As universities across the US grapple with funding cuts for ongoing research projects, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and private backers are widening the scope of their investments to include Emerging Research Institutions (ERIs) like RISD. ERIs are defined as institutions of higher education with research programs that operate with limited federal funding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In recent months, RISD faculty and staff members have procured grants totaling over $1.6 million supporting the study of everything from inclusive research approaches to carbon exchange in the Antarctic\u2019s Southern Ocean to automated 3D textile manufacturing. \u201cRISD is leading the charge among art and design schools that recognize the unique contributions artists and designers can make to all kinds of research,\u201d says Director of Academic and Creative Partnerships Katherine Cooper<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cooper is heading up a project over the next three years along with Assistant Provost for Academic Engagement Margot Nishimura<\/a> and Associate Professor Tyanna Buie<\/a>, who teaches in RISD\u2019s Printmaking<\/a> department. Supported by $400,000 in NSF funding awarded to RISD, this work contributes to the Supporting Partnerships for Advancement, Research, and Knowledge (SPARK)<\/em> project\u2014a collaboration among RISD, SUNY Brockport, Guilford College, and Southern Arkansas University. While each institution brings its own strengths and areas of focus, the cohort shares a commitment to expanding research and partnership capacity, developing relationships with industry collaborators and nonprofits, and strengthening the infrastructure that supports these efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n