120-day study

Strengthening WSU’s research, scholarship and creativity

The WSU Strategic Plan tasked the vice president for research to “identify areas of research excellence and emerging areas requiring additional investment to achieve national and international prominence.”

Launched in the fall of 2014, the 120-day study aimed to fulfill that directive. The report made specific recommendations for strengthening research support and creative activity. It provided metrics for monitoring progress and identifying priorities to guide future investments.

The report defined the University’s “grand challenges,” research priorities that focus on urgent problems of the state, nation, and world. The Grand Challenges align with WSU’s current and emerging research strengths.

“Working together, we can define and realize research opportunities
that will strengthen WSU, the state of Washington and our nation.”

—Christopher Keane, vice president for research, professor of physics

View the report and guiding documents

Report

Report Cover

WSU faculty and staff are invited to view the 120-day study report (pdf) and the appendices (pdf).

Guiding documents

WSU 2014-2019 Strategic Plan (pdf)

The WSU Strategic Plan states (on page 5): “An important activity during the initial stages of the plan’s implementation, and led by the Vice President for Research, will involve identifying WSU’s strategic areas of research excellence and emerging areas requiring additional investment to achieve national and international prominence.”

The 120-Day Study represents completion of this activity.

AAU Membership Policy (pdf)

Leadership and subcommittees

The study was co-chaired by Provost Daniel J. Bernardo and Vice President for Research Christopher Keane. Work was performed by faculty and staff, who were organized into 4 subcommittees. Each subcommittee sought data and input from colleges and departments. Senior faculty and administrators provided comments along the way.

Subcommittees

Research infrastructure

Research themes

Faculty/student engagement and productivity

Outreach, engagement, and economic development