Attention Research Administrators: Just a few more days to apply for the STRIVE mentoring program

STRIVE Mentoring is a brand-new program designed to strengthen the network of research administration staff at USC. The new program will foster professional development through mutually beneficial mentoring relationships among senior research administrators and those who are relatively early in their research careers. Through monthly mentor-mentee meetings over the course of a twelve-month work period, pairs will work together to accomplish mentee-determined goals designed to enhance research administration skills.

We welcome both senior-level mentors and relatively early career mentees to apply for the first STRIVE Mentoring cohort in the 2025-2026 academic year. In order to be considered for STRIVE, you must apply by next Friday, June 6, 2025. Mentee applicants will be required to submit the Self-Assessment Worksheet and the Acknowledgement from Supervisor Form as part of their applications.

 

ClinTrUSC Pilot and Developmental Project Funding – Cycle II Now Open

The Center for Clinical and Translational Research at USC (ClinTrUSC) Health Research Core invites pre-applications for the second cycle of the Pilot and Developmental Research Project Program. This opportunity supports innovative clinical and translational research that addresses critical health issues affecting communities in the Midlands of South Carolina. Details:

• Funding Available: Up to $100,000 (Pilot) / $200,000 (Developmental)
• Pre-Application Deadline: Monday, June 16, 2025
• Full Application Deadline: Monday, July 28, 2025

Interested investigators are encouraged to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for details on eligibility, project requirements, and application instructions.

For questions, visit the ClinTrUSC website or contact ClinTrUSC via email at clintruscHRcore@uscmed.sc.edu.

 

Research Security Spotlight: How do adversaries approach researchers to try and elicit information?

The U.S. Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) recently published details on the methods of approach (pdf) used by foreign intelligence entities used most in the past year when attempting to contact targeted researchers and research facilities and elicit information they want to exploit.

The new DCSA report shows that adversaries are using electronic approaches to U.S. researchers and facilities more than ever, reaching out to U.S. research personnel in academic and industrial settings via email (445 reported attempts) and professional networking sites (117 reported attempts). Most of these contact attempts involve individuals submitting resumés (518 attempts) to seek employment or other professional connection with U.S. researchers who work with protected information, often in targeted fields of study like aeronautics systems, software and emerging technologies. Adversaries also seek out U.S. researchers at professional and academic conferences and conventions, aiming to exploit the collaborative nature of research to make connections and glean protected information through interpersonal interactions.

Learn more about methods adversaries use to contact targets in academic research and reach out to the Office of Research Security with your questions, concerns and to request a risk assessment for any potential international collaborators from U.S. countries of concern and sanctioned/embargoed countries.

 

Hit the Books: Sign up for the fall 2025 Certified Research Administrator Exam Study Hall program

CRA Study Hall is a guided self-study initiative designed to support eligible research administrators at USC as they prepare for the nationally recognized Certified Research Administrator exam. This program offers a collaborative space to navigate the exam’s content areas and exam format, convening for 13 live virtual sessions on Tuesdays from noon to 1:15 p.m. leading up to the opening of the November 1-15, 2025 testing window. Learn more about CRA Study Hall and sign up to receive the Teams link.

 

Spend your summer at the DataCamp

USC researchers and research staffers are increasingly making DataCamp their go-to platform to increase their data skills, develop new technology proficiencies and even study for professional certifications to advance their careers. In a new CGI Hub article, College of Pharmacy Microscopy Core Director Vitali Sikirzhytski, and Carolyn Harmon, Director of Healthcare Leadership, Nursing Informatics and Nursing Education Programs in the College of Nursing, share how they make DataCamp courses work for them. Plus, find out how to navigate the platform’s 400+ courses to blaze your own path to DataCamp success.

 

NIH Researchers: Don’t forget these important updates

• Accelerated implementation date for the NIH Public Access Policy: In 2024, the NIH released a Public Access Policy, eliminating the 12-month embargo period allowed by the previous 2008 policy. This new policy, which applies to articles and their associated research data, was slated to go into effect on December 31, 2025. This deadline has been moved up to July 1, 2025. To learn more about complying with the NIH’s Data Management and Sharing Policy, visit https://guides.library.sc.edu/nihdmsp or contact Stacy Winchester, Research Data Librarian. 
• Simplified Review Criteria are now in effect for NIH proposals: Now in effect, NIH review criteria will operate based on new, simplified review criteria. To review these updates and learn more, visit the NIH website detailing these changes. 

 

ICYMI: Ph.D. Candidate Presents National Lab Research at Prestigious Conference

The University of South Carolina’s National Laboratories Office (NLO) is committed to advancing student research and supporting academic excellence. The NLO recently provided a travel grant to fund Ph.D. candidate Allison Brown's trip to present her research at the 2025 International Conference on Methods and Applications of Radioanalytical Chemistry (MARC) in Hawaii. Read about Brown's research on the NLO website.