Applied and General Research

It will become necessary to open specialized units for applied and general research to provide services by faculty and students to the businesses in the community. The Center will employ a Supervisor of Applied Research to oversee: 1) the Community Design research, and 2) the Information Technology research. It will also employ a Supervisor of General Research to oversee the General Research. Research projects to be undertaken by PMU faculty. Projects in the community design and the IT will be conducted primarily by students as part of their internship programs. The focus of all applied research will be on specific problem solving in conjunction with individuals, industry and regional businesses.
Depending on the projects that come into the university’s CRD, it also may become necessary to add Research Staff Members and Technical Staff Members to the staff. It is not anticipated that such staff will be required, however, before the end of Year 2 (early 2016).

Scientific Research

The CRD’s Division for Scientific Research also will begin in a somewhat “virtual” manner. The Center will employ a Supervisor of Scientific Research to oversee and identify areas that will encompass research of particular interest to the faculty within the various colleges of the university. Research projects will be undertaken by PMU faculty assisted by students. The projects will be intended to help in the development and enhancement of the university’s educational and training missions.
Beyond the supervisor and some administrative support staff (likely shared with the general operation of the CRD) scientific research and opportunities for externally funded research will come from collaborations with faculty and staff based within each of the academic units. Hiring of research and/or technical staff will be opportunity-driven as externally funded, scientific research projects are identified and awarded. Early consideration of hiring administrative staff to support grant proposal writing and submission will take precedence over the research or technical staff, at least in the first year of operation.
A successful program of externally funded research will also drive hiring considerations of these staff as well. Ultimately, potentially within the first two years of inception of the Center,  the first Science Research Center analogous to the Applied Research Center will be created and supported through external funds. Within five years the goal should be to have three such science centers created and operational with fully sustainable support.