Faculty research spotlight | |
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Maria Diehl, assistant professor of psychological sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
Research overview:
My lab studies the neural circuits of fear and avoidance behaviors in rats. We are particularly interested in how social factors can affect how aversive behaviors such as fear and avoidance are learned. We have developed a number of tasks that examine how fear and avoidance can be learned with another rat and how the experience of that rat may impact learning, as well as how observing fear or avoidance can facilitate learning in the absence of direct experience. We use a variety of tools to probe the neural circuits that regulate these behaviors.
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What motivated you to pursue research in this specific field, and how has your focus evolved over time?
I've always been fascinated with the brain since I did a fetal pig dissection in high school. In college, I worked in different labs studying cognition, then shifted to studying language development. Since my PhD, I have been focused on brain circuits of social communication and emotion regulation.
What is your approach to this research?
My lab utilizes an array of tools to probe the neural basis of behaviors; specifically, we use immunohistochemical assays to identify neural activation correlated with behavior, electrophysiology to monitor neural activity during behavior and optogenetics to manipulate brain circuits during behavior.
Have there been any significant challenges or breakthroughs in your recent research, and how have you addressed or leveraged them?
We are planning some future projects that combine electrophysiology to monitor neural activity in vivo with optogenetic photo-tagging to identify single cells in prefrontal cortex that project to amygdala, striatum and other downstream brain targets to further characterize avoidance circuits.
What is the potential impact of your research on your field and on broader societal issues?
I have a deep interest in understanding how social factors affect how we learn about and respond to danger in our world. This is relevant for understanding how social trauma can develop but also understanding how we can leverage therapies that include social support for treating anxiety disorders.
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 publications each semester.
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K-State events and announcements | |
Wishing all Wildcats Happy Holidays | |
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On behalf of the Office of the Vice President for Research, we wish all members of the Kansas State University community happy holidays and a successful new year.
In observation of the campus holiday schedule, our offices will be closed from December 24 to January 1. Additionally, Research Weekly will pause weekly publication until January 8.
Congratulations on finishing the semester strong and go Wildcats!
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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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Roots of Research award nominations | |
Nominations for the Roots of Research award are now closed and being reviewed by an internal committee. The Office of the Vice President for Research will announce the names of up to 10 selected faculty members in early February. Trees will be planted during Earth Week in April. | |
External events and announcements | |
NIH issues new policy to speed access to agency-funded research results | |
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The National Institutes of Health has long championed the principles of transparency and accessibility in NIH-funded research. To further this commitment, today NIH released a new public access policy accelerating broad access to NIH-funded research results. The most significant change from the previous policy is the removal of the 12-month embargo period before manuscripts resulting from NIH funding must be made publicly available. The policy meets the expectations set forth in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP) memo Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research.
In addition to the updated policy, NIH has issued supplemental guidance on publication costs and on government use license and rights. The updated policy and supplemental guidance were developed after considering all feedback NIH received on the draft proposals received through a request for information. The revised policy will go into effect for peer-reviewed manuscripts accepted on or after Dec. 31, 2025. Until that time, NIH’s current Public Access Policy, originally issued in 2008 will remain in effect.
Read the full release on the NIH website.
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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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Intro to NSF ExLENT Office Hours: December 18, 2024 - February 5, 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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Division of Materials Research Office Hour: December 20, 2024
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Human Networks and Data Science Program Office Hours: January 7, 2025
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NAIRR Pilot Data DCL Webinar: January 8, 2025
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CISE Research Expansion Office Hours: January 9, 2025
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EPSCoR Research Fellows Office Hours: January 21, 2024
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Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Office Hours: January 15, 2025
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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: January 7, 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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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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