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WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
Overview of the 120-Day Study on
the WSU Research Enterprise
Presented to:
WSU Regents
May 7, 2015
Dr. Christopher J. Keane
Vice President for Research
Professor of Physics
Washington State University
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The 120-day Study is a follow-on to the
WSU Strategic Plan
•
WSU Strategic Plan highlights
importance of research (“Theme 1:
Exceptional Research, Innovation,
and Creativity”)
•
Plan tasks the VPR to
“identify areas of research
excellence and emerging areas
requiring additional investment to
achieve national and international
prominence.”
Broad WSU community participation was essential
to the success of the 120-Day Study
Team goal:
Advance research,
scholarship, and
creativity at WSU
120 Day Study: By the Numbers
• Process:
• 4 subgroups (Research Themes; Research Infrastructure; Faculty and Student
Engagement/Productivity; Outreach, Engagement, and Economic Impact)
• 141 Study participants
• 116 comments submitted on the 120 Day Study public comment webpage
• 24 Subgroup Meetings (not including sub-subgroup meetings)
• Key Study outcomes:
• 5 identified WSU Grand Challenges
• 19 Final Recommendations/61 Sub-Recommendations
• 421 page report including 17 Appendices- serves as a compilation of information on
WSU research
• 120-Day Study formally ended on January 30, 2015 with
completion of the draft report
• We are now in the implementation phase- this will include
prioritization of proposed major research investments
“Grand Challenges” are used to define, focus,
communicate, and advocate institutional research agendas
Research Themes subgroup surveyed the WSU community
regarding WSU research strengths
WSU Research Grand Challenges are inspirational,
multidisciplinary, and inclusive
• Sustaining Health: The Uncompromising Pursuit of Healthier People
and Communities
• Sustainable Resources for Society: Food, Energy, and Water
• Advancing an Educated, Informed, and Equitable Society
• Improving Quality of Life Through Smart Systems
• Fundamental Research in Support of National Security
Grand Challenges “roll-out” is planned for September 2015
120-Day Study Recommendations
Be Strategic:
1. Integrate Grand Challenges into WSU research strategies.
2. Align faculty recruitment with WSU research aspirations.
3. Ensure colleges Strategic Plans, including multi-year and cluster hiring plans, are
aligned with WSU’s Strategic Plan and research Strategic Plans.
4. Offer competitive faculty salary, start-up and consider space, computing, and
administrative impacts of hires in planning and recruitment.
5. Target resources to the hiring of promising mid-career & prestigious faculty in
areas of importance to achieving impact in the Grand Challenge areas.
6. Pursue excellence in recruitment and retention of research trainees.
7. Create and charge a standing University Research Infrastructure Committee to
increase efficiency and impact of research infrastructure investments.
8. Create a centralized high-performance computing committee & involve this
group in relevant hiring plans.
9. Address small and non-equipment infrastructure needs & recommend targeted
investments.
10. Enhance and coordinate training and support systems for sponsored projects.
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120-Day Study Recommendations (cont.)
Be Collaborative:
1. Create effective information systems for tracking faculty & trainee activities to enhance
opportunities for collaboration, and improve program coordination & reporting efficiency.
2. Create physical spaces that facilitate interdisciplinary discussion and faculty engagement.
3. Reduce barriers to collaboration, research & creative activity caused by WSU’s geographic
location.
4. Develop strategy to increase industrial research partnerships.
Be Visible:
1. Enhance and coordinate mentoring for prestigious fellowships and awards.
2. Encourage faculty, at all stages of faculty careers, to participate in activities that raise
visibility or deepen partnerships with external partners in the both the public and private
sectors.
3. Enhance coordination and support for international collaboration across the university.
4. Improve pathways for WSU research and creative activity to be communicated to the
public.
5. Clearly define WSU’s message to communicate Grand Challenges and research strengths
with consistency.
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Strategy for implementation of the 120-Day Study report
• Grand Challenges
•
•
•
•
Complete initial formulation
Develop communications plan and rollout strategy
Continue refinement via workshops and other means
Develop seed grant and other supporting programs
• Implement recommendations and provide feedback to
University Strategic Plan via the Institutional Effectiveness
Council (IEC)
• Revise Office of Research organizational structure, staffing,
and support to reflect “best practices” and support 120-Day
Study implementation
In response to a 120 Day Study recommendation to enhance WSU research
visibility, the Office of Research is sponsoring two student attendees at the
upcoming AAAS CASE* workshop
• The students: Senior Megan Caruso of West Linn,
Oregon (a bioengineering major with a minor in
Spanish, and a research assistant in the lab of Wenji
Dong), and doctoral student Erim Gomez (a fourthyear doctoral student in the School of the
Environment, studying ecological modeling, aquatic
ecology and amphibian conservation) of Coquille,
Oregon.
• Workshop activities will include an introduction to U.S.
science and technology policy, an introduction to the
federal budget process, a look at the workings of
Congress, and a perspective on the role of science and
technology lobbyists and advocates.
*Catalyzing Advocacy for Science and Engineering
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