The ORSP Update

NEW: Student Research Hubs

This all-new resource for students is a one-stop-shop for information about the events, funding, publication, IRB, etc. CLICK HERE to view the Undergraduate Student Research Hub and CLICK HERE to view the Graduate Student Research Hub. This is an excellent resource to share with students interested in, or currently conducting, research and creative activity.  

Professional Development Opportunity: DREAM

DREAM is an AY-long professional development program for tenure-track/tenured faculty who are interested in becoming principal investigators of externally funded projects. Training will include best practices to identify funding opportunities, to build collaborations across disciplines and institutions, to communicate with a sponsor’s program officer, to write a grant proposal, and to ensure compliance with responsible conduct of research policies. In addition to the training, each participant will identify a professional mentor who will provide advice related to expanding the participants’ research and scholarly portfolios by developing funding proposals, executing sponsored research projects, and publishing results in peer‐ reviewed publications. Applications for DREAM will be announced on Tuesday, April 15th. Any questions? Email Catherine Spaur at CSpaur@wcupa.edu. 

IRB Q&A Drop-In Sessions

Check out the Spring 2025 schedule for the IRB Q&A drop-in sessions! Drop in at any time during the scheduled times to ak your application questions. Click here for more information!

Want your research to be highlighted? 

Submit your research story here! Follow us on Instagram to support our office and stay involved with WCU’s research community. Click here to view! 

Listen to ORSP's Podcast

Check out ORSP's new podcast, “Faculty Podcasts”! We currently have two episodes available on Spotify: “Connect and Conquer: The Power of Conversations with your Program Officer” and “Student Engagement in Research and Creative Activity”. Click here to tune in to these insightful conversations with our faculty guests.  Click here to listen on Spotify! 

                                                                                          

Faculty & Student Research Spotlights

Nadine Silverman   

Trails: an Excursion for Clarinets and Orchestra 

"I have spent the past year composing the music for a new clarinet concerto that will have its world premiere with the Salt Lake Symphony and clarinet soloist Dr. Laura Grantier on April 12th, 2025 at the University of Utah. The music is inspired by four of Dr. Grantier's favorite mountain bike trails in Colorado and Utah, and each trail is represented in one movement of this musical work. Each movement is written to feature a different member of the clarinet family: B-flat bass, E-flat alto, E-flat piccolo, and B-flat soprano (standard). In order to prepare to write this piece, Dr. Grantier brought me (a complete novice) mountain biking with her to feel the rhythms of the trails and see the amazing landscapes in person. The world premiere will be accompanied by video footage from the trails shot by videographer Jolie Snavely. Following the world premiere this April, Trails will be performed in July at the International Clarinet Association's 52nd annual ClarinetFest in Fort Worth, TX, and again by the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de El Salvador this August in San Salvador, SV. "

                                                                                          

Dr. Regina (Jeanie) Subach 

Ram Chefs is a culinary education program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, held in the food lab in the SECC. The program is directed by Dr. Jeanie Subach and powered by Nutrition Major Coaches. The goal of the program is to cultivate the culinary skills of participants with the end goal of employment in the food service industry and independent living. Four current Ram Chefs are employed on campus by Aramark. The Ram Chefs also have 8 raised beds on South Campus and donate the harvest to the WC Food Cupboard. Emma Carpenter, a 2024 SURI student researcher recently presented her research on "The impact of community gardening on the social relatedness of persons with disabilities at the Undergraduate Research at the Capitol Poster Presentation.  The program has been present at the national, state and local level and featured on numerous local news channels. 

                                                                                       

Northeast Regional Honors Conference Presenters    

On March 29th, Dr. Timothy Jussaume, Honors Director, brought honors students and faculty to participate in the Northeast Regional Honors Conference. Dr. Gerardina Martin presented "Community Engagement High Impact Practices: Exchanging Ideas for Creating Positive Social Change" at the Idea Exchange. Panel presenters included K.C. Thoman “Place and Space-Based Learning: Actualization of Place for the Global Learner,” Leo Bignault “Keeping History Transparent: Lessons from Truth Commissions in Brazil and Nicaragua," Connor Dapp "Brunches, Bingos, and Beatniks: Drag Performers as Creators of Resistance Since 2009," and Layla King “Civil Disobedience in the Classroom: The Literary Effect of Thoreau.” Poster presentations included Allison Koehle "The Road to Medicine: Peer Mentorship at West Chester University” and Jayden Hartlaub "Disordered Eating and Intentional Insulin Restriction Among Individuals with Type 1 diabetes: Examining Diabetes Distress, Weight Esteem, and Perception of BMI as Health as Risk Factors.” Round table presentations included Sawyer Zimmer “Dilemmas: How a Person's Psyche Affects Critical Decision-Making." 

 

 

 

Recently Awarded Grants

Simon Condliffe, CBPM: Center for Rural Pennsylvania - $35,560

* Grant currently being negotiated. Only primary PIs have been listed. Congratulations to all co-PIs on these projects!

Upcoming External Funding Opportunities

Arts & Humanities

05/07/2025: Publishing Historical Records in Collaborative Digital Editions FY 2026 - First Deadline

05/20/2025: Preservation and Access Education and Training

Health Sciences

05/26/2025: PA-25-169: Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

07/24/2025: Climate Change and Human Health Seed Grants

Science & Mathematics

05/01/2025: Fund for Wild Nature Grant           

05/02/2025: Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) Department of Defense Army 

05/15/2025: 3D Printer Grants

05/25/2025: Fiscal Year 2026 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) 

05/25/2025: Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Department of Defense (DoD) Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP)      

05/26/2025: Alternatives Research & Development Foundation (ARDF) Annual Open Grant Program

06/30/2025: Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator            

Education & Social Work

04/25/2025:  William Penn Foundation - Early Childhood Education Program  

05/14/2025: The Spencer Foundation: Research Grants on Education  

 Interdisciplinary Opportunities 

05/01/2025: Diabetes Grant Program     

05/25/2025: Environment and Public Space - Reduce Environmental Burdens      

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