“These funds will be transformational to the STEM-T College because it will provide an opportunity to build a robust research infrastructure that will allow the university to compete in the research arena on national and international levels, particularly as we move toward Research II status,” Malone said.
Conyers has set a goal for SC State to reach Research II (R2) status, which would position the university to compete for more federal and corporate funding for research-driven initiatives.
“The $8 Million allocation is a huge blessing to the university and the STEM-T College,” said Dr. Stanley Ihekweazu, the college’s dean. “Through this appropriation, we hope to be able to do a number of things including but not limited to hiring research scientists to conduct research especially as we quicken our steps into R2 status, offering scholarships to students, and acquiring needed equipment.
“We are truly excited and hope to hope to move the university and the STEM-T College forward,” he said.
The universities outlined a five-year plan, and the initial grant will support the efforts for the first two years, after which the additional funding would kick in.
Of each new faculty member’s time, 7 5 % will be devoted to research with the remaining 2 5 % dedicated to instruction. The faculty members eventually would be responsible for bringing in their own research funding, keeping the imitative alive after the grant period expires.
BSRA brings world-class expertise in laboratory management, nuclear operations, national security, and scientific research to Savannah River National Laboratory. Along with SC State, USC and Clemson, the BSRA’s team includes Battelle, an Ohio-based private nonprofit applied science and technology development company, plus two other universities with expertise in a wide range of areas relevant to SNRL: Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia.
