September 11, 2023
It has been a pleasure seeing so many of you during these first few weeks of the semester, particularly to connect with colleagues and friends with new ideas and fresh energy for the fall semester.
We’ll have many enriching opportunities for connection throughout the year, several of which are outlined in this week’s Top 5:
- I’m pleased to announce that Omiyẹmi Green has joined my office this year as the new Provost’s Fellow, joining Josh Burk who is beginning his second year in the position. For the past 13 years, Omiyẹmi has served as the university’s African American Theatre Historian, metaphorically weaving and working Egungun cloths through her teaching, publications and creative scholarship. A former W. Taylor Reveley, III, Interdisciplinary Faculty Fellow, Omiyẹmi was the recipient of a 2016 Arts & Sciences Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, a 2016 Term Professorship as the Sharpe Associate Professor of Civic Renewal and Entrepreneurship and a 2019 Plumeri Award for Faculty Excellence. Omiyẹmi imbues her work with inclusive excellence, interdisciplinary collaborations and entrepreneurialism. As Fellow, Omiyẹmi will be focusing on faculty affairs, including mentoring and inclusion. I look forward with anticipation to the shared work ahead!
- W&M Libraries and VIVA (a statewide academic library consortium) have negotiated several Read and Publish agreements with publishers. This means that when your work is accepted for publication in the respective journals, you as the author will retain full copyright ownership, and any article publication charges or publication fees required to “flip the switch” to open access have been fully or partially paid. Please consider these publishers when making decisions about which journals to consider for your publications. These agreements foster open access, which ultimately equates to greater visibility and impact for your research.
- Please note that the Office of Sponsored Programs sends out weekly emails outlining internal and external funding opportunities for all types of research. This list is developed from sponsor announcements, curated web lists and W&M internal communications. Although the list is not exhaustive, it’s a valuable resource for identifying opportunities for foundation grants, federal research grants, research contracts and fellowships. Internal W&M funding opportunities can be used as seed funds to provide a chance for faculty to develop an idea and gather preliminary data for a grant proposal. If you’d like to subscribe to this mailing list, please reach out to Louise Ndiaye, lndiaye@wm.edu. Faculty may also request a customized search of funding opportunities by reaching out to wosp@wm.edu.
- W&M’s STEM Research in Progress seminar series officially kicks off in the Tribe Square Entrepreneurship Hub from 3-5 p.m. on Sept. 21. Designed to provide a forum for early career faculty to present creative research ideas and receive feedback, the first seminar, “Revolutionizing Antibiotics: Silencing Bacteria to Combat Resistance,” will be presented by Assistant Professor of Chemistry Izzy Taylor, and is open to all interested faculty. This series is funded by the A&S Dean’s Office as well as my own. Additionally, on Sept. 22 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., the Integrated Science Center will open its doors to the public for “Sci-Fri: An Open Night of Science for the Community.” During this open house, community members are welcome to tour the research labs, greenhouse, and marine invertebrate touch tank and connect with W&M students about their research.
- This week’s shout-out goes to the Women’s Network, who held their recent Fall 2023 Reception to welcome newcomers and celebrate the academic year to come. The Women’s Network is a meaningful community that fosters belonging on campus, coordinates mentorship opportunities and provides much needed spaces for relieving stress together. I’m grateful to be a member, and anticipate a fabulous new season of building connections.
Peggy
