Watch Now: Archived Event Videos
Research Development Series: Establishing Collaborations with Virginia Tech's National Security Institute
On Mar. 8, 2023, Executive Director Eric Paterson provided an overview of the National Security Institute including its origins, aspirations, and research activities. Faculty from NSI lead a town hall style discussion about opportunities for Virginia Tech researchers to collaborate with the Institute. Successful partnerships were highlighted along with information on how to become involved with NSI’s research divisions.
Research Development Series: Resources and Training for Virginia Tech Researchers
As part of its Research Development Series, the Office of Research and Innovation hosted a seminar designed for junior and mid-career faculty that provided an overview of Virginia Tech’s research and development support services and how to leverage them for success and career advancement.
Research Development Series: Establishing Collaborations with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is one of the nation’s fastest growing academic biomedical research enterprises and a destination for world-class researchers. The institute’s Virginia Tech scientists focus on diseases that are the leading causes of death and suffering in the United States, including brain disorders, heart disease, and cancer. In just over 10 years, the research institute has experienced unprecedented growth: doubling its enterprise and lab facilities in Roanoke, while also investing in brand-new laboratories on the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus in Washington, D.C.
As part of its Research Development Series, the Office of Research and Innovation hosted an event for Virginia Tech researchers to learn about the Institute’s mission and portfolio. Learn more about Fralin Biomedical Research Institute research and how to take advantage of opportunities for collaborative teamwork.
Research Development Series: Strategies for Winning National Institutes of Health Program Project/Center Grants
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide the largest amount of public funding for biomedical research in the world. The most substantial awards are program project/center grants (P-series) that support large, multi-project efforts that generally include a diverse array of research activities.
As part of its Research Development Series, the Office of Research and Innovation hosted a seminar designed to inspire both experienced and new research faculty, by providing an overview of P-series grants and the winning strategies used by invited speakers.
Research Development Series: Introduction to the National Science Foundation's Technology, Innovation and Partnerships Regional Innovation Engines program
The National Science Foundation’s Technology, Innovation and Partnerships directorate has recently announced its Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program. This unique program offers the potential for up to $160 million in funding over the course of ten years to encourage diverse regional partnerships that positively impact society, the economy, and the workforce. This program prioritizes geographic regions that lack well-established innovation ecosystems, as well as regions that have ecosystem members, yet lack innovation connectivity.
In this video, the research development strategy team engages viewers to learn more about this exciting program, which aims to translate research into economic growth through regional coalitions of academic institutions, non-profits, industry, and government entities.
Research Development Series: Collaborative Partnerships with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
As part of its Research Development Series, the Office of Research and Innovation hosted an event for Virginia Tech researchers to learn about the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute's structure, operations, work with contracts and grants, pace, and funding mechanisms for mutually beneficial research and development growth.
Research Development Series: Crowdfunding Supports Research
As part of its Research Development Series, the Office of Research and Innovation hosted a webinar for Virginia Tech researchers to learn more about the university’s crowdfunding platform JUmp that can be used to raise funds for research projects. Participants heard from Virginia Tech leaders who shared possibilities for what could be achieved with Virginia Tech’s crowdfunding platform while providing tips and tricks for use as a resource for funding priority projects.
The creators of JUmp and LINK + LICENSE + LAUNCH professionals shared inspirational crowdfunding success from commercial and academic environments, providing insight on grass roots approaches to enhance projects and help transition intellectual property to market.
National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Program Workshop
During the spring 2022 semester, the Research and Innovation office hosted a two-hour National Science Foundation CAREER program workshop for junior level, tenure-track faculty to learn how to prepare effective proposals for the National Science Foundation’s CAREER Award program.
Research Development Series: Best Practices for Winning a Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative
As part of its Research Development Series, the Office of Research and Innovation hosted a seminar that informed Virginia Tech researchers about what it takes to plan and win a Department of Defense’s Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) Program award.
MURI efforts involve teams of researchers investigating high priority Department of Defense (DoD) topics and opportunities that intersect more than one traditional technical discipline. For many defense problems this multidisciplinary approach serves to stimulate innovations, accelerate research progress, and expedite transition of results into a broad spectrum of DoD and commercial applications. Obtaining a MURI award is a significant career accomplishment that can assist with the pursuit of larger federal funding opportunities such as centers and institutes.
Invited speakers shared their insight on the planning and submission process and key elements of a successful proposal. Additionally, MURI winners and participants described their strategies for submitting a winning proposal.
Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Opportunities
The Academy for Global Engineering hosted an informational webinar for Virginia Tech researchers to learn more about the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Guest speaker Aferdita Krasniqi, the Institute for International Education’s Fulbright Education Outreach and Recruitment specialist, provided information about award opportunities for the 2023-24 competition and tips for applying. The presentation is followed by a question and answer session.
Broader Impacts: Connecting University Researchers to the Public Through Educational Outreach
Many funding agencies now require impacts that extend beyond an academic audience to benefit broader society. The Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology's Center for Educational Networks and Impacts (CENI) collaborates with university researchers to develop and evaluate educational outreach initiatives that are mutually beneficial to researchers and the public. CENI leverages an established network of formal and informal educators from organizations such as preK-12 school districts, museums, and the Virginia Tech Science Festival to help faculty share their research with public audiences.
Associate Director of Broader Impacts Dr. Chelsea Lyles shares processes and support available to Virginia Tech researchers, while Gabriel Isaacman-VanWertz, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Jonathan Bradley, University Libraries, provide highlights from successfully funded collaborations.
Research Development Series: Insight and Strategies for Obtaining National Institutes of Health R01 Funding
The Office of Research and Innovation hosted a seminar designed to educate Virginia Tech researchers about strategies for obtaining National Institutes of Health R01 funding. Experienced Virginia Tech faculty who previously obtained this type of funding provided critical insight and guidance about acquiring this type of funding.
The presentation is followed by a question and answer session.
Funding Institutional Training Workshop
Funding Institutional is a tool provided by Virginia Tech to support research program strategy by helping to identify active, accurate funding opportunities in a timely manner and provide insight into research that has already been funded in a specific area of interest.
Hosted by the Office of Research and Innovation in partnership with Elsevier, Charity Elifritz, a customer consultant at Elsevier’s Research Intelligence portfolio will lead the virtual training workshop. Elifritz advises research management utilizing analysis tools like Scopus, SciVal, and Funding Institutional at Virginia Tech.
The online training workshop is Virginia Tech research specific and will enable research administrators and researchers to gain insights into Funding Institutional. After this course, researchers will have knowledge to maximize access and management of funding opportunities.
Research Integrity and Scholarly Excellence Lecture Series: Improving Reproducibility, Replicability, and Credibility of Research
Improving open science and reproducibility is less a technical challenge and more of a social challenge. Current practice is sustained by a dysfunctional incentive structure that prioritizes publication over accuracy. Changing the research culture to prioritizing accuracy over having the work published will promote transparency and reproducibility, while not losing the engine of innovation and discovery that drives science into new domains.
Guest speaker Brian Nosek, co-founder and executive director of the Center for Open Science, a non-profit organization in Charlottesville, Virginia, led a discussion about improving reproducibility, replicability in science. Session topics include policy, incentive, and normative changes that funders and others are adopting to improve research credibility and accelerate progress.
Research Integrity and Scholarly Excellence Lecture Series: Reproducibility and Replicability in Science
The Division of Scholarly Integrity and Research Compliance in the Office for Research and Innovation hosted its fall lecture in the Research Integrity and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Lecture Series: Reproducibility and Replicability in Science.
Invited guest speaker Harvey V. Fineberg, president of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, discussed the importance of reproducibility and replicability in science. Fineberg, former president of the National Academy of Medicine, chaired the National Academies committee on this topic, which resulted in a widely referenced report that features the committee’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
Office of Sponsored Programs Town Hall
On Nov. 3, 2021, the Office of Sponsored Programs held a town hall where members of the team provided an overview of their areas and the value and benefits that the office provides to campus for research administration.
Research Development Series: Team Science
Today, modern research methods are more specialized and the world’s problems are more complex, requiring minds from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to come together in the form of team science. At this event, researchers are invited to learn how to succeed in the new landscape of team science, where true collaboration requires joint ownership and collective responsibility.
Michelle Bennet, director the Center for Research Strategy in the National Institutes of Health's National Cancer Institute, and internationally recognized expert in team science, shares what she has learned about high-performing, highly integrated research teams, and how to thrive in a collaborative environment. Discussion is followed with Q&A.
Research Development Series: Solving Complex Problems Through Convergence Research
Growing Convergence Research at the National Science Foundation (NSF) was identified in 2016 as one of 10 Big Ideas for Future NSF Investments. Convergence research is a means of solving vexing research problems, in particular, complex problems focusing on societal needs. It entails integrating knowledge, methods, and expertise from different disciplines and forming novel frameworks to catalyze scientific discovery and innovation.
At this event, Doug Maughan, who leads National Science Foundation’s Convergence Accelerator Office, shares how the NSF is supporting researchers who address compelling problems by integrating knowledge across disciplines. Discussion is followed with Q&A.
Research Development Series: Identifying International Research Partners
Increasing research collaborations with international researchers and industry is key to enhancing the researcher’s portfolio, reputation, and impact. At this event, researchers will learn about opportunities to advance research and scholarship through partnerships with international collaborators and sponsors. Panelists will share experiences and advice for identifying, making connections, and developing relationships with international research partners. They will also describe existing programs and resources to support researchers in their endeavors. Panel discussion is followed with Q&A.
Research Development Series: Engaging with National Laboratories
For researchers who want to learn about opportunities to advance their research and scholarship through partnerships with national laboratories, especially the Department of Energy National Laboratories. Panelists will share their experiences and advice for working with the National Labs, including Thomas Jefferson National Lab, Oak Ridge National Lab, Brookhaven National Lab, Los Alamos National Lab, and Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Those partnerships allow researchers to leverage unique capabilities and form relationships with experts from across the nation.
Exploring Diverse Postdoctoral Career Paths
While many postdoctoral researchers expect their training to lead to a career in academia, the reality is that only a small fraction of this group become tenured professors. The Office of Research and Innovation hosted a webinar with a panel of experts who provided insights about career pathways outside of academia that includes discussion of career opportunities in the government, industry, and research management sector.
Finding Extramural Funding Faculty Workshop
The Virginia Tech Faculty Activity Support Team (VT-FAST) hosted a virtual workshop for Virginia Tech faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students to showcase how researchers can find governmental and foundation funding opportunities.
Research Development Series: Accelerating Applied Research for Societal Impact
The Office for Research and Innovation hosted its fifth event in the Research Development Support series with host Andrea Belz, director of industrial innovation and partnerships for the National Science Foundation, who shared how the National Science Foundation innovation programs move ideas from the lab to the marketplace, with the goal to strengthen America’s economy, health, and security. The talk was followed by Q&A.
Research Development Series: Private Foundation Relations and Strategies
The Office for Research and Innovation hosted a virtual event for Virginia Tech researchers that want to learn more about the importance of foundations in funding research programs. Leaders of Virginia Tech research administration, advancement, and faculty provided their perspectives on how to establish and strengthen meaningful partnerships with philanthropic foundations. Panelist conversation to be followed with Q&A.
Research Development Series: National Science Board Vision 2030
The Office for Research and Innovation hosted its third event in the Research Development Support series with guest speaker Victor McCrary, vice chair of the National Science Board, who shared insights into the National Science Foundation’s National Science Board’s Vision 2030 report. The talk was followed by a Q&A with audience members.
Research Development Series: Journey towards a successful Engineering Research Center
The Office for Research and Innovation hosted their second event in the Research Development Support series focused on engineering research centers which included invited guest speaker Junhong Chen, the Crown Family Professor of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago.
Machine Learning at Google - AI fairness and ethical quandaries
The Division of Scholarly Integrity and Research Compliance hosted its inaugural speaker event to launch the Research Integrity and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Lecture Series. As part of Virginia Tech’s commitment to support integrity in research, scholarship, and innovation, the division provides opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to gather and engage in discussions about important ethical dimensions of research.
Research Development Series: A roadmap to building large-scale centers
The Office for Research and Innovation hosted a virtual event for Virginia Tech researchers that have near-term intention to write center proposals, pursue a large-scale funding opportunity of $10 million or more, and lead a center. Interested Virginia Tech faculty who are looking for the next chapter in their career or a new challenge, have ambition to run a large-scale center, in the process of writing a center proposal, and/or want to build a team, were encouraged to engage in the conversation to learn from a panel of Virginia Tech faculty who have successfully won center funding and know what it takes to achieve success.