U-M Research Impacts Team

Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) Grant Opportunity

2009-01-29T10:54:00.001-05:00

As discussed in the January 16 quarterly meeting (see section VI on page 3 of the meeting summary) NSF has released information about an Innovation through Institutional Integration grant (also known as I3 or I-cubed). The interests of the Research Impacts Team closely align with the stated goals of the I3 program, which challenges institutions to think strategically about the creative integration of NSF-funded awards with a STEM educational focus. RIT will be exploring options for crafting an I3 proposal. Please contact Chris Riggs if you wish to participate in the group that will meet to discuss this in greater detail.

description of I3
I3 FAQs

Please see the following abstracts for examples of how I3 grants are being implemented at other institutions:
University of Colorado I3
Georgia Tech I3
University of Florida I3
University of Hawaii I3
University of Washington I3
Louisiana State University I3

Report Supports State-level Coordination of Pre-college and Outreach Efforts

2009-01-28T15:18:00.007-05:00

One of the discussion topics at the January 16 quarterly meeting was the need for a state-wide body to coordinate outreach efforts in Michigan. Supporting this notion is a report on Actions to Improve America's High Schools by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Association of State Boards, and Council of Chief State School Officers. Among the recommendations in this report is that "state leaders can encourage officials from the elementary and secondary education and postsecondary education systems, economic development agencies, and workforce boards to better coordinate their high school policy efforts by creating a K-16 council" (see page 28 of the report).

Summary of January 16 Quarterly Meeting

2009-01-28T14:48:00.011-05:00

The Research Impacts Team held its quarterly meeting on January 16. Please review the draft meeting summary and contact Chris Riggs with any questions or comments so he can make any necessary corrections.

Announcing New Research Impacts Team Member

2008-12-09T13:03:00.007-05:00

Please welcome Sandy Gregerman as a new member of the Research Impacts Team. As the Director of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), Sandy will work with Team to include more undergraduates in funded research proposals. As a starting point, Sandy will be meeting soon with Chris Riggs and Ann Verhey Henke to discuss strategies for getting faculty to take advantage of NSF and NIH supplements that would support more students on sponsored project related activities. Look for Sandy at the next quarterly meeting on January 16th.

Blog Updates

2008-11-21T10:19:00.005-05:00

Just a few words about some recent changes to the blog and how to use it:

Until we have a website, wiki, or ning (a type of social network), to serve as a more public face for UM Research Impacts, this blog will serve as the primary means of communication for Team members. Remember that while this blog is used primarily for internal use by Team members, it is publicly accessible via the Web.
Please take advantage of the "subscribe to RIT blog feeds" feature at the top of the sidebar. These feed options will notify you (through email and/or a website such as Google) whenever there is a blog entry. You can sign up for feeds for new postings and/or comments. The two feeds I like are the Google and Atom. A Google feed shows you new blog entries whenever you open your i-google page (which you already have if you accepted the invitation to become an author of this blog). The "Atom" feed can send you an email whenever a new blog entry is added.
I have added space on the sidebar for posting documents and web links. I will be adding resources to these, and welcome suggestions for useful additions. If you have something to add, email me and I can put it up for you.
If you received an invitation to become an author for this blog and haven't signed up already, please do so. It's very simple and only takes a minute or two. Becoming an author lets you add your own postings.

Potential NSF grant for RIT involvement

2008-11-20T10:26:00.002-05:00

RIT has an opportunity to assist in an internal competition for NSF-09-505-Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE). The DRDA is accepting abstracts to fill 3 preliminary proposal slots, due January 12, 2009. A synopsis of the announcement and details of the abstract requirements may be found on the DRDA website at http://www.research.umich.edu/funding/limited_submissions/nsfpire.html.

There are three ways that you can help:

Forward this announcement link to any faculty that may be intersted in submitting an abstract.
Share with Chris Riggs, Marvin Parnes, or the whole Team (by posting a comment on this blog) any ideas you may have for collaborative partnerships or activities that could strengthen or enhance the broader impacts criteria for proposals.
We would like to have RIT input on the abstracts from at least 1 or 2 RIT members. Please contact Chris Riggs or Marvin Parnes if you would be interested in reviewing the abstracts and providing input to Marvin.

Upcoming Meeting Dates

2008-11-19T11:49:00.024-05:00

The next quarterly meeting of the Research Impacts Team is scheduled for Friday, January 16 from 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM. Please reserve this time on your calendar. Information on the meeting location and agenda will be posted as they become available.

In addition, the Research Impacts Executive Committee has tentatively agreed to meet on the first Monday of every month from 2:30-4:00. Please mark your calendars for the following meetings:

December 1: Fleming Building #3081 (Provost)
January 5: Fleming Building #4006 (OVPR)
February 2: Fleming Building #4006 (OVPR)
March 2: Fleming Building #4006 (OVPR)
April 6: Fleming Builidng #4025 (Provost)
May 4: Fleming Builidng #4006 (OVPR)

The Executive Committee held its first meeting on November 3. Please review the draft meeting summary and feel free to submit corrections, comments, or questions to Chris Riggs or post your thoughts on a comment to this posting.

October 13 Meeting Summary

2008-10-31T12:50:00.003-04:00

The first meeting of the Research Impacts Team was held on Monday, October 13. The primary purpose of this meeting was to provide a conceptual introduction to the Research Impacts Team, followed by a whole group question and discussion forum on the purpose, goals, and priorities for the Team. Click here for the meeting summary.

Greetings and Meetings from Chris Riggs

2008-08-26T14:38:00.000-04:00

Greetings from the new Research Impacts Program Officer. I'm thrilled to be a part of this project and look forward to working with the Team members and the UM community and beyond to make UM Research Impacts a success!

Among my top priorities during my first week has been to make arrangements for the first quarterly meeting of the Research Impacts Team, which will be held on Monday, October 13th, 10 AM -Noon at the Whitney Room (#1309) in the School of Education Building. If you have not done so already, please make a note of it on your calendar. Directions and meeting agenda are forthcoming. Please contact Jill Andrews or Chris Riggs if you have any questions about the meeting or suggestions for the agenda.

I am also looking forward to meeting with each Team member to introduce myself and discuss how they see their department/unit/organization participating in the project and relating to the proposed activities. The findings of these meetings will be described in a report to Marvin Parnes that will be used to identify and articulate effective strategies to suport the Team's primary goals. Look for highlights of the report on this blog in the coming weeks. If you're reading this blog and have not yet responded to my email about setting up a time to meet, please contact me soon. I look forward to meeting and working with you all!

Announcing the New Research Impacts Program Officer

2008-08-18T08:09:00.000-04:00

Please welcome Chris Riggs, who joins the UM School of Information (SI) Community on Monday, August 18th. SI is a sponsoring unit of the project, and will be hosting Chris at SI North. Chris is the new University of Michigan Research Impacts Program Officer, and will be supporting the efforts of the university-wide team of individuals whose goal is to develop strategies that ensure broad, societal impact of the University’s research output.

Chris will have responsibility for ensuring achievement of the goals of the newly formed University of Michigan Research Impacts team (described below). Chris comes to us from the University of Michigan School of Education where he just completed his Masters in Education (focused on elementary and science education). Prior to returning to school Chris served as a Program Manager for the Huron River Watershed Council (He has a masters degree from UMs SNRE as well). Chris’s interests and experience in research application and education make him a perfect fit for this newly created university wide position where he is charged with helping advance the University of Michigan’s collaborative efforts in scientific and engineering research.

To reach Chris, click on his name in the first paragraph, which is a link to his UM email.

First Meeting to be Scheduled for Fall 2008

2008-05-23T10:42:00.000-04:00

The first meeting of the Research Impacts Team will be held in early Fall 2008. We'll send out a notice and post the information to this blog -- so stay tuned!

If you have anything to add to this blog, please feel free to do so! An automated email has been sent to each Team member, and you can become a co-author now by accepting the invitation.

If you have any questions about our meeting or would like to suggest items for the agenda, please contact Jill Andrews.

Announcing the new U-M Research Impacts Team

2008-05-14T15:41:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the new University of Michigan (U-M) "Research Impacts Team" weblog!

The U-M Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) recently completed plans to create a university-wide, collaborative effort to develop strategies that ensure broad, societal impact of the University’s research output.

The 3-year pilot project begins this summer and is jointly sponsored by OVPR and participating U-M units. Broader impact activities that stem from basic research are a critical element of the long-term health, vitality, and infrastructure of U-M represented disciplines. They contribute to wide dissemination of research breakthroughs, and to effective communication with non-specialist audiences. The Team's work will focus on supporting faculty and scholars whose research grants require broad dissemination of results and the fostering of a deeper societal understanding of research breakthroughs and the subsequent impact on our lives. Coupled with that support, the Team will help provide thoughtful, deliberate coordination with both internal and external groups and other institutions and/or non-profit organizations (illustrated here).

The Team will convene once a quarter. An executive committee will meet monthly, and will provide primary supervision and interaction with professional staff assigned by OVPR to the project.

The primary goals of the Team will be to encourage, facilitate and support multidisciplinary, cross-institutional and collaborative research projects that
• attract significant federal and/or foundation funding by increasing the University’s competitive edge, especially with large grant proposals;
• leverage existing research-based programs and activities and therefore minimize duplication of effort;
• increase the University’s social and political capital; and
• benefit society through translation and transfer of scientific and engineering research results.

Other units may join as the model develops and produces positive results. Individual Team members will continue as usual to report to his or her respective Unit; but each will also operate on behalf of, and make recommendations to OVPR.

Invited members of the Research Impacts Team include Dr. William “Nick” Collins, founding Director of the new U-M Center for Educational Outreach and Academic Success (UM CEO), The College of Literature, Science and the Arts / Exhibit Museum of Natural History, The College of Engineering / (OE)^2, MEPO, and WISE offices, The School of Education, The School of Information / Office of Research & Innovation, and The School of Natural Resources and Environment. Other Institutes and/or Centers whose missions align with the goal are The Institute for Social Research, the Ginsberg Center, the National Center for Institutional Diversity, the School of Art & Design / Arts on Earth, Department of Public Relations & Marketing Communications, and Corporate and Foundation Relations.

The Research Impacts Team concept is described in a proposal authored by Jill Andrews and Ann Verhey-Henke with Marvin Parnes.

Stay tuned for more information!