Miami University subscribes to InfoEd’s SPIN Global Suite, a database of sponsored funding opportunities. We’ve updated a series of posts we ran a few years ago and are re-running it as an introduction for our new researchers and a refresher for our seasoned ones. 

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Accessing SPIN

All Miami University faculty, staff, and students have access to SPIN while on campus (or connected to Miami’s VPN). Anyone accessing SPIN from a Miami IP address can run searches without creating a profile and signing in.

Creating a Profile

While a profile is not necessary to search the SPIN database, there are some advantages to creating a profile. Users with profiles can:

• Access SPIN from off campus by signing in.
• Save searches so they can be run again with just a few clicks.
• Opt in to automated emails (known as SMARTS Funding Alerts) about new or revised opportunities that match established search criteria .
• Bookmark funding opportunities so SPIN records can be accessed quickly.

To request a profile, follow these steps:

• While in SPIN, click on Sign In in the upper right corner.

• On the “Login” screen, click on the Need to create a new profile? link below the Login button and the Sign In Help link on the left side of the page.

• On the “Profile Request” page, make sure Miami University is selected from the “Institution” drop-down menu. Then, enter your first name, your last name, your @miamioh.edu email address, and a username in the specified fields. The choice of a username is up to you — it does not need to be the same as your Miami 6+2 unique ID (but it can be).

• Check the “I’m not a robot” box in the grey CAPTCHA box below the “Username” field and then click the Save button in the upper right.
• You will receive an automated email letting you know that your profile has been submitted for approval by OARS. We generally approve profiles within 24 hours for requests submitted Sunday through Thursday. Requests submitted on Friday or Saturday or adjacent to a University holiday may not be approved until the next business day. Please be aware that we will approve only profiles that have an @miamioh.edu email address, as that is the only way we can verify the requestor’s affiliation with Miami University.
• Once your profile request has been approved, you will receive another automated email with directions for resetting your password. Even though it’s not intuitive, you will follow these directions to establish your password.

Logging into SPIN

Once your account has been activated, you can sign in to SPIN by:

• Clicking on Sign In in the upper right of the SPIN homepage.

• Entering your username (which you established when you requested a profile) and password (which you created by following SPIN’s directions for resetting your password).

• If you forget your username or password, click on Sign In Help link below the Login button.

Next up

In the next SPIN post, we’ll show you how to conduct searches.

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Maze photo by Michael via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.