Research Development Office

Suzanne Strait, Ph.D.Associate Vice President for Research Development
Suzanne Strait, Ph.D.

 

 

Welcome to the Research Development Office, where we drive strategic initiatives to empower and elevate research and grantsmanship at Marshall University. Working closely with faculty, higher administration, and external partners, our office supports scholarly endeavors through mentorship, funding opportunities, interdisciplinary team building, and networking with funding agencies. We are committed to advancing MU’s mission of research excellence by equipping faculty with the resources, connections, and guidance they need to successfully pursue grants and develop innovative research. Whether you’re exploring new funding pathways or seeking expert insights, we are here to support your journey.

TIG MU Service InfoReady

 

 

Services Provided

Our office connects faculty with internal and external funding opportunities to foster research at all academic levels. Key services include:

  • Internal Grants and Awards: Facilitating applications for awards like the John Marshall University Scholars Award, Undergraduate Creative Discovery Scholar, and Research Scholar Awards, alongside a new graduate student grant supported by the President’s Office.
  • External Funding Guidance: Providing resources and expert consultations to help faculty identify and secure external grants.
  • Enhance the quality and competitiveness of research proposals through:
    • External Review Coordination: Partnering with the Talent Identification Group (TIG) to bring expert reviewers to MU, ensuring faculty proposals meet high standards.
    • Grant Writing and Research Mentoring: Offering one-on-one mentoring for faculty on project development, proposal writing, and best practices for grant submissions.
  • To support MU’s pillars of excellence, our office forms and facilitates:
    • Interdisciplinary Research Teams: Building faculty groups around thematic pillars of excellence to encourage collaboration and support large-scale, multidisciplinary projects.
  • Our office provides structured networking for faculty to expand their reach and impact by connecting with key funding organizations and research partners:
    • Funding Agency Connections: Organizing opportunities to connect faculty with representatives from major funding agencies.
    • NASA WV Space Grant Consortium: Offering pathways to NASA-related research and educational programs on campus through our participation in the consortium.

Recognizing achievements in research and grantsmanship, we coordinate events to honor and highlight faculty success:

  • Annual Grant Celebration: Our January MURC celebration shines a light on recent grant accomplishments, providing a forum to celebrate and inspire continued grant activity at MU.
  • Coming Soon… Millionaires Club

Learn more here.

Internal Grants