Showcasing Our Progress: Summaries and Presentations from Umbrella Working Groups
Dive into the innovative approaches and tangible outcomes emerging from the Building Bridges Umbrella Working Groups, presented virtually on October 3, 2023.
Members of the Building Bridges to Use-Inspired Research community have been hard at work since the in-person workshop in Boise to continue crafting innovative approaches to use-inspired research.
Below are recordings of presentations from Microlab #4, where a representative of each working group shared their progress, future goals, and how community members can get involved in the future work of the group. Delve into each of the presentations below to get a glimpse into the groundbreaking initiatives addressing distinct aspects of the disconnect, from fostering collaborative thinking and empowering educational institutions to proposing a paradigm shift in academia, while continuing to create intentional community around use-inspired research and education.
In addition to the working groups below, there are additional cross-cutting initiatives being developed within the community. To learn more about those, click here.
Umbrella Working Group #1: A Launchpad to Catalyze Use-Inspired Research and Innovation
Serving as a one-stop entry point for getting started in use-inspired research, A Launchpad to Catalyze Use-Inspired Research and Innovation unites diverse stakeholders from academia, industry, and the private sector through fostering interdisciplinary collaborations. The initiative employs a hub-and-spoke model, prioritizing grassroots team formation to address regional priorities as well as issues at a national level. Past phases of development for A Launchpad to Catalyze Use-Inspired Research and Innovation involved consolidating resources, creating inclusive spaces, and applying learnings in live-time. By the end of 2023, UWG#1 aims to establish a leadership board, define activities, and identify regional pilot sites to further develop the future of impactful cross-sector partnerships and innovation.
If you’re interested in learning more about or engaging with A Launchpad to Catalyze Use-Inspired Research and Innovation, please email Zoey at zoey.england@uconn.edu. You can also complete the interest form linked here.
Umbrella Working Group #2: Use-Inspired Community-Oriented Regional STEM Education (COURSE)
Community-Oriented Use-Inspired Regional STEM Education (COURSE) Career Development Networks fosters cross-sector collaboration for future STEM leaders through a focus on community needs. This initiative aims to bridge education and applied STEM careers, emphasizing user and community perspectives, seeking to engage individuals and groups through a webinar series as well as potentially an in-person conference to facilitate cross-sector partnerships. UWG#2’s team plans to pilot the approach in a specific region and seeks input on inclusivity, gaps in needs, and available resources.
Interested in joining the team? Have ideas or suggestions? Email Stephanie Pearl at spearl@adaptiverootsconsulting.com.
Umbrella Working Group #3: Accelerating Lab to Market By Improving the Average
Lab to Market: A Venture Studio Model explores acceleration of lab-to-market transitions, particularly in under-resourced resources and institutions, through building capacity in underserved areas. UWG #3 aims to support academic researchers navigating the complex process of commercializing research while also highlighting the challenges academics face in doing so, such as community engagement and post-award administration.
The group proposes a national venture studio model to enhance collaboration, leverage existing infrastructure, and provide rapid access to funds for lab-to-market activities. The Lab to Market: A Venture Studio Model concept envisions a science or research venture studio intersecting with NSF-funded opportunities, working at both the regional and national levels.
Want to get involved with UWG#3? Complete the interest form linked here and a member will be in touch soon!
Umbrella Working Group #4/5: Transforming Education: Community-RULES Advancement
Transforming Education: Community-RULES Advancement is a combination of Umbrella Working Groups 4 and 5, with the Community-RULES acronym standing for "Community Responsive and Use-Inspired Learning Experiences for Scientific Advancement." Representing diverse regions and educational institutions, this team aims to empower schools and communities for collaborative thinking, fostering community-responsive and use-inspired innovation. The group originated from six "Wouldn't it Be Great If…" statements and now focuses on building local capacity and incorporating culturally responsive use-inspired curricula, with future goals including creating a community agreement, seeking implementation funding, and developing an adaptable use-inspired implementation toolkit and resource guides.
If you have any questions or want to get involved with Transforming Education: Community-RULES Advancement, email Josephine Kershaw at jkershaw@jeffco.edu
Umbrella Working Group #6: Assessing Academic Readiness for Use-inspired Research
Assessing Academic Readiness for Use-inspired Research focuses on assessing the readiness as well as promoting a culture of use-inspired research in academia. This team has an overarching goal of setting guiding principles (vs. rigid guidelines) for rewards and advancements in academia that integrate user engagement while also informing institutions what they need to do to be impactful in the context of use-inspired research. Building off a set of guiding questions, UWG #6’s next steps include defining use-inspired research in academia, creating a survey to collect data on institutional readiness, working with R2 institutions, and establishing a self-sustained cycle of use-inspired research.
The group invites postdocs, graduate students, and individuals with survey expertise to join their efforts. They seek collaboration with the broader non-academic community and welcome feedback and engagement from NSF and interested individuals. If you are interested in learning more about how you can get involved, feel free to email Ralph at rlhouse@email.unc.edu.
Umbrella Working Group #7: Connecting The Dots: Open Innovation Portal to Identify End-User Products
UWG#7 seeks to address the observed disconnect between academic research and real-world needs, emphasizing the importance of user-centeredness. The team envisions a virtual platform fostering open collaboration, connecting researchers and professionals based on shared interests and needs. They conducted seven user interviews across various disciplines, uncovering unique challenges and needs to craft user personas that include an entrepreneur struggling to find academic partners, a Ph.D. student seeking impactful research, and a mental health specialist with valuable data but lacking actionable steps. UWG#7 aims to continue refining their solution as well as decide on the fiscal & operational viability through prototyping, with a focus on scalability and collaboration.
Feedback, support, and collaboration are welcomed. Reach out to connectthedots.uir@gmail.com. You can also sign up to complete an informational interview for Connecting The Dots here.
Want to learn about cross-cutting initiatives being developed within the community? Click here to read A Community Compass: Embedding JEDI Principles and Community Agreements From The Beginning
Microlab #4 was held on October 3, 2023 and funded under NSF Grant # FAIN-2309541.