Steps Forward

Strategy 3: Supporting Infrastructure

Updated December 31, 2024 Strategy 2 Strategy 4

Fostering a robust research, innovation, and creative research enterprise focused on the development of new ideas and platforms is key to our success. We must reduce real and perceived barriers to conducting investigator-initiated research and team-based projects across the university.

3.1 Improve and expand facilities

  • Received certificate of occupancy for the North Florida Innovation Lab building and prepared for grand opening.
  • Completed conceptual design phase for the FSU Health academic health research building planned for the TMH Campus
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  • Initiated a space policy and committee for Interdisciplinary Research and Commercialization Building (IRCB).
  • Secured $2.5 M in HRSA funding for simulation and VR equipment to be used for educational and research purposes in our Nursing program at the new FSU Health Tallahassee Center.
  • Secured a $98.4 million grant from Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. to develop and build new aerospace and manufacturing facility in Panama City.
  • Provided a parking solution for faculty needing to perform research during football Saturdays.
  • Broke ground on a new FSU Health Facility.

3.2 Streamline and enhance administrative support systems

  • Developed a pooled fringe rate to reduce administrative burden in budgeting.
  • Added an additional research attorney and engaged two contracts attorneys to address the growing number of contracts and improve contract review time.
  • Increased the CRC Small Grant Program to $5K, added subventions, and simplified the application and approval processes.
  • Created a parallel portal to facilitate competitive research funding programs beyond the CRC.
  • Began using Teams to internally negotiate and mark up sponsored research agreements to speed up review times.
  • Initiated the use of Veterinary Verification and Consultation procedure to streamline review and approval of some ACUC amendment submissions.
  • Formed a working group with TMH to help streamline IRB processes when collaborating.

3.3 Enhance training programs

  • Offered 21 Research Development Workshops for Faculty in FY2024 with 1,078 FSU attendees.
  • Offered 27 Research Administration educational opportunities in FY2024 with 1,308 attendees.
  • Provided a 4-hour grant writing workshop “Funding Your Vision” in fall, 2024.
  • Providing ongoing SciENcv training to investigators.
  • Implemented and made available the “Researcher Pathway” to the FSU research community.
  • Developed online modules for NSF and NIH awards. Now available to community.
  • Initiated monthly lunch and learns to assist faculty and staff in ACUC protocol development.
  • Initiated monthly wet-lab opportunities to provide technical training on animal handling and procedures to animal users.

3.4 Increase and maintain shared resources

  • Initiated a Chemical Inventory database (EH&S).
  • Updated the scientific equipment database. Please send your equipment that can be shared across our campus to aspire@fsu.edu!
  • Began effort to centralize management of research software inventory, licensing, and procurement.
  • Created an Amazon Web Services Matching Credits Program to launch in Spring.
  • Began hiring process for a Research Administrative Services unit to bolster departmental representative support.