Funding Opportunity: NSF Releases Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks Solicitation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has released a new cross-agency solicitation for Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks (SRS RNs) to advance convergent science, engineering, and education research to create more sustainable regional systems.  The Research Networks will seek understanding of the connections between rural and urban communities integrating data collection, outcomes, theories of change, generalizable … Read more

ARPA-E Announces Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for the Bioeconomy Program

The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) released a $25 million funding opportunity for new technologies to improve the carbon efficiency of bioconversion platforms. The Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for the Bioeconomy (ECOSynBio) program seeks to establish pathways for low-, zero-, or negative-carbon fuels, chemicals, and materials for a robust and secure U.S. … Read more

Agency Update: HHS Seeks Input on Screening Guidance for Synthetic Double-Stranded DNA

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) pertaining to the agency’s 2010 framework for providers of synthetic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). This framework aims to mitigate the potential biosecurity risks of certain dsDNA products being … Read more

Agency Update: DARPA Announces 2021 Young Faculty Award Proposers Day

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) will be holding a proposers day webcast on September 25, 2020 in anticipation of releasing its 2021 Young Faculty Award Program (YFA) research announcement (RA). DARPA’s YFA program aims to expose rising stars in junior faculty or equivalent positions at academic and non-profit research institutions … Read more

Harnessing the Potential of Genome Editing for Tomorrow’s Agriculture

The fourth day of the Plant Biology Worldwide submit was introduced by Asia Hightower, a PhD student at Michigan State University who is also the Early Career Representative on the ASPB Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) committee. Asia relayed how becoming involved in ASPB provided many opportunities to build her network and gave her access to … Read more