WPI’s Research Solutions Institute (RSI) helps faculty and collaborative teams identify and capture funding support for new research initiatives.
A key initiative of WPI’s forward-looking research enterprise under the university’s strategic plan, RSI is designed to be responsive and proactive in delivering research development services to faculty. RSI’s aim is to help all WPI faculty researchers form teams, prepare well for funding opportunities, and develop winning proposals as they pursue solutions to society’s most important and pressing challenges.
The RSI team’s research development services include:
- Team Science Pre-Proposal Work: Early-stage scoping, project coordination and proposal coordination.
- Help with Large, Complex Proposals: Facilitating institutional support, marshalling resources, and assisting with proposal development, writing, and pre-submission reviews.
- Individual Proposals: Alerting faculty to solicitations, coaching on how to approach the proposal, and proposal reviewing.
- Supporting New and Evolving Research Clusters and Centers: Conducting SWOT analyses, coordinating the writing of concept papers, convening think sessions on new opportunities, and promoting smart collaborations and inclusive teaming.
- Industry/Other: Helping to identify and attract prospective partners for new translational research initiatives and centers.
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RSI also curates and circulates alerts and information on agency funding opportunities, collects and disseminates strategic reports and documents related to emerging national and global research directions, facilitates agency engagement and knowledge sharing, and maintains an institute-wide database on faculty research expertise.
While RSI works with all faculty in any area, with any sponsor, and at any level of complexity, its primary focus is on pursuing medium-to-large funding awards. RSI also coordinates sector-specific efforts in manufacturing innovation by helping faculty leverage competitive funding opportunities in advanced manufacturing, including opportunities available through the eleven Manufacturing USA institutes to which WPI belongs.
Affiliated Offices
Helping Build an Advanced Manufacturing Hub
With new ideas, new technologies, and new talent, WPI has helped drive the evolution of manufacturing for 150 years. Today, as a member of ten Manufacturing USA institutes, it is playing a pivotal role in a new manufacturing revolution by engaging in research and education in areas as diverse as lightweight metals, biomanufacturing, and integrated photonics. RSI plays a key role in helping WPI researchers pursue strategic funding opportunities.