Research Initiative Hero with George Washington statue and GW Researcher Cynthia Dowd

Research Initiative

 

 

GW's mission is to improve the world with the discoveries and creative expressions of its faculty and students. This requires the university to invest in the areas of scholarship and research where it can have the greatest success and to ensure that its research ecosystem matches the aspirations of the university community. And it requires that the university facilitate research that crosses disciplinary and geographic boundaries. GW will build on the progress it has made, exploring ways to support research that continues to generate groundbreaking discoveries and innovative ideas.

 

 

Goals

 

  • Goal 1: Perform a comprehensive review of the research ecosystem across the institution to identify successes and areas for investment and develop an action plan for improvement. Working with the Faculty Senate Committee on Research, working groups will examine:
     
    • Pre- and post-award processes, award setup and project administration
    • Research integrity and compliance
    • Operation and utilization of research core facilities
    • Building of big data and high-performance computing infrastructure
    • Postdoctoral recruiting and hiring
    • Non-sponsored research and scholarship
       
  • Goal 2: Ensure that principal investigators have the support and flexibility they need to focus on their research.
     
  • Goal 3: Enhance the research and scholarly reputation of GW. 
     
  • Goal 4: Align the research and academic enterprises.
     
  • Goal 5: Enhance the opportunities for GW students to expand their education opportunities by working and publishing with faculty.


     

 

Initiative Accomplishments
 

 

  • Research Ecosystem Review Phase I Report Released
    The executive summary (PDF) outlines high-priority themes for additional focus and prioritization. The body of the full report is available to the GW community by emailing [email protected].
     

  • A new electronic system for submission and review of research integrity and compliance processes has been implemented.
     
  • University Increases Intramural Funding
    In late 2017, the university increased funding for internal research grants. This funding—for individual and multi-disciplinary projects—is especially important for faculty in fields in which research funding is scarce, such as the humanities. These increased levels of intramural funding will continue into the next fiscal year and beyond.
     
  • The Office of the Vice President for Research has instituted panel reviews for University Facilitating Fund applications, at the request of faculty, to support enhanced equity in awarding internal funding.
     
  • Vice President for Research Moved Under the Provost
    Beginning July 1, 2018, the vice president for research now reports to the provost, in support of the initiative goal to better align the research and academic enterprises.

 

 

Research Ecosystem Review Working Groups

GW faculty, staff and leadership have begun to review the university’s research ecosystem. The review is a major goal of the research strategic initiative and aims to identify successes and areas for investment and to outline action plans for improvement.


The first phase of working groups will examine: pre-award processes; post-award processes; research integrity and compliance; and non-sponsored research and scholarship.

  • Susan Aaronson, ESIA
  • Herman Aguinis, GWSB
  • William Briscoe, CCAS
  • Dana Hines, SON
  • Megan Leftwich, SEAS
  • Melissa Perry, SPH
  • Yongwu Rong, CCAS
  • Kausik Sarkar, SEAS
  • Alejandro Villagra, SMHS
  • Gina Lohr, OVPR
  • Shandra White, OVPR
  • Megan Dieleman, OVPR
  • Don Reagan, BMAG
  • John Forrer, GWSB
  • Josh Glazer, GSEHD
  • Kathleen Griffith, SON
  • Valentina Harizanov, CCAS
  • Matt Kay, SEAS
  • Chiara Manzini, SMHS
  • Rajiv Rimal, SPH
  • Sharon Heinle, Finance Division
  • Teresa Klock-Taube, Finance Division
  • Gina Lohr, OVPR
  • Shandra White, OVPR
  • Megan Dieleman, OVPR
  • Don Reagan, BMAG
     
  • Kim Acquaviva, SON
  • Rebecca Clifton, SPH
  • Anna Lusardi, GWSB
  • Ky Luu, ESIA
  • Karen McDonnell, SPH
  • Delishia Pittman, GSEHD
  • Mary Ann Stepp, SMHS
  • Gregory Squires, CCAS
  • Robert Tuttle, LAW
  • Gina Lohr, OVPR
  • Sheila Garrity, OVPR
  • Hiromi Sanders, OVPR
  • Megan Dieleman, OVPR
  • Don Reagan, BMAG
     
  • Jamie Cohen-Cole, CCAS
  • Mary Coughlin, CCAS
  • Raja Mazumder, SMHS
  • Karen McDonnell, SPH
  • Jennifer Spencer, GWSB
  • Terry Murphy, Office of the Provost
  • Gina Lohr, OVPR
  • Megan Dieleman, OVPR
  • Don Reagan, BMAG
     

 

 

Robert Miller

 

 

Initiative Sponsor

Robert H. Miller
Vice President for Research

 

 

 

Initiative Leadership

  • Sheila Garrity, Associate Vice President, Research Integrity
  • Gina Lohr, Associate Vice President for Research
  • Shandra White, Director, Sponsored Projects and Research Enhancement

 


 

Get in Touch

 

If you have a story of progress or suggestion related to this initiative, please submit it below. Your feedback is shared directly with the team charged with managing this initiative's progress. We look forward to hearing from you.