ART: Intensifying Translation of Research in Oklahoma (InTRO)

Federally funded university research results in new discoveries and technologies which need additional development and support in order to be translated for broader application, use or commercialization. Many research findings never progress beyond being written up in academic journals. The Intensifying Translational Research in Oklahoma (InTRO) project will support the process of research findings being translated into processes and products for use by the public, industry, government, and others. InTRO will also provide training for future engineers and scientists to pursue careers in translational research so that there is a sustainable pipeline of discoveries reaching the public. InTRO will grow a translational and use-inspired research university culture, develop educational materials from an array of disciplines, and provide infrastructure for translational research projects. InTRO will increase partnerships and connections between researchers and outside collaborators that include industry, government, community organizations, tribal nations, and other outside entities. Researchers will have access to translational research skill enhancement via a new Accelerating Research Translation (ART) Academy to provide additional education and training on specific aspects of research translation. The ART Academy program will cover research translation, partnerships and collaborations, ethics, and workforce training and development. The ART Academy will also provide funding to train graduate students and postdocs who are interested in translational research careers. There will be an InTRO Seed Translational Research Project program that supports advancement of early-stage projects. Teams who are awarded SRTP grants will receive funding to enable the translation of their proof-of-concept idea into a ready-for-use solution or product in under two years. InTRO will result in an inclusive and sustainable program that supports a community of diverse scholars, including students, postdocs, and faculty, who are equipped to engage in translational research. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.