We will advance research and scholarship with local, state, and national influence to address critical health and education challenges, strengthen practice and policy, and generate new knowledge.
Why this matters
Research that improves practice, learning, health, and well‑being strengthens communities, informs policy, and ensures that health and education systems respond effectively to real‑world needs.
Subgoal 2.1: Research Impact and Visibility
We will elevate the visibility and influence of the college’s research by communicating its impact, relevance, and applications to health and education challenges.
Action Items
- Deploy strategic communications to highlight faculty and student research.
- Expand outreach to media, ranking bodies, and key stakeholders, including partners in state and federal agencies.
Subgoal 2.2: Strategic Research Distinction
We will strengthen research areas with strategic distinction to position the college as a national leader in addressing critical health and education challenges.
Action Items
- Identify and strengthen distinctive and strategic research areas aligned with institutional priorities and societal needs.
- Support interdisciplinary collaborations that address complex challenges in health and education.
- Invest in initiatives with strong potential for national prominence and external funding growth.
- Align communications and external engagement efforts with areas of research distinction.
- Expand research‑focused professional development opportunities for faculty and students.
- Support initiatives that position the college as a leader in key research areas.
Subgoal 2.3: Research Capacity and Support Systems
We will strengthen the people, infrastructure, resources, and support systems necessary to sustain a thriving and productive research environment.
Action Items
- Maintain faculty workload structures that support sustained research productivity.
- Increase institutional capacity to support proposal development, project administration, and research operations.
- Expand internal support for research space, equipment, startup needs, and pilot funding.
- Strengthen mentoring and professional development supporting faculty and student research success.
- Expand doctoral research fellowships and research training opportunities.
- Use faculty advisory structures to inform research support priorities and continuous improvement.
Subgoal 2.4: Partnerships and Collaboration
We will grow and deepen partnerships that expand research opportunities and amplify impact.
Action Items
- Deepen connections with the Alabama State Department of Education and statewide public‑school networks.
- Support corporate and foundation partnerships to facilitate faculty research.
- Develop partnerships with health organizations to support clinical research.
Subgoal 2.5: Translation to Practice and Community Impact
We will extend the reach and usefulness of our research by translating knowledge into practice, policy, and community solutions.
Action Items
- Develop research‑to-outreach (R-2-O) models that facilitate applied research focused on community needs.
- Support faculty efforts to translate research into practice, policy, and community solutions, including commercialization where appropriate.
- Develop outreach programming tied to faculty expertise and the college’s mission.
- Expand applied and community-based research addressing practical challenges in health and education.
