RAIN Notes – May 2022
NCURA Webinar
Free webinar examining ORCID and Digitally Persistent Identifiers
26 May 2022 – Contact CMSI for Free Login
In January, the Government issued guidance on the use of DPIs, or Digital Persistent Identifiers. This session will be an educational session on DPIs – what they are, how they work, and how they can be an important part of a researcher’s workflow. In particular, this session will cover information about ORCID as currently the only DPI that meets the requirements listed in the OSTP guidance
ORA/ECU Authorized Signatory
ORA has designated a new Authorized Signatory for sponsored project proposals and awards – Deborah Lundin, Director of PreAward Services.
Related Links:
Reminder: Basics for Departmental Research Administrators
Research Administrators who manage 5 or more sponsored projects or at least $100,000 of active awards should complete the Basics for Departmental Research Administrators (BDRA) training at https://go.ecu.edu/BDRA. For additional information, see Required Training for Departmental Administrators.
Information about this training was initially sent in February and updates were recently sent to personnel covered by the requirement. If you have any questions about this training or your status, please contact CMSI – cmsi@ecu.edu.
The Story of University Innovation
This article summarizes a range of innovations developed by university researchers in the United States – it’s a great reminder of the value of what we all do here! Some highlights:
The internet first blinked to life at UCLA, and Google got its start at Stanford’s School of Engineering. Plasma screens were invented by a team at the University of Illinois. Gatorade was discovered and brought to market by the University of Florida, while nearly 90% of all U.S. hard winter wheat can be genetically traced to Kansas State University. The world’s first successful bone marrow transplant is linked to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Minnesota, and the discovery and development of the first insulin pump is credited to Yale University. University Business, 4 May 2022
Summary of National NSF Audit Findings (and “Promising Practices”)
In a one-page discussion, NCURA summarized the common findings by the NSF in audits over the past 3-years and some “promising practices” of institutions who fared well during audits. It’s worth the short read!
Pre-Award Spending Guidance Update
At the April RAIN meeting, their was a review of the updated pre-award spending guidance. See the summary below and the published GAP – 411 – PreAward Spending.
Under limited circumstances, Principal Investigators may request authorization to spend funds in support of a sponsored project in advance of receiving a notice of an award from a sponsor.
Requests for pre-award spending are routed through eTRACS. Administrators and grants managers should complete the project financial guarantee in eTRACS explaining the essential need, the amount of funds, and the period of time requested for pre-award spending. ORA will analyze the request to verify all administrative requirements have been met. If such requirements have been met, ORA will review to determine if supporting documentation from the Sponsor confirms a reasonable assurance an award is forthcoming.
May RAIN Meeting – 25 May
The May RAIN meeting will take place on 25 May – e-mail CMSI if you want to be added to the meeting link.
The Research Administrator’s Information Network (RAIN) is an open forum for ECU personnel interested in research administration issues. There are monthly RAIN meetings, a Microsoft Team, Grant Alerts, and these monthly issues e-mail. If you would like to be included in RAIN meetings and receive additional RAIN information, click here.