Through the funding of the EARDA Phase I and Phase II grants from the Extramural Associates Program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Virginia State University (VSU) established the Office of Health-Research Sciences . This Office contributed to a significant increase in extramural funding under the leadership of Dr. Shobha Sriharan, Director of the EARDA Grant and Extramural Associates. Dr. Sriharan assisted faculty members in developing realistic proposals, provided training to faculty members in the Science and Engineering Departments on Pre-Award and Post-Award Grantsmanship, and developed new collaborations with research -intensive institution for faculty pilot research projects. During the Phase I and Phase II Grant, Virginia State University obtained approximately 4.0 million dollars as extramural funding from the NIH, NASA, Department of Energy, and Department of Education. The proposed """"""""Transition Award"""""""" will enable Virginia State University to enhance the research infrastructure through pilot research projects, conduct faculty training in Pre-Award and Post-Award grantsmanship, facilitate Minority faculty and student development, and develop collaborations with research intensive institutions. The main emphasis of this proposal is to strengthen the research capabilities of Minority and Women faculty members and students through their involvement in Minority Supplements, pilot research projects, summer fellowship and internship programs at the research-intensive institutions and Federal research laboratories.
The specific aims of this proposal are: (a) to enhance faculty research capabilities in biomedical and behavioral sciences through pilot research projects, (b) to involve Minority faculty in research through Minority Supplements, (c) to encourage women faulty members to participate in programs on Gender and Equity Programs of the National Science Foundation, (d) to increase the visibility of the Extramural Associate, Dr. Sriharan, through her role in Grantsmanship on campus, (e) to conduct training in the fundamentals of writing successful grant applications, (f) to develop collaborations with research-intensive institutions, (g) to assist faculty members in learning electronic research administration, (h) to facilitate and guide Minority students to participate in research and plan science careers, (i) to share the functions on Grantsmanship with the Offices of Sponsored Research and Programs and Grants and Contracts, and (j) to merge the EARDA Office of Research Development """"""""Transition Award"""""""" with the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs. This proposal has the committment from the VSU Administration through it letters of support (7% Cash Contribution to the total direct costs, in-kind contribution of $280,000, and faculty support for pilot research projects). It is anticipated that at the end of the """"""""Transition Award"""""""", the Office of Sponsored Research Programs will be a self-sustaining office.
