News and Announcements
If you’re planning to apply for an NIH fellowship, career development award, or training grant, staying informed about recent NIH efforts to centralize peer review can help you understand how your application may be assigned and reviewed. NIH has offered additional information regarding these changes on its website.
The UW–Madison Fall Competition is right around the corner — start planning your submission now. The competition will open for submissions at 8 a.m. on Aug. 17 and will close on Sept. 4. If you’re planning to submit and would like assistance with your application, please let the Office of Research & Scholarship know ASAP.
Four finalists have been selected from a nationwide search for the Director of the Research Development Office, a new position in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research. Presentations from the finalists will begin Monday, Aug. 3 and will run through Aug. 24. Find presentation times, a feedback survey, and finalist info (48 hours before their presentations) online.
Contacting an NIH Program Officer (PO) at the right time can be an important part of preparing a competitive research application. Early communication helps establish a connection with NIH staff who understand your scientific area and the priorities of their Institute, Center, or Office (ICO). Read NIH’s latest Tips Before You Submit blog post for more information on things to consider before contacting an NIH program officer.
Update on university responses to emerging federal issues: Refer to the university’s Federal Relations website as a trusted source for the latest verified information relevant to our community.
- On July 17, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a federal rule change ending the longstanding “duration of status” (D/S) rule for international students and scholars. The rule is effective Sept. 15. Under the rule change, F-1 and J-1 international students (including interns) and scholars, and their accompanying F-2 and J-2 dependents, will be given a fixed end date of lawful stay in the U.S. The fixed end date will be for four years or through the date of program completion, whichever is earlier (unless an extension is granted).
- UW–Madison is closely monitoring these developments and has developed a new FAQ page to help answer questions. The university also plans to offer a series of webinars for students, scholars and departments affected by the rule (details to come).
Speech and audio data are creating new opportunities to study reading, language development, and classroom interactions. The U-GAIN Reading R&D Center, with support from the Institute of Education Sciences, is hosting a free two-day virtual convening for graduate students on Aug. 13 and 20 to introduce emerging speech technologies and large-scale datasets. No prior experience with automatic speech recognition or natural language processing is required. Register to attend one or both sessions.
Events and Learning Opportunities
- Aug. 14, 2026, 9–10 a.m.: Understanding NIH’s Unified Funding Strategy: What the Research Community Needs to Know webinar
- Aug. 18, 2026, 3–4 p.m.: SEER Institute FITS Guidebook Webinar: A New Resource in Developing Inclusive Teaching and Learning Practitioners
- Aug. 25, 2–3 p.m.: SEER Institute FITS Guidebook Webinar: A New Resource in Developing Inclusive Teaching and Learning Practitioners