As we open the Fall 2026 semester, it's worth speaking plainly about how the research funding landscape has evolved. Federal and private funders alike are increasingly prioritizing proposals with the potential for significant impact, creating new opportunities for bold ideas and meaningful collaboration.

Our office is evolving right alongside it. As part of a broader reorganization, the Business Innovation Group now reports through the Office of Business Engagement, and we've taken on a new name to match: the Office of Research and Innovation (OR&I).

This shift aligns well with the innovation and creativity already fueling our research enterprise. Making the most of this will require agility, bringing together the right resources, and allocating them strategically.

To help our faculty pursue these opportunities, we are expanding grant training by offering three NIH cohorts annually, a year-long NSF cohort, and targeted college-level training. We are facilitating collaboration earlier in the proposal process. Our recent admission to the Georgia Research Alliance provides a new avenue to build multidisciplinary teams and advance promising ideas from the outset.

Furthermore, our new partnership with Atom Grants and more proactive outreach from our team mean you'll hear about the right opportunities early, ensuring you're set up for success.

The research landscape is changing rapidly, and I am confident that Georgia Southern is prepared to adapt, pursue new opportunities, and move forward with purpose. Let's make this semester count for our students, for our disciplines, and for the trajectory of this university.

Dr. David C. Weindorf

Vice President for Research and Innovation