Planning: Nurturing Strategic Planning for Innovative, Research and Empowerment Development (NSPIRE)

Virginia State University (VSU) is embarking on an ambitious project, Nurturing Strategic Planning for Innovative, Research and Empowerment Development (NSPIRE), aimed at significantly enhancing its research infrastructure. This initiative is designed to foster a dynamic, inclusive, and innovative research environment by revising research policies, strengthening research infrastructure, and expanding research support capacities. NSPIRE seeks to address fundamental issues such as streamlining administrative procedures, promoting interdisciplinary research, and supporting underrepresented groups in STEM fields. The work aligns with the GRANTED themes of enhancing practices and policies of the research enterprise. This project will enhance societal engagement through research addressing pressing challenges, promote diversity within the academic community, and enrich the overall quality of research through increased interdisciplinary collaboration. The NSPIRE project at VSU will develop a comprehensive strategic plan to enhance research policies, infrastructure, and support systems. The project will engage stakeholders, including VSU faculty, administrative leadership, and external entities, such as regional accreditation bodies and program accreditation bodies, to gather diverse insights and recommendations. Key activities include conducting collaborative workshops to draft new research policies, performing detailed assessments of current facilities to identify areas for improvement, and developing training programs for research support staff. The project will develop a strategic plan with specific milestones and evaluation metrics, creating a robust foundation for innovative and interdisciplinary research. The project will construct a roadmap for objectives and activities that will inform a future GRANTED proposal. By enhancing VSU’s research infrastructure, NSPIRE aims to create a transformative model that can be shared and adapted on a national scale. 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.