Tier two (R2) research and smaller institutions, including two-year, minority-serving, and tribal colleges, can now build solid research infrastructures and perform groundbreaking discoveries through research enterprises on the same scale as larger R1 and flagship universities.

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed®, Drumm speaks with Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). They discuss how his organization helps democratize ideas in higher education, enabling all colleges and universities to solve real-world problems and revitalize their communities.

The NSF achieves this through programs like the Nationally Transformative Equity and Diversity (GRANTED) and Enabling Partnership to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC).

Dr. Panch also discusses NSF's mission and vision. He talks about its recent $44 million program that helps fund projects across the US. Additionally, Drumm refers to another NSF program as "a tech transfer on steroids." Moreover, they explore what smaller institutions with few resources need to do to start conducting research.

 

Podcast Highlights

• NSF's Regional Innovation Engines is a $44 million investment that partners with communities to utilize regional potentials like the Hazleton pilot converting hemp into carbon-negative building materials through collaboration with Penn State University and community colleges.
• The cross-cutting TIP Directorate pulls discoveries into the industry, creating impactful solutions by fostering partnerships and bringing back new ideas to address real-world problems.
• GRANTED and EPIIC programs support the growth of research infrastructure and capacity at national and minority-serving institutions, enhancing access to resources and regional innovation ecosystems.
• NSF's strategic focus includes research, education, partnerships, and research infrastructures, with initiatives like BP Innovate, EDU Racial Equity in STEM, and the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program to promote inclusion and quality in STEM education.
•   NSF partners with organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Schmidt Futures, and the Walton Family Foundation to improve the quality of US STEM education for all students.
• GRANTED provides investment in research infrastructure, and institutions can reach out to the program coordinator to present competitive ideas and connect with successful participating institutions.

  

Read the transcript →

 

About Our Podcast Guest

The Honorable Sethuraman Panchanathan is the 15th director of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), nominated by the President in 2019 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2020. With over three decades of experience, he is a leader in science, engineering, and education. Before joining NSF, Panchanathan served as the executive vice president of the Arizona State University (ASU) Knowledge Enterprise, where he significantly advanced research innovation and strategic partnerships. His scientific contributions have earned him numerous awards, including Honorary Doctorates and the IEEE-USA Public Service Award.

Panchanathan's leadership extends to various interagency councils and committees, including the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee. He is also known for his extensive publication record and mentorship of over 150 graduate students, postdocs, and research scientists.

Panchanathan is a fellow of multiple prestigious academies and societies, including the National Academy of Inventors and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is married to Sarada "Soumya" Panchanathan, an academic pediatrician and informatician, and they have two adult children, Amritha and Roshan.

 

About the Host

 Dr. Drumm McNaughton, the host of Changing Higher Ed®, is a consultant to higher ed institutions in governance, accreditation, strategy and change, and mergers. To learn more about his services and other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website: https://changinghighered.com/.

 

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links

 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

 

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