Strategic Priority 2
Enrich and Expand Research and Experiential Opportunities
Strategic Priority 2 encompasses five individual objectives which may be viewed by clicking on each below.
Objective 1: Increase funded research for faculty and students
Strategy
Secure additional funding sources and increase visibility for research by streamlining processes, providing targeted support for faculty and students, and enhancing research opportunities.
Tactics
- Funding Opportunities and Grant Support
- Maintain and regularly update a curated list of funding opportunities for CSH faculty.
- Collaborate with the Office of Research Services (ORS) to develop CSH-specific standard text templates for grant applications.
- Hire a dedicated pre-award grant staff member to support faculty in the grant application process.
- Partner with ORS to streamline the grant submission process, reducing administrative burdens.
- Faculty and Student Research Development
- Expand the Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship (DURF) to include more students and sites.
- Grow the Undergraduate Research Assistance Program (URAP) and the Undergraduate Summer Research Program (USRP).
- Develop a summer research program for graduate students with competitive funding opportunities.
- Research Awareness and Engagement
- Launch a comprehensive messaging campaign to emphasize research's importance to first-year students.
- Establish partnerships with professional organizations to sponsor student conference attendance.
- Promote and expand the use of a crowdfunding platform to more readily support targeted student research projects.
- Pursue sustainable grants and external funding to support both faculty and student research.
- Convene a faculty committee to explore research and teaching faculty tracks with differentiated workload expectations.
Metrics
- Funding and Grant Applications
- Add 20 new funding opportunities to the curated list annually, with a 10% increase in faculty access.
- Submit 25 grant applications annually using CSH-specific templates, with a 5% increase in success rates.
- Increase grant submissions supported by pre-award staff by 10% annually, with a 10% increase in total research dollars secured.
- Reduce grant submission time by 10% annually while achieving a 10% increase in the number of grant applications submitted.
- Research Fellowships and Programs
- Increase fellowships awarded by 15% annually, with a 25% increase in sites by 2029.
- Award $50,000 annually in student research fellowships.
- Increase URAP and USRP awards by 15% annually.
- Engage 20 graduate students in funded research experiences annually.
- Research Engagement and Funding
- Achieve 90% attendance at research orientation sessions for first-year students, with a 15% increase in interest in research careers.
- Establish three new partnerships annually to sponsor conference attendance, with 30 students sponsored annually.
- Raise $20,000 annually through crowdfunding, with 25 students using the platform.
- Identify three new sustainable grant opportunities annually, securing $200,000 in research funding each year.
- Committee Impact
- Hold regular faculty committee meetings to explore and refine research and teaching faculty tracks, with the goal of implementing at least one major recommendation on differentiated workload expectations annually.
Objective 2: Elevate student engagement and visibility in research
Strategy
Implement a scaffolded approach to broaden participation in research opportunities for students at all levels.
Tactics
- Research Opportunity Awareness
- Develop a D2L module for introductory courses (e.g., General Chemistry, Biology, Psychology) to educate students about CSH research opportunities.
- Use D2L to link students to research opportunities, with specific pathways for international and undocumented students.
- Integrate Handshake into D2L modules and advising sessions as a primary tool for connecting students with research opportunities.
- Graduate Research Promotion
- Create a graduate-student version of the STEM Showcase to highlight advanced research.
Metrics
- D2L Module Engagement
- Achieve 90% completion rate of the D2L module among students in introductory courses, with 80% student satisfaction.
- Research Opportunity Utilization
- Ensure 50% of eligible students use the CSH website to access research opportunities and 60% connect via Handshake.
- Graduate STEM Showcase
- Engage 50 graduate students in the STEM Showcase in the first year, with 200 attendees.
Objective 3: Increase factulty involvement in Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs)
Strategy
Expand faculty participation in CUREs by offering incentives and support.
Tactics
- Faculty Incentives and Support
- Offer course release time or research funding to faculty who incorporate CUREs into their courses.
- Establish a CUREs support team to assist faculty with coordination, implementation, and assessment.
- Develop a mentoring program for faculty new to CUREs.
- Course Development and Inclusivity
- Create a catalog code to tag CUREs courses and explore a certificate program for students completing multiple CUREs courses.
- Ensure CUREs are inclusive, and develop mechanisms to support first-generation and underrepresented students taking CUREs courses
Metrics
- Faculty Engagement
- Increase faculty participation in CUREs by 15% annually.
- Award $20,000 annually in funding or course release time.
- Assist ten faculty members annually through the CUREs support team, with 80% satisfaction.
- Course Enrollment and Development
- Tag ten CUREs courses in the catalog annually.
- Enroll 200 students in CUREs-tagged courses annually, with a 5% annual increase in research-intensive course enrollment.
- Inclusivity and Student Experience
- Target 25% of CUREs participants are first-generation or underrepresented students.
- Achieve 80% student satisfaction with the inclusivity of CUREs experiences.
Objective 4: Strengthen research infrastructure
Strategy
Upgrade research facilities and equipment to support cutting-edge research and enhance faculty and student capabilities.
Tactics
- Research Infrastructure Assessment
- Conduct an inventory and needs assessment to identify gaps in current research infrastructure.
- Funding and Upgrades
- Secure funding for state-of-the-art equipment and laboratory renovations.
- Develop shared research facilities to ensure equitable access to advanced technology.
- Review and renegotiate service contracts for research equipment to optimize cost efficiency.
Metrics
- Assessment and Implentation
- Complete the inventory and needs assessment by the end of June 2025.
- Implement three major upgrades annually.
- Funding and Equipment
- Secure $500,000 annually for equipment and renovations.
- Purchase and install five new pieces of equipment annually.
- Develop two new shared facilities annually, with an 80% utilization rate.
- Contract Reviews and Savings
- Review all service contracts annually, targeting 10% cost savings.
- Equipment Usage and Satisfaction
- Achieve a 75% utilization rate for key equipment.
- Attain 80% user satisfaction with equipment availability.
Objective 5: Facilitate impactful experiential learning and research opportunities for students through strategic and community partnerships
Strategy
Develop strategic partnerships with both industry and community organizations, alongside existing programs like the Dean’s Undergraduate Summer Fellowship, to provide students with impactful experiential learning and research opportunities, fostering academic and professional growth while leveraging the College's strengths.
Tactics
- Partnership Development
- Establish partnerships with reputable research institutions, industry partners, and community organizations aligned with DePaul's goals and mission.
- Integrate the Dean’s Undergraduate Summer Fellowship into partnership development efforts, ensuring students benefit from both new and existing opportunities.
- Negotiate cost-sharing agreements where DePaul funds student travel, and partners - whether industry or community-based - provide research expenses, mentorship, and real-world project opportunities.
- Program Structure and Inclusivity
- Design flexible program structures for student participation during summer or select times in the academic year.
- Develop inclusive student selection criteria, ensuring equitable access to opportunities with both industry and community partners, and promoting applications from underrepresented groups.
- Mentorship and Integration
- Ensure robust mentorship by collaborating with both industry partners and community organizations.
- Integrate experiential learning with academic programs at DePaul, including potential academic credit, with a focus on both industry-relevant and community-based experiences.
- Program Promotion and Outcomes
- Promote the program as a pathway to advanced degrees, career opportunities in industry, and leadership roles in community initiatives.
- Highlight opportunities for academic publications, grants, revenue generation, and impactful community-based research outcomes.
Metrics
- Partnership Metrics
- Establish partnerships with five key research institutions, industry partners, or community organizations by 2025.
- Formalize cost-sharing agreements with all partners by the end of 2025, ensuring a balanced collaboration between industry and community organizations.
- Participation Metrics
- Increase student participation by 20% annually, with 30% of participants from underrepresented groups by 2029, in both industry and community-based opportunities.
- Outcome Metrics
- Increase the number of students transitioning to advanced degree programs, industry roles, or community leadership positions at partner institutions by 10% annually.
- Produce at least five significant academic or community-driven outputs (publications, grants, products, community impact reports) annually by 2027.
- Achieve an 85% student satisfaction rate by 2027.