About the Division of Research

The Division of Research supports and promotes Florida Atlantic research, creative and scholarly activities by providing faculty tools and resources to be competitive, setting strategic directions in research, ensuring responsible research practices and communicating the importance of research within and beyond the university. In addition, the division oversees four university-wide research institutes and is responsible for economic development and entrepreneurial activities involving faculty, staff, students and the broader university community.

The division is comprised of the following offices, institutes and programs:

Research Administration

The Office of the Vice President for Research sets the overall strategic direction for research at the university. It supervises all of the research administration and economic development units in the division. In addition, the office manages administration and operations for the division and serves as a central point of contact.

The Office of Research Development helps faculty find funding, build teams and strengthen proposals. The office identifies opportunities to address National Science Foundation broader impacts criterion. Editing services are also available.

The Office of Sponsored Programs is the central office for the submission of research, training and community service proposals. It manages proposals, contracts, sub-awards, grant agreements and research-related training for faculty, staff and research administrators.

The Office of Export Control provides information and guidance to faculty and staff regarding export control regulations and provides assistance when traveling internationally

The Office of Research Integrity administers key research-related assurance and compliance programs required by federal and state agencies. Its responsibilities include the university’s human subjects research protections program, the animal care and use program and the financial conflict of interest program.

The Office of Comparative Medicine is responsible for all animal care and use in research at the university. It provides procurement, husbandry, veterinary care, rodent breeding colony management and scientific/technical support services for both wildlife and laboratory animal species. The office also reviews and monitors all animal care and use protocols and training for animal use.

The Office of Technology Development protects faculty interests while advancing discoveries towards commercial development. The office helps navigate the patenting process, while fostering collaboration with industry through licensing, sponsored research and new venture agreements.

The Office of Research Accounting manages and monitors financial compliance required by government and private agencies and foundations for all Florida Atlantic sponsored projects. It sets up new grant accounts, invoices sponsors, prepares required financial reports and closes completed sponsored projects. The office also provides guidance compliance-related topics.

The Office of Research Communications promotes research and scholarly activity at FAU, disseminating news and information about Florida Atlantic research to internal and external audiences through a variety of channels. It also supports Florida Atlantic researchers by providing information about the division’s services and programs.

The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs assists postdoctoral fellows and associates to reach their career goals by offering training, counseling, resources and networking opportunities.

The Office of Research Finance manages the division’s budget and that of the four FAU-wide research institutes. Additionally, it manages the finances for the division’s nonprofit direct support organization, the Florida Atlantic University Research Corporation.

The Florida Atlantic Research Core Program manages University-wide federally compliant centralized shared research resources as cost centers that provide fee-for-service access to technology, equipment, services, and training that are not typically affordable by a single researcher and are valuable to multiple investigators.

Research Institutes

Florida Atlantic faculty are engaged in a broad spectrum of research from the cellular level through to animal models and clinical trials. We have four university-wide research institutes — known as FAU’s research institutes — that focus on core research strengths:

  • Institute for Sensing and Embedded Network Systems Engineering (I-SENSE)
  • Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention (I-Health)
  • Florida Atlantic Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute (I-BRAIN)
  • Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch)

Entrepreneurship and Economic Development

The division fosters innovations stemming from Florida Atlantic faculty, staff, students and community initiatives that can lead to entrepreneurial ventures.

In conjunction with the Office of Technology Development, the following programs provide assistance in creating, nurturing and growing start-up companies.

The Office of Corporate Engagement connects Florida Atlantic researchers with potential industry partners in order to establish research collaborations. The office serves as a one-stop shop for companies to draw on a wider array of resources and services that Florida Atlantic provides, from student internships to executive training and from the use of advanced equipment to establishing research contracts.

Florida Atlantic Tech Runway serves as an early-stage business incubator/accelerator facility and program for the entire university system. Companies who qualify may access working space, early-stage capital, grant funding and mentorship. They also are provided entrepreneurship instruction, marketing assistance and preferred access to technology events. Entrepreneurs are drawn from faculty, staff, students, alumni and the community.

The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Florida Atlantic offers high-level consulting and training to small and medium size businesses in Broward and Palm Beach counties. It assists entrepreneurs in every stage of the business life cycle, providing no-cost specialized services to fit their needs.

The Research Park at Florida Atlantic promotes scientific research and development in affiliation with Florida Atlantic University, to foster economic development and broaden the economic base of Broward and Palm Beach counties. It’s home to numerous technology companies and research-based organizations.

The Office of Global Partnerships seeks to establish research partnerships with international universities that involve collaborative research, faculty and student exchange as well as organization of topical workshops. The office connects individual researchers and research teams with their counterparts in countries across the globe. In order to ensure long term success in research collaboration the office also provides logistical support in the search of suitable funding sources.

Florida Atlantic Wave is an undergraduate applied research and entrepreneurial competition that challenges students to develop innovative projects that address societal issues. Students receive seed funding for development, are exposed to lean startup methodology, and create a video to be judged at an end-of-year awards ceremony.

NSF I-Corps at Florida Atlantic is a short course training program inviting faculty, staff, students, and community members to delve into customer discovery. This program helps innovators define their product-market fit by conducting target market interviews. I-Corps applies the Lean Startup Methodology and focuses on the customer segment and value proposition.

The Florida Israel Institute is a public organization created by the Florida legislature to promote the development of enhanced governmental, economic, technological, cultural, educational and social ties between the state and Israel. It is administered jointly by Florida Atlantic and Broward College

Partnerships

Florida Oceanic Engineering Research Consortium (FOERC)