was a shared purpose that seems difficult to replicate on the Pullman campus. Before the graduation, faculty gathered for lunch and marched together. Afterward, they celebrated and shared experiences from the year at a local establishment.

The commencement ceremony itself was similar to those I have attended in the past. Butch was there to greet us all, and the students were dressed in their cap and gown, bearing the familiar Cougar-head emblem. We marched in following the mace bearer. Looking out over the audience, I saw brightly colored stoles representing honors and affiliations, wildly decorated mortarboards, proud families, and excited graduates. However, two aspects stood out to me. The first was the overwhelming representation of our graduates with Hispanic heritage. The second was that nearly every student stood when Chancellor Sandra Haynes recognized students who worked to put themselves through college.

Although faculty and administrators may have differing opinions about OneWSU, my recent experiences have made me consider something that one of our provost candidates mentioned and senior vice provost Doug Call has repeated to me over and over again: "If you were to build a modern land-grant university to serve a state as diverse as Washington, wouldn't it look like OneWSU? Not centralized at one remote and rural campus, but brought to our citizens' doorsteps?"

As educators, we can choose to expand our community of scholarship to our colleagues across the system or not. However, many of Washington's citizens may not have the choice to leave family obligations or muster the finances to move to Pullman. Everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue a WSU education, regardless of obligations or finances. It is all our campuses that make this a reality, and I know that the individuals in the photo above feel the same way. As we gathered in celebration last Saturday, they all were clearly grateful for the chance to pursue a WSU education.

Michael Wolcott

Regents Professor

Interim Vice President for Research



Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility statement in research

The Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships website now includes a page devoted to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). The page is offered as part of the Resources and Services section and includes an Office of Research DEIA statement and DEIA resources for faculty as part of the research proposal development process.



Tribal Engagement and Consultation Mini Grants

The Office of Tribal Relations is partnering with the Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships to offer mini grants to researchers who demonstrate experience collaborating with Native communities and who are seeking funds for tribal outreach and engagement on a current or new project that will lead to the submission of an extramural grant proposal.

Proposals are due May 15 for funds that can be used during the summer and the following academic year. Funds can be utilized for activities (travel, listening sessions, tribal elder or cultural stipends, participant honorariums, etc.) that enhance the research partnership. The PI must be a faculty member at WSU (any track and rank). Awardees will be expected to work with the Office of Tribal Relations to ensure the project meets the expectations for tribal engagement and will also receive proposal development support from the Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships.



Federal budget includes wins for WSU Health Sciences

The recent federal funding package for fiscal year 2024 shows support for WSU priorities in the health science space.



Rivers, Watersheds, and Communities Club to celebrate the rivers of the Palouse

Let’s celebrate the rivers of the Palouse! The Rivers, Watersheds, and Communities Club at WSU, in collaboration with the Water Research Center, is hosting our first Walking Rivers event on Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m. on the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail. A day #WalkingRivers is a global event to recognize and celebrate local rivers and is organized by the Centro Ibérico de Restauración Fluvial, Spain. Join us in our walk along Paradise Creek to learn more about Palouse rivers, water quality, and restoration.

All ages are welcome and the Palouse Trail is accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. The goal is to walk 10,000 steps (about 4 miles). You can join for as much or as little of the trip as you’d like. Registration is required.



USGS and National Institutes of Water Resources seeking water research

USGS in cooperation with the National Institutes of Water Resources (NIWR) has released their annual request for water research proposals under its National Competitive Grants Program. These programs include a call for general water research proposals, under the WRRA 104g program, a program specifically for research on Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and a program on Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS, though this third program focuses on the Mississippi basin).

Any investigator at an institution of higher learning is eligible to apply for these grants with research that focuses on priorities of regional and national importance. If you are working through an institution in Washington State, you must submit your proposal for these programs through the State of Washington Water Research Center. The deadline to apply is May 21, 2024.



Accelerated startup license now live

The Office of Commercialization created the Accelerated Startup License (ASL) to facilitate discussions with WSU spinoffs. This agreement demystifies intellectual property licensing from WSU and streamlines the process.



Saguid receives Washington SBDC top honor

The Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) has named Giselle Saguid the network’s State Star for 2024. Being named State Star is the highest honor awarded to a SBDC employee and is celebrated annually at the America’s SBDC national conference in September.



Seeking candidates for Office of Research Faculty Fellows position

The Office of Research National Laboratory Partnerships is starting its search for the next Faculty Fellow to coordinate the WSU-PNNL Distinguished Graduate Research Program (DGRP). The selected candidate will begin during mid- to late-fall 2024 to onboard before taking on full responsibility of duties effective in January 2025.

In this role, you will report to Jonathan Male, director of the Office of National Laboratory Partnerships and assistant vice chancellor for research. Responsibilities will include leadership for the DGRP, raising the visibility of the DGRP across the WSU system, shaping procedures that foster participation by faculty and academic units related to the DGRP, and contributing to overall student success in the program. A time commitment of at least 12 hours per month is expected with compensation provided through additional duties and responsibilities (ADR), course buy-out, or partial support for a student/post-doc.

Please contact Jonathan Male by email at jonathan.male@wsu.edu and cc DGRP@wsu.edu for more information.