Sponsored Programs and Research

The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research (OSPR), formerly the Office of Research Development, was established at Stevenson University in 2006 through an Extramural Associates Research Development Award (EARDA) provided by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The mission of this NIH Program is to facilitate the entry and participation of faculty from underrepresented minority and women's institutions into biomedical and behavioral research and research training, through activities targeted to minority and women's institutions.

In 2014, Stevenson was awarded a second grant through the Biomedical/Biobehavioral Research Administrator Development (BRAD) Program by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Through the BRAD Program, the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research will strengthen existing operations, enhancing the development of enabling, supportive environments in which faculty can develop robust research programs and provide research experiences for students. 

Biomedical/Biobehavioral Research Administrator Development Program

Specific Aims of the BRAD grant funding by NICHD include:

1. Reorganize operations to incorporate best practices in research administration for undergraduate institutions.
2. Implement processes and protocols that will increase success in securing extramural funding (pre-award functions).
3. Increase institutional efficiency and effectiveness in financial accountability for funded grants, and compliance with federal, state, and university regulations (post-award functions).
4. Generate a shift in institutional culture that reduces internal barriers to research and rewards faculty/student scholarship.

Mission of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research

• To identify and disseminate grant opportunities to the faculty.
• To assist faculty in grant proposal preparation.
• To expand and formalize existing collaborations and fostering new ones with local institutions, government research facilities and private industry in order to provide high quality research opportunities for faculty and students.
• To connect students with appropriate summer research opportunities.
• To act as a liaison between OSPR, Faculty Governance and the administration on issues related to balancing research and teaching duties.
• To provide pre-award and post-award oversight.