IUB will build upon its existing areas of excellence and historic strength while pushing into new areas of emerging possibilities that position us to address complex societal challenges locally, nationally, and globally. We will simultaneously strive to become a globally recognized powerhouse for innovation and entrepreneurship, proactively amplifying the impact of IUB research and training the next generation of innovators. Key to advancing all of this is a campus environment that is vibrant, welcoming, respectful, and safe for all. We will continue to build an inclusive and equitable campus culture that supports individuals in conducting their best research, scholarship, and creative activity.

Accelerate sponsored research in identified transformational research areas.

Status: Faculty 100 cluster hires recently funded for both the aging and environment research areas to continue building a critical mass of faculty who are engaged in related research. Hiring committees have been charged and positions have been posted.

Steering committees for AI and quantum research areas will begin meeting soon.

Facilitators: Vice Provost for Research, Graduate School, academic deans

Increase faculty productivity in research and creative areas.

Status: Launched the Research and Evaluation Design Services (REDS) program, which provides focused expertise to strengthen evaluation and research design in proposals for extramural funding by providing specialized consultation related to evaluation plans, research design, survey methodology, and statistics.

Facilitators: Brea Perry, Carrie Docherty, academic deans

Accelerate grant-seeking among research-eligible faculty.

Status: IU Research continues to develop services to support faculty grant-seeking. Recent initiatives include the Research Evaluation Design and Support program, which provides proposal development support, and the Emerging Frontiers Grant, a new seed funding program to support the formation and early collaborations of interdisciplinary teams for large grant applications.

Facilitators: Brea Perry, Carrie Docherty, academic deans

Improve utilization of existing campus research space and expand campus research space where necessary.

Status: With $45 million approved by the Board of Trustees for construction and renovations across eight buildings at IUB, the campus has embarked on an 18-month effort to optimize research spaces available to campus via at least 34 updated and new labs across central and north campus. Planning teams have identified five strategic research "neighborhoods" for IUB, which congregate researchers with high potential for collaboration and shared resources. Many of the planned renovations will be aligned with ongoing Faculty 100 hiring in priority areas.

Facilitators: Aimee Heeter, Brea Perry, academic deans

IU Innovates: Enhance entrepreneurship and innovation that has human impact.

Status: 

One IU Innovates member sold his company for over $500,000, another member was featured in the finals of the Chicago tech week awards, and we also had multiple product launches.

IU Innovates hosted multiple open-door events including an entrepreneurship service provider showcase which connected over 55 students with local community support organizations, and a music scene gathering which pulled together 70 members of Bloomington's music innovation scene.

IU's community of active founders and startups nearly doubled in September.

Facilitators: Julie Heath, IU Research, academic deans

Strengthen research collaborations in the state’s innovation ecosystem.

Status: IU, Purdue, and Notre Dame formalized a joint research effort on June 3 to address critical defense challenges in the U.S. The Indiana Research Consortium will advance tech, promote economic growth, and attract top talent to the state of Indiana.

Facilitators: Brea Perry

Improve diverse faculty recruitment and strategic placement.

Status: Efforts are being focused on ensuring there is a diverse pool of applicants for the Faculty 100 hiring initiative. 

Facilitators: Carrie Docherty, academic deans

Improve faculty development.

Status: Several new faculty development programs are under development or have recently been created:

• new chair's leadership program
• new faculty-to-faculty mentoring program
• new faculty orientation program with cohort-based mentoring and socialization into the campus community
• Institute for Advanced Study's Recently Tenured Working Group (RTG)
• Enhanced Mentoring Program with Opportunities for Ways to Excel in Research (EMPOWER) program

Facilitators: Carrie Docherty, academic deans

Enhance faculty recognition and awards opportunities.

Status: Criteria and committee structure for internal faculty awards are currently being evaluated.

Facilitators: Carrie Docherty, academic deans, recent recipients of Carnegie, Guggenheim, and NEH grants.