The Office of Research Development in the Division of Research and Innovation has launched a brand-new program for new investigators on campus. This program, called Beginning Investigator Research Development Support, or BIRDS for short, began in early November and will last through the end of the Spring 2023 semester.

The first cohort includes 12 assistant professors and three postdoctoral research fellows from a wide range of departments across campus. The inaugural BIRDS cohort includes:

• Alexia Angton — assistant professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology
• Akshaya Bhagavathula — postdoctoral fellow, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation
• Molly Carney — assistant professor, Department of Anthropology
• Cody Diehl — postdoctoral fellow, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation
• Bin Dong — assistant professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• William Doss — assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology
• Molly Harry — assistant professor, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation
• Nick Johnston — assistant professor, Hospitality Management Program
• Lorien Jordan — assistant professor, Department of Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders
• Kyuree Kim — assistant professor, School of Human Environmental Sciences
• Scott Lafontaine — assistant professor, Department of Food Science
• Brett Nachman — assistant professor, Department of Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders
• Jinoh Park — assistant professor, Department of Interior Architecture and Design
• Katherine Raoux — assistant professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences
• Stavroula Tsitkanou — postdoctoral fellow, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation

The program focuses on peer networking, finding funding and general grantsmanship training. Participants receive several opportunities to network and collaborate with fellow beginning investigator colleagues. They will learn more about the services that Research Development offers investigators on campus. And they will work one-on-one with the Research Development team to create personalized research and funding plans for their research careers on campus. Additionally, each participant will receive an individual review of one specific aims or project summary that they are working on for an upcoming or planned proposal.

For more information, contact Molly Throgmorton, associate director for research development, at [email protected] or at 479-575-3171.