Developing Partnerships
We are bringing interdisciplinary researchers together to share expertise on globally significant topics.
Interdisciplinary Team Building
Looking for an expert in a specific field?
MyResearch database can connect you with those at WSU who are disciplinary authorities and the Pivot database can introduce you to internal and external experts.
To explore expert resources at WSU locate the “Expertise” tab available to faculty and staff in the MyResearch database. Select from a topic list, or do a manual search by selecting “Simple Search”, and a list of skilled WSU colleagues will be available. Expand your search to browse experts in and out of WSU by locating the “Profiles” tab in Pivot. If you need assistance feel free to contact ORAP!
In addition to these outreach sources, visit the WSU Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships (ORAP) to find interdisciplinary topics organized into focus groups that facilitate collaboration. Previous group topics include: genomics, robotics and drones, and health data analytics.
Not seeing your topic of interest above? Contact ORAP at or.orap@wsu.edu to create a focus group for your topic and get a head start on your interdisciplinary research.
Partnering with Industry
The Innovation and Research Engagement Office (IREO) works with students, faculty and staff to position WSU’s creative, scholarly and technical assets in ways that maximize impact and return value to our state and national stakeholders. The office serves to provide administrative support for faculty and external partners working to develop collaborations that leverage WSU expertise and yield meaningful benefits to our partners.
Broader Impacts
Communicating how research benefits society
What are broader impacts?
Many federal agencies increasingly look to fund research that benefits society, in addition to having a strong intellectual merit. While the term “broader impacts” is most closely associated with NSF review criteria, other agencies such as the NIH and USDA use different terms for the same concept, such as “significance,” “impact, or “relevance.”
All of these ideas refer to the components of research that contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.
Broader Impact guides and resources
Broader impact activities can happen through the research itself, through activities related to specific research projects, or through activities that support or complement the project.
- Read NSF Director Dr. France Cordova’s remarks from the 2014 Broader Impacts Infrastructure Summit here.
- Also see the NSF publication Perspectives on Broader Impacts or their website devoted to Broader Impacts.
- The National Alliance for Broader Impacts provides guidance and support for broader impacts activities.
- Broader Impacts Guiding Principles and Questions guide: A collection of guiding principles, questions and answers designed to assist researchers preparing proposals, as well as NSF program directors and review panelists.
- Broader Impacts Wizard
Partner Programs and Organizations
The following organizations often partner with WSU on broader impacts focused on education or outreach. Please contact ORAP if you have additional questions, or are looking for additional broader impacts partners.
- WSU Programs
- Washington State Organizations
Evaluation
Broader Impacts often require evaluation for effectiveness and impact. Contact one of the following Centers during proposal development to discuss plans.
- Social and Economic Sciences Research Center: A unique WSU asset that provides high quality survey research and evaluation services.
- Learning Performance and Research Center provides leadership, training, consultation, and state-of-the-art solutions to challenging educational research questions at the university, state, national, and international levels.