Provost’s Initiative to Enhance Research and Scholarship (PIERS)
Vanderbilt faculty conduct exceptional, world-renowned research and scholarship in many thematic areas that span Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Our Academic Strategic Plan provides the vision to aspire to even greater levels of achievement. Moreover, through Opportunity Vanderbilt, our undergraduate students are first-rate and bring a diversity of rich perspectives to campus, with plans for the pending Immersion Vanderbilt initiative providing them with further engagement with our world-renowned faculty for collaborations “to engage, question, and forge change.” New investments in the Graduate School and graduate and professional student experiences are also being made to ensure excellence across all aspects of our discovery and learning landscape.
By planning, organizing, and supporting the research and scholarship efforts of our faculty and students, Vanderbilt will advance as outlined in the Academic Strategic Plan. To support this, a new multi-year initiative will be organized under the auspices of the Provost’s Initiative to Enhance Research and Scholarship (PIERS). PIERS will create a virtuous cycle of “vision-action-impact” to drive growth and recognition of Vanderbilt research and scholarship that are resourced by a diverse and sustainable matrix of sponsorship. Advancement activities will be undertaken to enrich research strengths and further build capacity to lead, planning activities will be informed by measured outcomes to adjust and refine action, and the Office of the Vice Provost for Research will enable effective implementation. The inaugural Vanderbilt University Research Council (VURC) has been established; and, through it and other working groups, PIERS will build a shared vision, a sense of community, a special emphasis on facilitation of research collaborations across VU-VUMC, and streamlined research operations and processes, including those for various forms of internal funding, research cores, and research support functions. Additionally, through the PIERS consultative process, the longer term goals are to establish Vanderbilt’s preeminence in bold and overarching trans-institutional themes, such as the brain, that span strengths and priorities at VU schools and colleges.
Recent PIERS News
2020
January 24 – Vanderbilt Software Carpentry boot camp set for March 5–6
February 18 – New website to engage VU community in electronic research administration system implementation
February 28 – Data Science: Next Generation Committee to advance computing at Vanderbilt
April 27 – Huron selected as new electronic research administration system vendor
May 22 – The Open Dore: Leading through Research
2019
February 1 – U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center chief scientist to give Parker Lecture Feb. 5
February 26 – Ancora Innovation proposal submissions open March 14
February 27 – Rosenthal to step down as VINSE director; planning for institute’s future begins
March 8 – New working group to assess environmental health and safety at Vanderbilt
April 7 – Webinar on engaging with federal government for early career researchers is April 15
April 11 – Army Futures Command, Vanderbilt ink partnership to encourage innovation, education for both
June 7 – New leadership announced for the Wond’ry
June 14 – VU engages Lewis-Burke to connect faculty with federal sponsors
June 16 – ‘Opportunities in Defense Health’ webinar set for June 28
June 26 – Weiss to lead VINSE starting July 1
August 14 – Two-part Department of Energy webinar on federal funding Sept. 12, 26
November 18 – New VURC Subcommittee for International Research and Engagement formed
December 4 – LAPOP Receives $10 Million USAID Grant to Support AmericasBarometer Survey
December 16 – The Open Dore: Advancing research, scholarship and innovation at Vanderbilt
2018
January 8 – Vanderbilt signs licensing, research agreements to develop new approach to schizophrenia treatment
February 22 – Competition announcement: 2018 NIH S10 Shared and High-End Instrumentation Grants
March 8 – Vanderbilt professors visit Army lab
March 13 – Lisa Monteggia to lead Vanderbilt Brain Institute
March 28 – Deerfield Management, Vanderbilt University announce launch of Ancora Innovation
April 6 – Faculty input requested at Research IT town halls April 16 and 25
May 10 – Slides can help faculty with Ancora proposal submissions
July 3 – Oak Ridge and Vanderbilt come together to explore cellular processes
July 5 – Working group releases recommendations to advance research and scholarship through technology
July 12 – Doug Schmidt named associate provost for research development and technologies
August 13 – Vanderbilt Data Science Institute launched
August 16 – New committee advances research through limited submission opportunities
August 16 – New leaders appointed to enhance research support, development
September 7 – Faculty invited to fall research proposal development workshops
September 17 – ‘Proposals 101’ workshop covers basics of applying for funding at VU
September 19 – L-POD program takes faculty research to new heights
September 25 – Leadership expansion announced at Curb Center for Art, Enterprise and Public Policy
October 7 – CTTC to host session on funding opportunities for physicians, scientists developing new therapies
October 9 – New faculty advisory committee to develop research IT services and resources on campus
November 2 – Vanderbilt continues in top 10 of ‘World’s Most Innovative Universities’
November 26 – Ancora announces major funding awards to support Vanderbilt drug discovery research
November 30 – Research software engineer-for-hire core service available
December 7 – Vanderbilt Data Science Institute launches new master of science program
December 19 – Therapeutic Antibody Discovery and Development event is Jan. 23
2017
August 30 – Lopez named Vanderbilt’s liaison to Oak Ridge National Laboratory
September 7 – Revised, enhanced limited submissions process launched
November 3 – New program provides support for faculty for grant proposals and funding opportunities
November 13 – Forensic science comes to Vanderbilt
November 29 – New proposal development program hosts visit from Army Research Lab’s chief scientist to explore faculty partnerships
2016
May 9 – Search launched for director of Vanderbilt Brain Institute; Emeson to serve as interim
August 24 – New webpage answers FAQs about research collaborations post-separation
June 22 – Blake, Winder to lead national search committee for Vanderbilt Brain Institute director
November 7 – New interdisciplinary university research council created
December 12 – PIERS to further excellence in research and scholarship
2015
December 10 – Vanderbilt names Padma Raghavan as vice provost for research