Office of Research and Creative Scholarship Newsletter
Events
ORCS Coffee Hour
Friday, September 11, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, CHCB 131
The Office of Research and Creative Scholarship is bringing coffee and treats to departments across campus! Our goal is to build community with faculty, students, and staff who work every day to make research and creative scholarship thrive at UM. Colleagues from across disciplines are welcome. In September, join us at Wildlife Biology, and if you'd like ORCS to host a coffee hour in your department, please reach out to schedule one.
ORCS Fall Forum
Tuesday, September 15, 2026, from 3:00-4:00 PM, GBB 122
Please attend the Fall ORCS Forum with Interim VPR Paul Lukacs. Forums are an opportunity for our campus community of researchers and creative scholars to learn more about UM’s research enterprise, join the discussion, and pose questions. This is an in-person event. Please bring your questions and concerns.
DHC Social Co-sponsored by ORCS
Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM, DHC
Co-sponsored by the Office of Research and Creative Scholarship and Internal Communications, faculty, staff and retirees are invited to a reception in the Davidson Honors College. Socialize with colleagues from across campus, meet new people and renew friendships. Refreshments will be served.
Vital Signs, Where Health Meets Humanity: Workshops and Reading
Friday, September 25, 2026
Research Workshop, 2:00 PM in ECK/LA 103
The Vital Signs research workshop brings together researchers from health, humanities, and curious faculty across disciplines to identify shared questions, explore intellectual overlap, and envision new possibilities for collaborative research. The goal is to create space for conversation through a generative activity facilitated by the Research Development team at the Office of Research and Creative Scholarship with opportunities for further collaboration. (Coffee and cookies offered after the workshop.) Attendance capped at 20 participants. Please register in advance.
Writing Workshop, 3:30 PM in Eck/LA 103
A generative writing workshop that includes a facilitated topic introduction, independent writing time, and conversation. Participants will leave with ideas for future projects. Attendance capped at 20 participants. Please register in advance.
Reading, 6:00 PM, in the Dell Brown Room
A reading and community conversation featuring creative work. Refreshments provided. Book sales available from our partners at F&F. Keynote Speaker TBA. Check Griz Hub for updates.
News & Updates
New Updates to the UM Budget Template and Fringe Benefit Rates Sheet
The Office of Sponsored Programs has released the new UM Budget Template and Fringe Benefit Rates Sheet for the 2026-2027 period. These forms should be used to prepare all new proposals and are now available on the OSP Resources page. These new forms include updates to health insurance rates, travel rates, and the addition of GRA GAP payments in the Salaries/Wages section.
Please reach out to your departmental Proposal Development Analyst (the Pre-Award Team) for any questions or concerns about these new forms.
UM’s Health and Safety Director Wins International Award
Mark Hlebichuk, Director Environmental Health and Safety, has won an award from the Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Managers Association (CSHEMA). The award recognizes exemplary dedication to campus safety—including research labs—and the improvements made by Mark and Trent Drinkwalter, Occupational Safety and Health Officer.
"The award is a direct reflection on our university's dedication to the department and direction of the EHS program,” said Mark. “When EHS is working, the entire system works better, is more productive, is more efficient, and is safer for our students, staff and faculty.”
Research & Creative Scholarship Stories
Summer Research Round Up!
Graduate Student in the College of Forestry Studies E-Bikes in the Wild
Questions regarding the role of technology in outdoor spaces lured Abi Fuesler to study at UM, where she works in Dr. Will Rice’s Wildland and Recreation Management Research Lab, a unit that provides park and land managers with data to improve visitor experiences while preserving the ecosystems that provide those experiences. Read the entire story on UM News.
Funding Opportunities
Fullbright Postdoctoral Awards
Deadline: September 15, 2026 (ET), for those who will have a PhD in hand by the summer of 2027 and recent graduates
Fulbright Postdoctoral Awards provide recently graduated scholars an opportunity to conduct research and receive professional training abroad. Awards may involve limited teaching. Postdoctoral Awards are open to scholars who have received their doctoral degree (Ph.D., J.D., M.D., Ed.D., etc.) within five to seven years of the fellowship start date, as noted in the award description. Degree conferment before the start of the award is mandatory. While institutional affiliation in the United States is not required, be sure to view the award for any citizenship/residency requirements.
Deadline: October 12, 2026, for white papers and supporting documentation
The Department of War (DoW) has announced two fiscal year 2026 Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR).
The Capacity Building opportunity supports institutions of higher education seeking to expand their capacity to conduct competitive basic research relevant to the DoW.
The Research Collaboration opportunity is designed to develop new DoW research relationships by pairing an eligible faculty researcher who has never served as principal investigator with an experienced DoW-funded researcher who will serve as collaborator and mentor.
MCTRC
Deadline: October 16, 2026
The Montana Clinical and Translational Research Center (MCTRC) is now accepting applications for $5,000 mini-grants designed to build innovative research collaborations between University of Montana researchers and partner organizations. Eligible applicants include UM faculty and research staff, as well as researchers from participating partner organizations. For more information, submission instructions, and eligibility details, visit the website or contact Tony Ward.
If you have a project that may be a fit or would like to discuss SBIR/STTR opportunities, please reach out to Harmen Steele.
Limited submissions
When a program announcement limits the number of proposals that we may submit, we have an internal process to ensure that we do not exceed that limit. If you're interested in one of the following opportunities, follow the instructions to submit a concept by the Internal Deadline indicated below. PIs must confirm eligibility prior to submission.
The NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program is still awaiting a new solicitation. In advance of the anticipated program announcement, the Office of Research Development is running a limited submission competition based on the previous RFP to give researchers time to write and develop a project ahead of a potentially short submission turnaround window. If the new RFP has substantial changes, we may require another round of internal submissions and review. Please contact ORD with any questions.
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View our website for access to research communication resources.
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