Conference: Distributed RD--Building A National Network of Enterprise Research Support for Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (BANNERS-PUI)

这个以研讨会为基础的项目旨在开发一套实用的建议，以减轻全国大约1700所授予四年制或更高学位的本科院校(PUI)在提交补助金方面的挑战。通过深入研究促进这一过程的校园管理、专业组织和非正式网络的作用，该项目在确定障碍和解决方案方面具有得天独厚的优势。一项初步研究表明，在每个拨款活跃的PPI中，有几名工作人员履行着与大型研究型大学规模更大、更专业的研究开发人员相同的核心研究开发(RD)职能。然而，由于相互竞争的优先事项和有限的资源，这些职能面临广泛的压力。项目小组利用从大大小小的数据收集、早期文献和专家咨询中获得的最新数据，制定简明的背景材料和议程，以更好地了解PUI中RD的性质和差异。通过举办一系列为期两天的区域研讨会，将审查代表PUI类型和研发人员、材料的约16名与会者(每个研讨会)，并制定具体的想法和优先事项。随后的公开网络研讨会和相关渠道增加了一份报告的基础，其中包括关于证据开发、示范计划和评估的国家建议，以促进PUI研究企业的系统性长期增强。通过明确PUI研发挑战的独特方面的知识，促进基于实力而不是基于赤字的PUI需求、能力和增长路径的建模，并扩大目前PUI领域中较不活跃的部分的参与，该项目将就如何加强国家通信和服务网络以更有效地支持PUI研究活动提供具体、独立的专家建议，从而将研究经验、知识和资源传播到新的和可能得不到充分服务的社区。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This workshop-based project aims to develop a suite of practical recommendations to mitigate the challenges of grant submission at the nation’s approximately 1700 primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) that grant 4-year or higher degrees. By examining in-depth the roles of campus administrations, professional organizations, and informal networks that contribute to this process, the project is uniquely positioned to identify barriers and solutions. A pilot study indicates that a few staff in each grant-active PUI perform the same core research development (RD) functions as a much larger and more specialized RD staff at large research universities. Yet, these functions are under extensive strain due to competing priorities and limited resources. The project team uses recent data from small and large data collections, earlier literature, and expert consultations to develop concise background materials and agendas to better understand the nature and variations of RD among PUIs. By convening a series of regional two-day workshops, approximately 16 participants (per workshop) representative of PUI types and RD personnel, materials will be reviewed and specific ideas and priorities developed. Subsequent public webinars and related channels add to the basis for a report with national recommendations for evidence development, demonstration programs, and evaluation to promote systemic long-term enhancement of the PUI research enterprise. By crystallizing knowledge of unique aspects of PUI RD challenges, promoting strength-based rather than deficit-based modeling of PUI needs, capacities, and growth paths, and broadening the participation of currently less active segments of the PUI universe, the project will provide concrete, independent, expert suggestions on how to enhance national networks of communication and service to more effectively support PUI research activities, thus spreading research experience, knowledge, and resources to new and potentially underserved communities.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.