For the Virginia-Tech led Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI), former chief technology officer for the Federal Communications Commission Eric W. Burger joined the team and Virginia Tech as a research professor. Focused on cybersecurity, related research areas, innovation, and workforce development, CCI hosted its second cyber camp, several research showcases, and formed a partnership with European-based Software Radio Systems Ltd. to advance open software mobile wireless networks in North America.
In collaboration with CCI, Virginia Tech’s departments of industrial and systems engineering and electrical and computer engineering, and also with industry, the Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation (VT-ARC) has transitioned two new 5G network enhancements and will begin working to integrate and operationalize them at the US Marine Corps’ Smart Warehouse in Albany, Georgia. In its role as a partner intermediary for the US government, VT-ARC established a new Center for Advancing Science, Technology, Learning, and Engagement for the National Reconnaissance Office and worked with the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research to aid in the technology transfer of their intellectual property to four small businesses for future mission impact.
Over the last fiscal year, a research development strategy team was established with the goal to help faculty be prepared for opportunities before they are announced, shape opportunities by positioning faculty as expert resources for sponsors, and assist researchers in the development of outstanding proposals to existing requests.
“Since Jan. 1, team members have helped faculty submit over $500 million worth of proposals and letters of intent,” said Randy Heflin, senior associate vice president for research and innovation. “We’ve also provided over 20 red team reviews of large-scale proposal submissions and coordinated more than a dozen cost-sharing packages.”
Last fall and spring’s Research Development series featured speakers who led conversations designed to help researchers identify international research partners, solve complex problems through convergence research, and understand the value of team science from a federal agency perspective. This fall semester event line up features topics on: Strategies for Winning National Institutes of Health Program Project/Center Grants, Resources and Training for Virginia Tech Researchers, the National Science Foundation’s New Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, and Establishing Collaborations with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.
Supporting Virginia Tech’s vibrant research ecosystem, postdoctoral associates represent the next generation of diverse leaders in research in academia, industry, and civil service. In January, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs was established and Chris Smith was named program administrator. Smith has led the development of new postdoctoral associate career programs and held town halls with early program topics focused on career exploration, creating an individual development plan, and job search resources.
Rankings reflect progress being made across the research landscape. In May, after making its debut in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings a year ago, Virginia Tech found itself ranked in the top 100 overall out of more than 1,400 institutions across the world in the 2022 Impact Rankings with an overall ranking of No. 98 out of 1,406 universities spanning 106 countries. The THE rankings use calibrated indicators to compare universities across four areas: research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching.
Virginia Tech was also listed as 251-300 in the 2022 Times Higher Education World University Ranking, which judges research excellence on a global scale. Among research-intensive, public land-grant universities, the university is currently ranked No. 16 with the goal to become No. 13 by 2024.
.