1. Supporting Faculty Research
IGP, Scholarship Incentives, Symposia, Research Infrastructure, Interdisciplinary Initiatives, eRA, and Facilitating Solutions
Jennifer Kerpelman
Interim Vice President for Research

2. Intramural Grant Program (IGP)
3 Categories: Faculty Research Initiation Grant ($20K); Interdisciplinary Team Research Grant; and Good to Great Grant. Separate funding for Cyber Research Grants.
Workshops were held in September and proposals were due November 9, 2018
95* submissions received
Panel will meet on February 13-14, 2019
Decisions for funding will be finalized in March 2019
Currently looking at effectiveness of IGP (across time) and considering ways to improve processes that facilitate proposal submissions for external funding that build on the IGP funding.
*85 submissions received fall 2017
Faculty Research Initiation – seed funding for new projects with external funding potential and/or increased visibility and reputation building of work
Interdisciplinary Team Research – supporting a small focused project for a new or established team that can strengthen their competitive potential and increase visibility of their work; anticipate that some of the applicants are unfunded PAIR teams.
Good to Great helps a faculty member/team address issues raised in review of an external proposal and increase chances of funding
In these categories: 50 research initiation; 30 interdisciplinary; 15 good-to-great; There was 1 cyber application
Related to internal and external proposals – the FRC worked with the ADRs to update the PI eligibility guidelines so it reflects current positions and is more inclusive. There were two levels and now there are three levels. The new guidelines are posted on the OVPR website.

3. Incentivizing Scholarship Plans
2018
Incentivizing Scholarship Plan Overview document developed by FRC chair, interim VPR, and associate provost. Document reviewed by Provost and additional input received from FRC and ADR members. A second guiding document providing examples was developed by the FRC chair (with input from ADR and FRC members).
Input on both documents received from leadership within the academic units.
2019
Current draft of guiding documents under review with Provost
Academic units will be asked to develop incentivizing scholarship plans that are uniquely tailored to fit the goals of their faculty and are feasible to implement. Plans can be implemented at the college/school level and/or department level.

4. Research Symposia
Faculty Research Symposium each fall semester and Student Research Symposium each spring semester (next student symposium is April 9).
Faculty Symposium provides opportunities to showcase research activity across all colleges/schools, offer faculty networking opportunities, and provide venues for external partners and potential funders to interact with Auburn researchers.
Creative Scholarship Showcase offers a biennial opportunity for faculty and students across diverse disciplines to present their creative works.
Faculty symposium
Auburn Talks (one from each school/college) – working to provide seminars on communicating your research to diverse audiences that we hope to hold late spring or over the summer
Invited poster sessions
This past year we added roundtables with external partners and potential funders addressing topic areas that have appeal across multiple disciplines. The roundtables are designed to facilitate exchange of information.

5. Research Infrastructure
Teams comprised of ADRs, FRC members, faculty and staff are focusing on:
Equipment
Space
Computing and Statistical supports
HR for research administration
The teams are looking at current capacity, gaps, and needs.
Reports from the teams will be submitted before the end of the spring semester.
Updates from the teams will be given to me later in January – we anticipate developing a useful assessment report for the incoming VPR

6. Interdisciplinary Team Research
Auburn University Health Sciences Research Initiative
Spans all AU colleges/schools
Needs exist at the state, regional, national and international level
Substantial funding is available
Dr. Marietta Harrison (Purdue) is serving as a consultant for the initiative. Second open forum – January 28 (11-12:30) room 1145 School of Nursing
Presidential Awards for Interdisciplinary Research
11 funded teams
Additional teams pursuing internal and external funding
Research Cluster Hires (Strategic Hiring Initiative)
Collecting information on accomplishments to date
Cool Research presentations at University Research Council Meetings

7. Electronic Research Administration (eRA)
IBM Consultants conducted an assessment summer 2018
Follow up listening sessions conducted with academic units
IBM currently assisting with envisioning the desired “end state”
eRA vendor demonstrations occurring spring 2019.
The more we can use technology effectively to support management of research and compliance processes, the more we can reduce administrative burden on faculty and improve the capacity of research administration staff to facilitate the research process productively. We are working to make changes now when we can and we are looking at vendors who provide eRA systems. We also are working with IBM consulting to develop a vision for the end state of Auburn’s eRA system (what does an optimal process look like) and they are assisting us in development of a journey map to get there.

8. Facilitated Solutions Process
Available to address issues that interfere with research productivity and progress.
Brings stakeholders together to discuss the issue and move toward a solution.
Members of the Facilitated Solutions Team assist with moderating the stakeholder discussion and identifying the final decision maker.
Desired outcome is to identify and implement a solution (follow evaluations as needed).
Determining topics to address
Information on research-related challenges gathered by electronic research administration consultants and by OVPR survey.
Listening sessions held by OVPR/Business Office leaders were held with academic unit leadership.
Emerging issues identified by faculty, staff, administrators.
FRC worked with ADRs to pilot this process with the Human Participant Incentive Payment policy