About
Academic Year Recap
By Karin Scarpinato
May 14, 2024
As we celebrate the end of another academic year, I want to commend everyone for their hard work and dedication. It has been a year marked by significant advancements and exciting changes within our research community. As Kennesaw State University finalizes its new strategic plan, it is clear that our research initiatives are set to play a pivotal role in elevating our university to national prominence.
Recognizing the growing importance of interdisciplinary research, we established our Research Communities to harness the collective expertise of our faculty across four dynamic themes: Applied Technologies, Sustainable Communities, Innovative Creativity, and Health & Wellness. These communities, each led by three distinguished research faculty, have successfully formed robust interdisciplinary teams now actively pursuing impactful outcomes, including publications, funding, and performances.
Looking ahead, we are excited to continue our collaboration with each college's leadership to enhance support for these teams. Our goal is to foster state and regional interdisciplinary collaborations that will amplify our research impact.
The upcoming academic year promises further growth with the initiation of cluster hires focused on each Research Community, yet firmly rooted within our colleges. This strategic integration will strengthen our academic units and expand our research capabilities.
In support of these interdisciplinary areas, we are committed to providing enhanced resources for research staff and seed funding, particularly for larger teams striving for significant research outcomes. We are enthusiastic about the future and the opportunities it holds for the KSU research community as we continue to build on our strong foundation of collaborative and innovative research.
This past academic year, we have also made significant strides in bolstering our operational capabilities. The establishment of a robust research development unit under the leadership of Dr. Heather Abbott-Lyon and with the support of our new colleagues Sierra Hovat and Dasha Chapman is primed to enhance our research support significantly. Additionally, our commitment to expanding corporate engagement has been strengthened by the recruitment of Joshua Davis, who has swiftly begun to forge valuable external partnerships.
We've also seen transformative changes in the Office of Sponsored Programs, including critical staffing additions, structural reorganization, and a comprehensive upgrade of our Cayuse system to streamline operations. Looking ahead to the new academic year, we are excited about the implementation of two additional Cayuse modules that will enhance transparency in post-award processes and bolster our intellectual property protections.
A notable innovation will be the launch of our “Research Concierge” program, which promises personalized support for our researchers by assigning a dedicated point of contact to each, thereby ensuring meticulous project management and timely completion of all research and funding-related tasks.
Moreover, the Office of Research is set to expand its strategic capabilities with the addition of a data analyst and an AI strategist. This expansion will enable us to base our strategic decisions on solid data and metrics. Expect to see greater transparency through the development of new dashboards that will provide real-time insights into our research metrics.
At the university level, we are collaborating closely with Academic Affairs to ensure our policies and procedures robustly support the ambitious research growth necessary to propel KSU toward national prominence. As we transition into summer, I encourage you to take this time to relax and recharge, gearing up for what promises to be another exciting and productive academic year.
