Stay up to date on the latest government shutdown resources from federal agencies

The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, a national organization that works to advance the mission of public research universities, has published a helpful resource page with links to the latest government shutdown guidance from several federal agencies, including research funding agencies like the Department of Education, Health and Human Services and the National Science Foundation among others. USC researchers are encouraged to refer to this page to get connected with the latest agency guidance during the shutdown period.

 

Encourage undergraduate researchers to attend research ethics workshop

The Office of Undergraduate Research is honored to welcome Dr. Jordan Lewis, Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at USC, for a professional development workshop on Research Ethics and the Bigger Picture on Tuesday, October 14.

This workshop will provide a crash course in research ethics and how to think critically about ethical dilemmas in research. The interactive workshop will include case studies based on real-world scenarios and is designed for undergraduate students who are engaged in, or interested in, research. More information and the link to register can be found here.

 

Attention Health Sciences Researchers: NIH announces new application structure for NIH-funded international collaborations

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a new application and award structure last week for applications that request funding for international component organizations. Effective for due dates on or after January 25, 2026, competing applications must be in response to a funding opportunity using a new grant type when requesting NIH funding for one or more foreign components. The NIH will continue to fund foreign components, as long as they are structured as independent subprojects, but will no longer support traditional foreign subawards. Visit the NIH website to learn more about this change and get the official NIH notice (NOT-OD-25-155), which includes detailed application instructions.

For important information on how this change will affect future proposals and awards already received by USC researchers that were proposed before this new guidance, check out the Office of Sponsored Awards Management website.

 

Congratulations!: Four USC research administrators honored with Exceptional Research Service Awards

The Office of the Vice President for Research is pleased to announce the recipients of the Exceptional Research Service Awards, presented at the STRIVE Awards and Recognition Brunch held on International Research Administrator Day last week. Our four 2025 awardees demonstrate a commitment to advancing excellence in research administration and technical research support. Please join us in congratulating Shelby Mills, Jessica Stucker, Lauren Clark and Kia Zellars on their outstanding work.

 

Graduate Students: Registration is open to participate in USC’s three-minute thesis competition

Registration is now open to compete in this year’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. 3MT is a global competition that challenges graduate students to explain their research and its significance in an engaging and accessible manner for a general audience. This year’s competition will take place on November 7. Learn more and sign up by Friday, October 10 for a chance to develop your research communication skills, engage in friendly competition and win a cash prize.

 

Call for Chapters: AI, Art, and Technology in STEAM Education: Empirical Studies at the Intersection of Creativity and Innovation

USC Lancaster faculty member Sahar Aghasafari and Jeremy Blair of Tennessee Tech University are seeking chapters for a new book on AI, art and technology in STEAM fields. This volume invites scholarly contributions on how artificial intelligence, media/visual arts and emerging technologies intersect with STEM/STEAM education. The pair welcome empirical studies, design-based research, classroom innovations, theoretical frameworks, case studies and practice-based perspectives from K–12 and higher education. Topics include learning outcomes, equity and UDL, teacher preparation, assessment, interdisciplinarity, ethics, and community partnerships. Learn more and submit your abstract by Saturday, November 15.

 

USC AI Institute to host a special Safe AI for Seniors day to educate adults age 55+ on the power of artificial intelligence technology

Safe AI for Seniors, a full-day, free, hybrid event dedicated to empowering older adults (55+) with knowledge, tools, and engaging discussions about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on daily life. Hosted by the AI4Society research group in the AI Institute at the University of South Carolina, this interactive program will feature expert talks on AI, cybersecurity, law, and health; demonstrations; open discussions tailored to seniors’ needs; and even a fun-filled AI Bingo game. The event will take place in Columbia, SC, on Friday, November 14, 2025, with both in-person and virtual participation options available. Learn more and register today.

 

Research Security Spotlight: What is the best way to get up to speed on research security?

At a Carnegie tier-one research institution like USC, faculty juggle many responsibilities. It can be difficult for busy researchers to keep up with the ever-evolving research security landscape and make sure they have completed all the training required by federal agencies that fund their work. Fortunately, the Office of Research Security has recently begun to offer streamlined security training through the CITI Program platform, allowing covered researchers to complete required annual research security training in about one hour. Here is everything you need to know to make sure you are up to speed with research security training:

• Faculty, students, postdocs, staff and affiliate scholars who are considered covered individuals on a federally funded research project must complete the one-hour Research Security Training course on the CITI Program platform. Check out the Research Security Training page to determine if you are considered a covered individual, and to access the CITI-based Research Security Training course.
• Some covered individuals are required to take additional web-based training courses related to research security, all of which are available through the Research Security Training page:
  • University personnel supporting federal contracts/awards with access to regulated data (controlled unclassified information, HIPAA, genomic, etc.) must complete Controlled Unclassified Information Training.
  • Personnel involved in export-controlled research are required to complete Export Control Compliance Training.
  • University personnel working on a federal project requiring Operations Security (OPSEC) training must complete OPSEC training.
  • Personnel working on some select Department of Defense projects are required to complete Insider Threat Awareness training.
• Once you have completed required research security training, don’t forget to confirm completion by submitting your certificate(s) using the form on the Research Security Training page.

For more information about research security at USC, visit the Office of Research Security website.

 

Research reminders from the CGI Hub

Funding Opportunities:

• The SPARC grant program for graduate students is accepting applications through Wednesday, November 12 – check out the SPARC program page for details, application materials and more.
• Don’t forget to check out the Limited Submissions page for the latest listing of limited funding opportunities.

 Training Opportunities:

• The CGI Hub Training calendar has new offerings added all the time—check it out for the latest.
• University Libraries is offering upcoming workshops on a variety of research topics—visit their calendar page to learn more and register.