Salve Regina joins research administration collaborative funded by $3 million NSF grant

Salve Regina is one of five Rhode Island institutions sharing $3 million in National Science Foundation (NSF) funding to launch the Rhode Island Research Administration Collaborative (RIRAC). Together, Roger Williams University, Providence College, Rhode Island College, Rhode Island School of Design and Salve Regina will expand their capacity to contribute to the state’s continued growth and leadership in research.

“This is a big win for Rhode Island and a testament to the innovative research being done by this consortium of Ocean State colleges and universities,” said Sen. Jack Reed. “Rhode Island’s research ecosystem and capabilities will be strengthened by this federal investment. RIRAC will support interdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge research among students and faculty from various colleges and universities that will lead to future breakthroughs in a variety of fields. Importantly, this project will also inform NSF about new and diverse ways to work with smaller and primarily-undergraduate institutes of higher education.”

RIRAC’s aim is to build capacity for advancing research by strengthening financial and administrative support for university-sponsored research offices, broadening the pipeline of future professionals, providing professional development to small nonprofits, developing projects and research that address statewide needs, and facilitating the ability to bring academic research to the market. RIRAC will establish a research administration learning community that shares evidence-based practices and resources and will seek to identify collaborative research proposals among the partner institutions.

Each institution focuses on a different aspect of the program. Salve Regina’s efforts, led by principal investigator Joyce Botelho, the University’s senior research development officer, will focus on developing learning community programs that address the unique challenges faced by grant administrators at emerging research institutions (ERIs). This work will bring together pre-award and post-award staff to break down silos and promote a culture of shared leadership in research administration. Salve Regina will also partner with Providence College to identify and provide access to seminars, workshops and virtual learning opportunities for ERIs that showcase best practices in the field.

“This award is a game-changer, not only for Salve Regina and the other partners in this project, but for Rhode Island in general,” said Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong, president. “It helps us build a stronger research culture and achieve the full STEM research capacity for our faculty and student to contribute to the local economy. It’s exciting to be part of this program as NSF leads the charge in acknowledging the significance of schools like ours in the research landscape.”