Research NewsletterIssue: ORN-2025-36

NJDEP 2025 PFAS Summit

October 9-10, 2025; NJIT Campus Ballroom

Join us for two days of in-depth discussion, collaboration, and innovation focused on PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)—examining their impact, exploring solutions, and advancing efforts to protect public health and the environment. This important event is hosted by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) in partnership with the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and other key collaborators, bringing together leading voices from science, policy, industry, and the community. We’re excited to have you with us as we work together toward a cleaner, safer future. The cost to attend this Summit is $75, and includes meals for both days. Please pay via e-check or credit card. Please see agenda here.

Seats are limited, please register here as soon as possible.

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Call For Proposals

NJIT Center for Translational Research (CTR)

Funded by the U.S. NSF Accelerating Research Translation (ART) Program

2025 Innovation Pitch Competition

Prize: $100,000 TITA-Advanced Seed Grant

and

2026 Technology Innovation Translation and Acceleration (TITA) Seed Grant

Up to four $75,000 TITA Seed Grants

TITA Program Proposer Information Session:

Wednesday, September 10, 2025: 11.00.00 AM – 1.00 PM; Eberhardt Hall Room 112

 (light lunch will be served)

Please RSVP to attend the information by filling out this form by September 8, 2025.

Total 2026 Available TITA Seed Grant Program Funding: $400,000

TITA External Advisory Board (EAB)

NJIT Center for Translational Research (CTR) and Technology Innovation Translation Acceleration (TITA) Seed Grant Program

The NJIT Center for Translational Research (CTR) funded by U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program of the Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) directorate and institutional strategic investment plan serves as a hub to promote and facilitate translational research through workshops, training and networking opportunities that help students, faculty and other stakeholders develop innovation partnerships for technology validation and commercialization. In alignment with the NJIT 2030 Strategic Plan – Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Priority, the NJIT CTR focuses on the following objectives:

Building institutional capacity and infrastructure for successful translational research and innovation activities. 

Funding and supporting translational research seed projects and developing innovation partnerships and commercialization pathways to further enhance NJIT’s Research, Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship (RITE) ecosystem for tangible societal and economic impact.

Creating opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral and faculty researchers to learn roadmaps for technology research and innovation translation through workshops, internships and mentoring programs towards addressing market and societal needs.

The NJIT Technology Innovation Translation Acceleration (TITA) Seed Grant program continues to increase awareness of the potential commercial benefits at earlier stages of the translation and market validation process and allow researchers and stakeholders to collaborate for entrepreneurial success. It helps faculty innovators to submit competitive translational research proposals to external grant funding opportunities.

Two Funding Opportunities Competitions

There are two paths for seed grant funding opportunities available this year to support technology innovation translation projects.

Advanced TITA (Technology Innovation Translation Acceleration) Seed Grants with $100,000 Innovation Pitch Competition Award: This is a direct path to innovation pitch competition for those who are already at TRL - 4 or above and have a start-up or tech transfer agreement. This path is open to all previous TITA/CERT seed grant awardees.

Application process: Submit 5-page white paper following the required format (please see below for details). After the review by the TITA External Advisory Board, top 5 applicants will be invited to compete for $100,000 TITA-Advance Grant.

Regular TITA Seed Grants of $75,000 per Project: The usual path of the TITA seed grant of $75,000 each with an external partner.

Application process: The applicants should follow a multi-stage submission following the format instructions and review process as outlined below – Stage -1: 2-page Concept Paper, Stage -2: 5-Page White Paper, Stage -3: Full Proposal and Stage -4: Live Pitch Presentation. The path does not require a start-up or tech transfer agreement at the time of proposal submission.  

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Recent NJIT Provisional Patent Applications (Filed) 

Patent Title:    Virtual Reality Headset System

NJIT Ref No.:   24-026

Inventor(s):    Wang, Guiling / Dash, Ankan

Patent Application Status:   Filed Provisional Patent Application

Patent Application Filing Date:  9/3/2025

Application Filing No.:   63/874,777

Technology Licensing Status:  Available 

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Patent Title:    System for Coordinating Traffic Signal Control

NJIT Ref No.:   24-027

Inventor(s):    Wang, Guiling / Du, Wenlu

Patent Application Status:   Filed Provisional Patent Application

Patent Application Filing Date:  9/3/2025

Application Filing No.:   63/874,800

Technology Licensing Status:  Available 

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Patent Title:    System for Adjusting Traffic Signal Control

NJIT Ref No.:   24-028

Inventor(s):   Wang, Guiling / Du, Wenlu

Patent Application Status:   Filed Provisional Patent Application

Patent Application Filing Date:  9/3/2025

Application Filing No.:   63/874,820

Technology Licensing Status:  Available 

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New Jersey Health Foundation (NJHF) Annual Grant Program

Applications Submission Window: September 17 to November 19, 2025

New Jersey Health Foundation is pleased to announce that we are launching the annual cycle of our Grant

Program. Our Research grant program supports grants up to $50,000 and our Community Health, Behavioral and Social Science, Social Service & Education grant program supports grants up to $35,000.

The New Jersey Health Foundation Research Grants program supports early innovative research projects that demonstrate exciting potential and help researchers qualify for larger grants. Our Community Health,

Behavioral and Social Science, Social Service & Education Grants Program funds health-related community, education and social service projects as well as behavioral and social science projects that address issues impacting society.

Applications will be accepted from September 17 through November 19, 2025, through our grant portal. Full- time faculty members, staff and other personnel at these organizations are eligible to apply for grants of up to $50,000 each under the Research Grant Program and up to $35,000 each under the Community Health, Behavioral and Social Science, Social Service & Education Grant Program:

• Cooper University Healthcare

• Hackensack Meridian Health

• Kessler Foundation

• New Jersey Institute of Technology

• Princeton University

• Rowan University

• Rutgers University

• University Hospital

• Virtua Health

Policies & Procedures and FAQ’s for both programs can be found on the New Jersey Health Foundation website.

Prior to submission to NJHF, all applicants must follow their organization’s standard approval protocols and procedures. Awardees will initially receive 80% of their grant award and will receive the final 20% upon submission and acceptance by New Jersey Health Foundation of their final narrative and financial reports at the completion of the project.

If you have any questions, please e-mail us at researchgrant@njhf.org.

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Connecting AI Policy to Practice: A Hands-On Innovation Workshop

Tuesday, September 16 · 12 - 4pm EDT; CKB 116, NJIT

A hands-on AI workshop, scheduled for September 16 or 18, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, to be held on the NJIT campus, with CKB 116 tentatively reserved as the venue. We are preparing for up to 60 participants' sessions focused on practical engagement with AI tools and applications, aligning with current national directives on AI literacy and small business integration. Your continued support in finalizing logistics, outreach, and technical setup will be key to the success of this initiative. Register here.

NSF: Foundations for Operating the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource: the NAIRR Operations Center (NAIRR-OC); NSF STEM K-12 (STEM K-12); Computer and Information Science and Engineering: Future Computing Research (Future CoRe)

NIH: NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience: Coordination Center for Interoception Research (BPCCIR) (U24); Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant (R01)

Department of Defense/US Army/DARPA/ONR: US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Broad Agency Announcement

Department of Labor: New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) Grant Program (Round 1 Funding)

Department of Energy: Magnetic Acceleration Generating New Innovations and Tactical Outcomes (MAGNITO)

NSF announces funding to establish the National AI Research Resource Operations Center: The U.S. National Science Foundation today announced a new solicitation to establish a National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Operations Center (NAIRR-OC). This marks a critical, initial step in transitioning the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) from a successful pilot to laying the foundations for a sustainable, coordinated national program that will advance U.S. research capabilities and global leadership in AI. Backed by the support of 14 federal agencies and 28 private-sector and nonprofit partners, the NAIRR Pilot has already connected over 400 U.S. research teams with computing platforms, datasets, software, and models — accelerating breakthroughs in fields from agriculture and drug discovery to cybersecurity and education. The establishment of NAIRR-OC is a strategic, forward-looking investment in the nation's scientific enterprise. It directly supports the White House's AI Action Plan, which emphasizes the need for sustained operational capabilities for the NAIRR and broader access to AI resources for the research community. Please see the NSF Funding Opportunity Notice NSF 25-546 and a brief in this newsletter in the Grant Opportunities section below.

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Agencies and industry announce efforts to further Presidential AI Challenge: First Lady Melania Trump and multiple cabinet leaders on Thursday unveiled the next steps in the White House’s Presidential AI Challenge — a program mandated in an April executive order and launched Aug. 26 — and how the Trump administration is planning to keep the U.S. at the forefront of AI innovation and education.

“We are here today to talk about our future in the most real sense imaginable: how America's children can be prepared to build our country tomorrow with the cutting edge tools of today," White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios said during the meeting. "We are proud and grateful to announce new steps in fulfilling the mission of this task force and the president's vision for this AI challenge.” Those upcoming steps include the release of toolkits, webinars, classroom guides and more, as well as agency action items intended to help cultivate a strong American foundation in AI education within academia and the workforce. These include sector-specific, applied AI training materials and ways to incorporate AI in American classrooms. More information is posted on the NextGov website.

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Oak Ridge announces new quantum computing installation: A new quantum computing installation at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee leverages diamond-based hardware to merge quantum information technologies with classical computing systems to spark large gains in computational power. 

In a collaboration with Australian company Quantum Brilliance, ORNL announced on Tuesday it will host one of the company’s hybrid full-stack platforms on premises to begin implementing quantum-powered computational elements with current high-performance computing. Merging both quantum and classical systems is expected to offer users better scientific research outcomes via advanced computational abilities. In theory, this means big advancements in fields like computational chemistry, materials science, high-performance computing and more. More information is posted on the NextGov website.