Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of our OORI team, please accept my heartfelt thoughts and sympathies for all of you affected by our recent devastating wildfires. The impact of the disaster has been recognized across the globe. It has been touching to see the humanity in our world and our Trojan Family come together during this time of need.
On Monday, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo pausing various types of federal spending, including research grants and contracts, to allow agencies to review programs potentially affected by executive orders. However, yesterday, the OMB rescinded this directive. Broader federal efforts to implement the president’s executive orders remain in effect.
In the coming days and weeks, we anticipate further guidance from the White House and federal agencies regarding the specific activities impacted.
The Federal Relations and Department of Contracts and Grants (DCG) teams are actively monitoring these developments to keep the USC community informed. We greatly appreciate the information shared by faculty and staff across campus. To ensure a coordinated response, we ask that principal investigators forward any directives, memoranda, or stop-work orders they receive to their school or department research administrators and DCG for appropriate action. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the OORI website for research agency directives and federal updates.
The best innovations and solutions are often born from challenges and changes as society and politics churn, and catastrophes like our recent fires. Hence, as part of our scholarly community, please consider how you might collaborate with other researchers, apply for internal funding to advance your ideas, or participate in an upcoming innovation program.
Please know our OORI team is committed to enhancing your success. We will continue to help advance and translate your important work, and speedily submit your proposals.
Warm regards,
Ishwar K. Puri, Senior Vice President, Research & Innovation and Professor
FACULTY ENGAGEMENT: New OORI Award Program: We are happy to announce a new OORI award – the Early Career Innovator award. The program facilitates opportunities for USC undergraduate and graduate students to become Early Career Innovators and gain valuable entrepreneurial experience working with a small business founded by USC faculty, students, staff, or alumni. Proposal submission deadline is March 3, 2025.
Extended OORI proposal submission deadlines. Given the severe difficulties many in our community are experiencing, the proposal submission deadlines for the OORI award programs listed below have been extended to 5 PM on the following days in March 2025. Please contact rii@usc.edu if you have any questions.
March 4: President’s Sustainability Initiative Award (PSIA)
March 11: Institutional Training Planning Award
March 12: Zumberge
March 18: Instrumentation Award
March 19: Collaborative Research Planning Award
March 25: Student Empowerment Award
March 26: Ming Hsieh Institute Research Award
Congratulations to our awardee! Professor Kathy Smith was awarded an OORI SBIR/STTR Planning Award for the proposal Artistically- Enhanced AI – Using Cinematic Aesthetics to Make Humanlike, Animated Social AI and Robots more Engaging and Communicative for More Effective Therapeutic Applications.
Center for Excellence in Research: Our spring workshops have been postponed until March 2025. If you would like to be updated about upcoming workshops, please join our mailing list. Do you have an idea for a workshop? We’d love to hear from you! We’re also looking for faculty or staff to teach a workshop via Zoom this spring on topics such as research resources/methods, professional development, grant writing, etc. Any ideas you think would be useful are welcome!
RESEARCH STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT: RSD is monitoring guidance related to federal proposals during the administration transition. Please note that Federal proposal submissions will continue as long as federal agency systems remain in operation. PIs should monitor funding announcements to confirm deadlines. Additionally, PIs should expect potential delays in proposals review. RSD staff remain available to assist with proposal submissions.
Additionally, RSD staff are available to work with PIs actively preparing proposals who have concerns related to how the recent Executive Orders may impact their proposed activities. This includes reworking proposal components related to DEIA. Please contact Robyn Hejmej at robyngil@usc.edu for additional support.
DEPARTMENT OF CONTRACTS & GRANTS: DCG continues to monitor and share NewsFlashes on policy changes from recent Trump Administration Executive Orders. These updates cover federal agency directives affecting federally funded research. To support researchers, DCG has created a website with relevant information and resources. Key highlights include:
1. Temporary Communication and Activity Freezes (HHS) (Click Here)
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) paused public communications, travel, and advisory committee activities, which may lead to delays in grant funding processes. These measures are expected to be temporary through February 1, 2025.
2. NASA Changes in DEIA Activities (Click Here)
NASA has issued a memorandum ceasing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) activities under contracts and grants. While no award modifications have been issued to USC at this time, faculty are advised to consult with their Department of Contracts and Grants (DCG) Officer if their projects include DEIA components.
3. Department of Energy Changes in DEIA Activities (Click Here)
DOE has issued a memorandum ceasing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) activities, Community Benefit Plans and Justice40 requirements, conditions or principles under contracts and grants.
4. OMB Rescinds Pause on Federal Grants, Loans, & other Financial Assistance (Click Here)
The Office of Management and Budget rescinded the order freezing federal grants.
If you receive sponsor notices or have concerns about policy impacts, contact your DCG Officer. We will monitor updates and provide guidance as new information emerges.
HUMAN RESEARCH PROTECTION PROGRAM: We are pleased to announce that Martin Koning-Bastiaan stepped in as Interim Director of the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP), effective January 6th.
Martin is uniquely positioned to lead the HRPP-IRB teams during this transitional period, bringing a wealth of experience, expertise, and a deep commitment to advancing human research protections. He has been at USC for over 18 years and holds a doctorate in Regulatory Science with an emphasis on human research protections. He will continue to oversee Research Technology Services (RTS), the team that supports the University’s regulatory systems, including iStar-IRB. His strong leadership, collaborative approach, and understanding of the program make him an excellent choice to ensure continuity and support for our ongoing efforts. We look forward to working together under his guidance as we continue to uphold the highest standards of human research protections.
We are preparing for the AAHRPP accreditation site visit. Additional information and education sessions will be available in the coming months.
STEVENS CENTER FOR INNOVATION: We’re thrilled to announce new team members to the Stevens Center:
Nikki Higa, Ph.D., is our newest Technology Licensing Manager and is an expert in life sciences, diagnostics, cancer, and precision medicine. Prior to joining the team, Nikki was a Graduate Research Assistant at the USC Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences for six years and was a member of the first cohort of Innovation Interns at the Stevens Center last year. Her doctoral research centered on multiomic studies to identify and characterize circulating biomarkers for solid tumors using minimally invasive, blood-based liquid biopsies. Nikki was a Cohort 1 Intern for the Stevens Center and has worked on developing point-of-care diagnostic tests at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute and the University of Washington. She earned a B.S. in Bioengineering from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology and Genomics from USC.
Affreen Jaffrey is the Senior MTA Administrator at the Stevens Center and is primarily responsible for supporting the negotiation and execution of Material Transfer Agreements, Data Use Agreements and Confidentiality Agreements. She brings 10 years of experience in academic research agreements, industry contracting, and clinical trial negotiations. Prior to joining USC, Affreen worked at Oregon Health & Science University as an Agreements Manager and supported various research divisions’ contract requests. She earned a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University.
Diana Madrigal is the Innovation Office Coordinator at USC Stevens. In this role, she ensures daily operations and facilitates interactions between researchers, staff, students, and external audiences. With her extensive experience in higher education and student affairs, Diana excels in case investigations, program development, event coordination, and restorative justice initiatives. Her background includes roles at the University of Southern California and California State University, Fullerton, where she managed complex administrative tasks, upheld compliance with institutional policies, and delivered impactful educational programs. Diana has an M.A. in Women and Gender Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.A. in Chicana/o Studies from California State University Dominguez Hills.
Veronica Reynolds, Ph.D., is a Technology Licensing Manager at the USC Stevens Center with expertise in the physical sciences. She is a scientist with over a decade of experience in materials research and development and scientific programming. Prior to joining USC, she held various positions in both materials engineering and data engineering at W. L. Gore & Associates, Citrine Informatics, and SpaceX. An NSF GRFP award supported her Ph.D. research, where she focused on integrating novel polymers into flexible and stretchable electronics to enable devices with properties inaccessible via rigid silicon-based designs. Veronica earned her Ph.D. in Materials from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering from Columbia University.
We’ve onboarded two licensing assistants for our second cohort of interns. If you know any Ph.D. candidates interested in tech transfer, please help us spread the word about our innovation internship program or have them fill out this form and submit it, along with a copy of their resume, to: innovation_interns@stevens.usc.edu. Thank you.
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL RESOURCES: Staff members at DAR are processing the terrible devastation and loss caused by the recent wildfires. We are thankful to all first responders and those providing resources. DAR has remained fully operational in all USC animal facilities to ensure animals are provided with daily care for research. All essential personnel, DAR animal technicians, vet technicians, and veterinarians are still carrying out planned research support and administrative activities. Contingency plans for fires are being updated in our Business Continuity Plan to minimize loss since this event has allowed us to think about and discuss self-sufficiency and safety.
Per Diem Reminder: all species per diem will be increasing on July 1st as advertised in the 5 Year Rate Schedule posted early 2024. The mouse per diem will be $1.42 and the rat will be $2.42, please see the link for all species and upcoming years.
Space: DAR and OORI are working with Space Planning and Management to continue to look for improvements and opportunities for animal space housing. On December 12, the DAR Executive Director outlined the present challenge with potential long- and short-term solutions in a presentation to the Research Council. Our husbandry staff have also added racks to buildings in RRI to accommodate investigators’ colonies. We will keep you updated on any changes and progress made in the matter.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY: A lot is happening at USC Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) this month! Please find these important updates:
2024 Annual Summary: Look back at EH&S’ accomplishments, key metrics, collaborations, and ongoing services throughout 2024. Read the full summary here.
RSS Radiation Module: On January 6, 2025, EH&S launched the Radiation Module for radioisotope users, who can now manage RAM inventory with greater ease using the new module.
Annual Refresher Memo: On January 21,EH&S’ Annual Laboratory Safety Refresher Memo went out to PIs and Lab Managers.Don’t miss out – complete your Laboratory Safety Training refresher with your lab today! The new SSTR Web Application makes it easy to submit your lab’s safety records to EH&S. Read more here.
Controlled Substances Program Updates: EH&S recently reviewed and updated the Controlled Substances and Precursor Chemicals Program (CPSC). Updates include new and improved CS Forms and a revamped TrojanLearn training. Visit the CPSC webpage for more information.
Wildfires & N95 Distribution: As the devastating wildfires affected many of USC’s families and surrounding communities, EH&S advised the campus community during daily Operations calls and combatted poor air quality by providing nearly 2,300 N95 respirators to employees.
Safety & Preparedness Fair: Thank you to everyone who joined us on January 22 at the Safety & Preparedness Fair! Attendees stocked up on emergency supplies, learned valuable preparedness tips, participated in hands-on Fire Extinguisher Training, and connected with the ONE USC Safety Team. In case you missed it, our next Safety & Preparedness Fair is February 6, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, in Pappas Quad at the Health Sciences Campus. See you there!
With so much going on, EH&S is here to support you. Visit the EH&S website to stay up to date or contact us at ehs@usc.edu.
Monthly updates are archived here.