Preparing a biosketch for a grant proposal doesn’t have to be a manual process. SciENcv (Science Experts Network Curriculum Vitae) is a free tool that helps researchers create and maintain professional profiles and generate sponsor-compliant biosketches and Current & Pending (Other Support) documents. 

By linking your ORCID iD, publications, grants, and other professional activities, SciENcv can automatically populate key sections of your profile, reducing administrative burden and helping ensure your information remains current and accurate. The system supports formats required by agencies such as the NIH and NSF, making proposal preparation faster and more efficient. 

Creating a SciENcv profile now can save valuable time when funding opportunities arise and help you stay prepared for future proposal submissions. 

Follow this link to get started: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sciencv/  

Need assistance? Contact the Office of Research Administration for guidance on creating your SciENcv profile and generating sponsor-compliant biosketches. 

The University has updated its procedure for processing honorarium payments. Honorariums can now be processed through Emburse. To ensure timely processing, please follow the steps below before creating an honorarium expense report in Emburse. 

Required Documentation 

Before submitting an honorarium expense report, departments must send the following documents to Accounts Payable at accountspayable@wcu.edu: 

• Recipient’s completed W-9 (encrypted) 

• Award, acknowledgment, or payment notification letter 

Important Reminder 

Do not upload the W-9 into Emburse. W-9 forms contain sensitive personal information and should only be submitted directly to Accounts Payable. 

Accounts Payable Review Process 

Upon receipt of the required documentation, an Accounts Payable team member will: 

1. Verify that the recipient has an active 920# in Banner. 

1. Confirm that the recipient’s address is current and accurate. 

Once verification is complete, Accounts Payable will notify the department via email and provide the recipient’s 920# and confirmation that the honorarium may be processed in Emburse. 

Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions, please contact Accounts Payable at accountspayable@wcu.edu. 

Faculty adding undergraduate or graduate students to a compliance protocol should keep a few things in mind: 

• Student access: Students may need to request an InfoEd account before their information can be added to the protocol. Students can visit the Research Compliance homepage, and under Related Information, select Request Student InfoEd Access. 

• Faculty PI required: A faculty member must serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) for the protocol record and be identified as the PI in the Personnel section. 

• Complete training early: Before submitting the protocol, faculty should ensure students have completed all appropriate CITI Program training to help avoid delays in review. 

• Review before submission: If a student is drafting the protocol, the faculty PI should carefully review the record before it is submitted. This ensures faculty awareness of the proposed activities and helps reduce unnecessary requests for modifications when information is unclear or incomplete. 

A little preparation up front can help make the compliance review process smoother and more efficient for everyone.

A well-prepared protocol can mean fewer questions, fewer modification requests, and a smoother review process. Before you hit Submit, remember the 5 C’s: 

✅ Clear: Describe what you plan to do in language a reviewer outside your specialty can easily understand. 

✅ Complete: Answer all applicable questions and include the supporting materials needed to fully evaluate the protocol. 

✅ Consistent: Make sure your protocol, attachments, and supporting documents all tell the same story. 

✅ Compliant: Confirm personnel are listed appropriately and required training is complete before submission. 

✅ Checked: Give the entire submission one final review for missing, conflicting, or unclear information before submitting. 

Need help with the supporting materials? WCU Research Compliance provides templates and forms to help ensure required attachments contain the appropriate information and are prepared consistently. 

Questions? Contact Kloo Hansen, Director of Research Administration, or Billy Hutchings, Compliance Officer. 

Academic Project Grants (APGs) include individual travel requests to attend the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).    

Undergraduate students engaged in research and creative scholarship are encouraged to apply for the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) 2027, taking place April 12-14, 2027, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Students interested in presenting their work can learn more during an NCUR Information Session on September 24, 2026, at 2 pm. Abstracts are being accepted now.  

In addition, Academic Project Grants (APGs) are available to support all undergraduate research and creative activities, including supplies, equipment, travel, and NCUR participation. Funding awards range from up to $750 for individual projects, $2,000 for group travel, and up to $1,250 for NCUR travel support. The APG submission portal is now open, with the first application deadline on September 24, 2026. Students are encouraged to apply early, as funding is competitive and limited.  

Discover APG proposal guidelines, template, and submission portal. 

Contact Suzanne Melton for more information. 

We are excited to announce a new addition to the site: Special Programs & More. This page is your go-to for upcoming events, workshops, presentations, and special programming opportunities. Explore what’s new and stay connected.

The Office of Research Administration (ORA) is now accepting applications for the Provost’s Scholarship Development Awards (PSDA) and the Faculty Research Mentoring (FaRM) Program through October 26, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PSDA awards provide up to $15,000 in seed funding to support research and scholarly activities that strengthen competitiveness for external funding. The FaRM Program supports faculty-to-faculty mentorship focused on proposal and budget development, with $2,000 awards shared between mentor and mentee upon submission of an extramural grant proposal.  

Learn more about the guidelines and application process. 

Please let us know if you intend to apply so that we can appropriately plan for proposal reviews.  

Contact John Hildreth or Samantha Ellithorpe with questions or budget development support. 

We are excited to share that the Office of Research Administration has launched an official LinkedIn page. Follow us to stay informed about new funding opportunities, important announcements, and the latest updates from our office. Join our growing community and stay connected with everything happening at the ORA.