Research Radar | Volume 1, Issue 1

Dear Colleagues,

As we begin a new academic year, I want to extend a warm welcome back to our faculty, staff, and research community. Whether you are returning to a project already underway or launching something new this fall, I am glad you are here, and I am glad to welcome you to the inaugural issue of Research Radar, a new monthly newsletter from the Division of Research and Engagement. I am launching this newsletter because I believe our research enterprise deserves a clear, consistent, and accessible line of communication with the faculty and staff who make it possible. In the pages that follow, you will find practical updates, resources, and recognition spanning every corner of our research mission, from proposal development through award closeout. My hope is that this becomes a newsletter you look forward to reading each month, not another item to skim past.

This inaugural issue reflects a research enterprise with real momentum. In this issue alone, you will find UNCG faculty recognized for patents spanning nanoscience, chemistry, and kinesiology, evidence of the depth and range of discovery happening across our campus. You will also find new resources designed to make navigating sponsored research easier, from updated effort reporting tools to a clearer path for protecting your intellectual property. This work does not happen by accident. It reflects the sustained effort of faculty, departmental leadership, and the staff across our Division who support your research every day.

At the same time, I want to be direct with you about the moment we are in. The federal funding landscape is shifting. OMB’s proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance drew extraordinary national attention during the public comment period that closed in July, with nearly 500,000 comments submitted to the federal docket. UNCG was among the institutions that submitted a comment; we did not sit on the sidelines. Beyond the Uniform Guidance, we are also seeing evolving research security requirements and new expectations around data management and sharing. Change is likely coming, and I do not want to minimize that. What I can commit to is this: our Division is tracking these developments closely and will work to translate them into clear, actionable guidance, so that you can focus on your research and trust that we are watching the regulatory landscape on your behalf, and will keep you informed as things develop.

We are also building for the future. I am pleased to share that, beginning July 1, 2027, post-award administration will transition from Finance into the Division of Research and Engagement. This move reflects a deliberate commitment to supporting you across the full lifecycle of your research, from the moment an idea takes shape through final award closeout, under a single, coordinated team. We will keep you informed as this transition unfolds over the coming year.

None of this work is possible without you. Every proposal submitted, every discovery disclosed, every partnership built with a community or industry collaborator strengthens not only your own research but UNCG’s standing as a university that takes discovery, engagement, and impact seriously. I am proud of what this research community accomplishes, and I am energized by what lies ahead this year.

I encourage you to read on, explore the resources in this issue, and reach out to our Division whenever we can be of support. Welcome to the new academic year, and welcome to Research Radar.

With appreciation,

Sherine Obare

Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement

University of North Carolina at Greensboro