Faculty research spotlight | |
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Eric Fitzsimmons, associate professor of civil engineering
Carl R. Ice College of Engineering
Research overview:
My current research portfolio includes small, large and multi-institution state and federal grants that enable my research team — as well as other faculty members and students at K-State — to purse applied research that results in our transportation system and infrastructure being safer and more efficient for all users. The Kansas Department of Transportation and agencies under United States Department of Transportation are my primarily funding sources.
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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 fascinated by anything that has wheels and that moves - cars, airplanes, trucks, trains, subways, monorails, motorcycles. Our transportation network and complementing supply chain are delicate, and disruptions can cause immediate and serious impact.
What is your approach to this research?
Transportation research priorities are highly dependent on what legislation is coming out of Washington, D.C. Being able to work closely with our congressional offices and their liaisons allows for proposal assistance. Contacts with a variety of public and private sector partners is also helpful.
Have there been any significant challenges or breakthroughs in your recent research, and how have you addressed or leveraged them?
A constant challenge we face in transportation research proposal development is coming up with required matching funds — this could include 20%, 80% or 100% of in-kind, cost-share, or hard matching funds. K-State has assisted us, but we are always trying to find new ways to meet this requirement.
What is the potential impact of your research on your field and on broader societal issues?
A human life in 2024 is valued by the U.S. government at $14,029,605. The number and severity of crashes on our roadway, derailments of trains, collapsing of structures that result loss of life that our research can reduce or eliminate, ultimately will have a very high research return on investment.
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 | |
Register to attend 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.
The first session will focus on Community Health and Well-Being, one of the core areas of the Opportunity Agenda in K-State’s Next Gen. Plan. This focus area encompasses understanding physical, social and cultural features of a community; researching social dynamics and cohesion within a community; identifying and addressing factors that drive health disparities (including social determinants of health and health care policies); and identifying and enhancing the structures, policies and practices that impact accessibility to education.
Please register if you would like to attend the February 13 event or present your research poster during one of the Spring 2025 sessions.
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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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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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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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NSF Opportunities Introduction & Listening Session | |
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January 14, 2025
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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CTSA Program: Collaborative and Innovative Acceleration Award informational webinar | |
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Tuesday, January 14, 2025, from 2-3 p.m.
The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences will conduct a technical assistance webinar for applicants interested in applying to “Limited Competition: Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program: Collaborative and Innovative Acceleration Award (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Optional)”. Registration in advance of the webinar is required.
A recording of the event and copy of the presented slides will be made available on the NCATS CTSA Program Applicant Information website approximately one week after the event.
Prospective applicants who are unable to join are encouraged to review this information when preparing an application for submission. Additional information about the CCIA Initiative is available on the NCATS Accelerating Clinical and Translational Science Research Through Collaboration and Innovation website.
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NTIA seeking public input on 'pervasive data' | |
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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is seeking input from the public on the potential writing of ethical guidelines for the use of “pervasive data” in research. “Pervasive data” refers to data about people gathered through online services. This includes, for instance, data from social media platforms, online marketplaces, cell phones, the Internet of Things, wearable devices, and AI systems. Researchers have leveraged pervasive data to better understand human behavior, societal forces, public health, and the impact of the technology that surrounds us. These insights are essential for informing policy in the digital age, and researchers and organizations have called for ethical guidelines to help ensure this work is done responsibly.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/11/2024-29064/ethical-guidelines-for-research-using-pervasive-data
Comments are due January 15, 2025.
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CPS Rising Stars Workshop 2025 - Call for Applications | |
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The 2025 Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) Rising Stars Workshop, which is sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation, will be held at Vanderbilt University on March 12th, 2025.
This workshop aims to identify and mentor outstanding PhD students and postdocs who are interested in pursuing academic careers in CPS core research areas. It also aims to increase representation and diversity in CPS and especially encourages women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply. Eligible applicants should be within about 1-3 years of graduating with a PhD at the time of the workshop or have obtained a PhD no earlier than 2022 and do not currently hold a faculty position.
The workshop program committee will review applications and select CPS Rising Stars based on the research excellence and academic leadership potential. The selected applicants will receive travel support to attend the workshop, which will cover reasonable travel expenses, hotel accommodation, and meals. Their profiles will be highlighted on the workshop website and at the event.
The workshop program will feature keynotes, panels and presentations on the academic job search process and how to succeed as a junior faculty member, as well as research presentations from workshop participants. This workshop will give participants a chance to gain insights about navigating the early stages of careers in academia and network with their peers, opening the door for ongoing collaboration and professional support for years to come.
The application deadline is January 31, 2025 (AoE). Please find more details about the application process and eligibility requirements in the workshop website: https://cps-vo.org/group/CPSRisingStarsWorkshop25
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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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