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ORSP Research Development
University of Mississippi

Discovery Circles

Discovery Circles are interdisciplinary gatherings where scholars can learn, share, interact, & develop leads.

Purpose: To support UM scholars who are already interested and motivated to conduct Interdisciplinary Research (IDR), by providing opportunities for them to develop new IDR Leads, including IDR Funding Opportunities and Potential Collaborators.

What qualifies as a Discovery Circle? The gathering may be physical or virtual, time-bound or ongoing, and the social aspect may be the starring attraction or play a supporting role.  Discovery Circles could include Interactive Information Sessions, Elevator Pitch Sessions, Speed Networking Events, Networking Receptions, Symposia, Lunch or Coffee Series, Microsoft Team Channels, or ProQuest PIVOT Groups, among many possible formats.

What support will be provided?  ORSP Research Development (RD) can assist with convening, scheduling, advertising, registration, refreshments, and/or follow up, as needed and appropriate for each gathering.

How to Participate: There is no need to permanently join anything, or make a long-term commitment, to participate in a Discovery Circle. Simply watch for announcements about Discovery Circle branded programs and activities of interest in UM Today—then, sign up, opt in, and/or show up as you please. Or, you may request ORSP RD support for a locally-organized activity with a similar purpose. Participants may be asked, but not required, to provide feedback to help improve programming and assess impacts.

To learn more, contact Jason Hale or Renee Cain in ORSP, or e-mail orspresdev@olemiss.edu.

To request Discovery Circle support, submit an application here (or just preview the application).

Current Discovery Circles:

Nanomedicine and Immunoengineering Special Interest Group

The aim of this DC is stimulating discussion and collaboration of those working in the interdisciplinary research areas of Nanomedicine and Immunoengineering. Researchers across UM departments (e.g. BME, Chem E, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Physics) are active in the following areas (and more):

    • Nanomaterials (Polymers, dendrimers, lipids, ionic liquids, exosomes), Hydrogels/Scaffolds, Computational Modeling, Focused Ultrasound, and Micro-Drug Delivery Devices
    • With applications in cancer, heart disease, ocular delivery, asthma, mental health, molecular imaging, and others

To learn more or participate this ongoing discovery circle, contact Dr. Thomas Werfel (tawerfel@olemiss.edu), Dr. Eden Tanner (eetanner@olemiss.edu) or Renee Cain (renee@olemiss.edu).