Research Development

Vision: To advance CALS’ capacity for diverse, equitable, and inclusive research and scholarship in line with college, university, New York State and federal priorities.

Goal: The goal of the CALS Research Development office is to cultivate and implement programming to support and grow the externally-funded research activity of faculty at all levels. In particular, the office supports proposal development activities that enable faculty to procure multi-disciplinary grants, center grants and training grants; to diversify funding streams; to advance diversity, equity and inclusion; and to help new faculty launch their research careers successfully.

Research Development catalyzes capacity-building activities, research collaboration and pipeline growth, which complements the administrative management of proposals by the CALS Office of Sponsored Research. The office also works closely with the central office of Research Development in the Cornell University Office of Sponsored Programs. 

The CALS Office of Research Development:

• Develops grant proposals with a focus on Center grants, complex, multi-PI grants, training grants and grants of strategic importance to CALS and/or Cornell. Provides strategic assistance with project design and development, including team composition, collaborative opportunities, workforce development, diversity, equity, and inclusion plans and approaches, management plans, and knowledge transfer, dissemination, and communication. Grant writing support and review available.
• Conducts specialized training and programming including workshops for early career faculty (e.g. Cornell Early Career Grant Mentoring Program), agency-specific trainings such as NSF CAREER, NSF, NIH, DOD and USDA, and resources to reactivate research (e.g. REFRESH).
• Cultivates team science and diversity, equity and inclusion by promoting a multi-disciplinary, diverse team approach, fostering collaboration among underrepresented and marginalized faculty, and implementing programming and professional development opportunities for faculty.
• Advances early career faculty by offering one-to-one sessions to discuss strategic research planning and identify and connect new faculty with career development resources on campus.
• Positions faculty strategically with federal agencies by facilitating introductions with agency program officers and providing support, including the preparation of key materials, as agency relationships develop.
• Provides evaluation expertise in collaboration with CORE, the Cornell Office of Research Evaluation. RD staff can help develop planning models (e.g. logic and concept) and evaluation plans.
• Publicizes funding opportunities within CALS.
• Manages limited submission opportunities within CALS to develop competitive teams and proposals.