Collaborative Research: EPIIC: HBCU Alliance for Strategic Partnerships for Innovation and Research Enhancement (HBCU-ASPIRE)

This is a collaborative project including the following institutions: Coppin State University, Florida Memorial University, Kentucky State University, and Harris-Stowe State University. The Historically Black College & University Alliance for Strategic Partnerships for Innovation and Research Enhancement (HBCU-ASPIRE) initiative is poised to address and overcome existing infrastructural impediments that hinder research and innovation within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Acknowledging the pivotal role of HBCUs in nurturing the growth of underrepresented professionals in STEM disciplines, this endeavor seeks to enhance faculty research capacity and infrastructural support. Despite the National Science Foundation (NSF) data showing HBCUs as the source of over 18% of all bachelor's degrees in STEM fields earned by African American students, these institutions often grapple with the constraints of infrastructural deficiencies and inequitable funding. Through this pilot, the HBCU-ASPIRE project aims to substantially fortify the research and innovation proficiencies of ASPIRE institutions, thereby fostering a more inclusive and dynamic U.S. and global economy. The HBCU-ASPIRE initiative will perform a methodical analysis of the prevailing challenges impeding research and innovation within each HBCU in the cohort. Utilizing proven practices from the Research Development Enterprise (RDE), the project is designed to bolster the research infrastructure, fostering robust partnerships. The initiative is committed to fortifying various dimensions such as the Office of Sponsored Research, faculty support and training, pre- and post-research award management systems, to foster a collaborative, efficient, and innovative research milieu. With an objective to compete for research funding at the national level, this project encompasses the institutionalization of best practices in research and innovation. Furthermore, the initiative is designed to generate empirically grounded insights to guide other institutions in their quest for robust research and innovation infrastructures. HBCU-ASPIRE's commitment to broadening the impact of HBCUs on STEM research, training and workforce development has the potential to foster a more inclusive and innovative global economy. This project is supported via co-funding from the NSF HBCU-Excellence in Research Program. 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.