REACH-SC
Research Administration Capacity Heightening in South Carolina (REACH-SC) is a National Science Foundation supported interdisciplinary project between Clemson University, Claflin University, and College of Charleston. This project focuses on enhancing the research enterprise workforce in South Carolina and across the United States. REACH-SC prioritizes identifying needs of emerging research institutions to ensure knowledge network support resources meet needs and creating new pathways to identify and build the research enterprise pipeline.
REACH-SC focuses on three components of the research enterprise: Research Development, Research Administration, and Research Integrity and Compliance.
- Objective 1:
Implement and refine the statewide Research Enterprise Knowledge and Mentoring Network (KnowNet). - Objective 2:
Conduct a needs assessment with emerging research institutions (ERIs) in SC to identify strengths, challenges, opportunities for enhancing infrastructure, and resources needed to enhance research administration. - Objective 3:
Conduct skills mapping to identify other occupations where research administration skills are prevalent.
Background on the Research Enterprise Pipeline
Societal shifts have resulted in the need to develop new ways to build and expand the research enterprise pipeline.
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Hybrid and fully remote positions
Research enterprise staff are moving to universities that have hybrid and fully remote positions in greater numbers than in the past. This leaves the academic research enterprise, an area already struggling with finding staff, in even more challenging times.
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Few direct pathways into research administration
Due to the limited professional degree programs, many research support workers begin their role through non-traditional routes, such as transitioning from other administrative roles, rather than pursuing it as an intentional career choice.
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Staff recruitment and retention
There are difficulties in hiring research administration due to lack of visibility of the profession. Retention is a significant issue due to the level of work-related burnout being extremely high among research support roles. Additionally, the aging of the population and retirements will increasingly also affect the higher education workforce as almost a third of the higher education staff workforce is aged 55 and older.
REACH-SC aims to serve as a catalyst to bolster research, innovation, and academic prowess across the state, as well as serve as a model for other states—particularly Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) states.
Research Enterprise
The research enterprise is a multi-faceted system that incorporates a range of different functions related to research. The boxes below represent some of the main focal areas that often exist within the research enterprise at the college and university level.
Research Development
Ideas, Proposals, Broader Impacts
Research Administration
Pre- and Post- Award
Research Data Analytics & Tools
Data Collection & Analysis, AI
Technology Commercialization
Tech Transfer & Economic Development
Corporate Relations
Industry and Public/Private Partnerships
Research Integrity/Compliance
IRB, IACUC, Research Security
Student Research Training
Training Infrastructure to Prepare Students
Research Communications
Outreach and Public Engagement
Research Policy
Policy Governing Research Support
Research Leadership
VPRS/VCRs, PIs, Directors
Why focus on South Carolina?
South Carolina is a National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) state, meaning that it receives less than 0.75% of total National Science Foundation funding for research and development. Over half of that support goes to two (out of three existing) R1 schools (high intensity research): Clemson University and the University of South Carolina – Columbia. Yet, South Carolina encompasses a range of emerging research institutions, which are higher education institutions that have established undergraduate or graduate programs but conduct less than $50 million in federal research and development funding. Most of the emerging research institutions have low levels of research expenditures, perhaps due to lack of expertise in grant writing but also due to lack of research infrastructure to support research development, administration, and compliance.
Challenges for the Research Enterprise in South Carolina:
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Rural landscape
The rural nature of much of South Carolina creates unique challenges for higher education institutions in accessing essential resources and opportunities. Some institutions cannot easily access necessary development and training opportunities due to distance or access to transportation.
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Lack of robust infrastructure or experienced personnel
Leadership and staff at emerging research institutions in South Carolina may lack the experienced personnel or robust infrastructure dedicated to research administration that their R1 counterparts have, putting them at a competitive disadvantage. Emerging research institution’s staff handle multiple aspects of research administration, rather than just pre-award, development, or compliance, and their position may not solely focus on research.
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Lack of economic resources
With a low socioeconomic status population, there is an intrinsic challenge in garnering resources, both in terms of finances and expertise. Many students and faculty from these backgrounds lack familiarity with or access to research administration and development opportunities, which stifles potential research advancements in the state.
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No research enterprise knowledge and mentorship network
There is lack of a strong research enterprise knowledge and mentorship network in South Carolina that could help bolster the emerging research institution’s research capabilities.
This work is supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant #2420719). The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.
