5

Town Hall II, Day 2: True Partnerships through Institutions, a New Institute, and Federal Partnerships

Day 2 of the second town hall continued to look further into true partnerships and the benefits of true partnerships to the Department of Defense (DOD), challenges to development of partnerships, and a range of successful institutional and federal agency models. The panels discussed frameworks for developing synergistic partnerships, with representatives from academia, the defense industry, and federal programs that seek to facilitate equitable government-university-industry partnerships. The first panel shared perspectives from institutions on limitations and potential investment areas for DOD funding, while another discussed federal agency programs and insights. In addition, a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)–focused institute focused on mathematics and computational sciences was introduced.

INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES TO DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS

Abigail Newsome, Ph.D. (Mississippi Valley State University), called attention to the challenges for all institutions to form true partnerships, and particularly for smaller institutions. She was joined by Ganesh Bora, Ph.D. (Fayetteville State University [FSU]), Elmer Guy, Ph.D. (Navajo Technical University [NTU]), Teresa Orok, Ph.D. (Alabama A&M University), and Sheryl Ehrman, Ph.D., P.E. (San José State University [SJSU]). Dr. Newsome facilitated a discussion after each introduced their institution.

Institutional Examples

Fayetteville State University

Dr. Bora noted that Fayetteville State University is located near Fort Bragg, the largest U.S. Army base in the country.¹ He outlined some of FSU’s collaborations with industry and DOD, including the Army Pathfinder Program, Forward Edge-AI (artificial intelligence) (see Chapter 4), Geneva Foundation, and Fort Bragg Research Institute, as well as interaction with the DOD-HBCU coordinator in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. FSU hired recently retired Army General Michael X. Garrett as a “military executive-in-residence” to strengthen the bridge between the Army base and FSU. In addition, FSU’s chief research officer connects with counterparts throughout the University of North Carolina System.

While he expressed concern about limited funding and infrastructure, he countered the perception that FSU and other HBCUs do not have expertise. FSU, like many HBCUs, began as a liberal arts institution and is struggling to build research capacity. He stressed HBCU faculty have deep expertise, but they also have heavy teaching loads. Some institutions do not have full science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs and/or graduate programs, but still have much to offer, he noted.

Navajo Technical University

Dr. Guy explained that Navajo Technical University is a tribal research university in the Navajo Nation in New Mexico and Arizona, with a branch campus serving the Pueblo of Zuni. (Dr. Guy also presented during the third town hall; see Chapter 6). STEM research is taking place at the undergraduate level in a number of STEM fields, with a master’s in management information systems and another in electrical engineering pending approval with the Higher Learning Commission. NTU has industrial, electrical, and advanced manufacturing engineering with ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditation.

Dr. Guy said NTU partners with mainstream institutions in Arizona, New Mexico, and beyond; with the private sector; with other Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs); with several HBCUs; and with the Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories. It is also a member of the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium. Students do capstone research

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¹ Fort Bragg was renamed Fort Liberty in June 2023.

projects as individuals and in teams at labs on the NTU campuses and in internships off campus. NTU wants to expand its relationship with DOD. Two examples of support are the Hogan Project, funded by DOD, to bring high-speed wireless connectivity to NTU’s Crownpoint campus and to several Navajo communities. DOD also recently helped the Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory purchase a scanning electronic microscope to support research related to DOD priorities.

Dr. Guy said a challenge is that DOD and other agencies may say that a smaller institution is not serving many students and faculty and may not want to fund equipment, yet equipment is still essential in running these types of programs. Other challenges are the amount of time needed to connect with DOD or other partners to submit proposals with limited success. NTU’s research goals are to support its primary education mission, work on the cutting edge to help Navajo entrepreneurs have an advantage in the marketplace, help students enter high-skilled careers, improve the Navajo Nation through economic development, create intellectual property (IP) for the benefit of Navajo people, and provide a pathway for graduate education. One example of a research partnership is in the area of nonaqueous lithium batteries (Li-ion batteries), which are critical to clean energy and also beneficial to Navajo communities, many of whom do not have electricity. Outcomes expected are state-of-the-art research, jobs, and a battery manufacturing company. Another example is computer-aided manufacturing through the NTU Center for Advanced Manufacturing, with the research conducted via a wide range of partnerships.

NTU’s goal is to build strength as a research institution and to expand its work with DOD. He urged DOD to establish a TCU set-aside, which the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies have done. He noted TCUs tend to be small and cannot compete with larger institutions. Yet, he noted, Native Americans serve in the military at a higher rate than any other groups of Americans and strongly support the military. He added that by providing opportunities for TCUs, DOD is supporting Indian Country, while the TCUs have active research programs that can help DOD meet its priorities.

Alabama A&M University

Dr. Orok echoed the challenges expressed by other participants. She reminded the group that HBCUs were formed to serve students who were

not able to participate in other universities. Instruction comes first and foremost. Looking across the landscape of HBCUs, it is important to keep in mind their diversity of size, geography, who they are serving, and whether they are public or private. These issues have a bearing on how to facilitate the research enterprise, she commented. Most do not have the level of full-time staffing needed. Faculty must take on additional responsibilities, which can inhibit research and the ability to create and sustain partnerships. Also, she noted, many HBCUs are small and located in rural communities. Many have deferred maintenance and lack labs and facilities.

Faculty and students understand the need for research and collaboration, but she urged government entities to create pathways to “enable us to get to the other side” to produce what federal agencies need. Referring to the earlier discussion about the importance of tech transfer, she observed a disconnect because most HBCUs do not have robust sponsored research staff to understand how to move the needle in this area. “What tends to happen when we enter into partnerships with major institutions, we as HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) do the work and collaborate, and at the end, others get credit for our work,” she said. “There has to be a level playing ground.”

HBCUs and MSIs are adept at facilitating grants, but she said the real value for impact comes from government contracts, including DOD opportunities. When she joined Alabama A&M, the university already had a separate 501(c)(3) called AAMU-RISE that provides an alternative delivery system for funding opportunities. It offers the university an opportunity to leverage research capabilities that can combine multidisciplinary strengths, including the social sciences, she explained. It provides state-of-the-art lab facilities in many areas that can compete with the top universities in the country. But looking at the entire HBCU landscape, not all institutions have these facilities. “We want to make sure as we position ourselves, we are not standing alone but are working with other MSIs. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed,” Dr. Orok said. AAMU-RISE partners with government and industry, as well as with Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering, or AMIE, a coalition that includes fifteen HBCUs with ABET-accredited engineering programs. She briefly highlighted AAMU-RISE projects to illustrate “what can be done if HBCUs and MSIs work together and get support from DOD, with primes, with subs, and other entities that are part of the DOD landscape.”

San José State University

Dr. Ehrman spoke about DOD research at regional MSIs by focusing on San José State University, one of the 23 California State Universities. (See also presentations on SJSU in Chapter 2 and Chapter 7.) She agreed with several challenges identified by other presenters, including limited faculty time for research and recognition as a supplier of workforce fed by the community college system. She noted how faculty often need to carve out resources and research time around their teaching responsibilities and concurred with Dr. Orok that they do not always get credit for their contributions. Without Ph.D.s on campus (per the California structure for higher education), it is hard to have continuity in labs. Like most low-resourced institutions, Dr. Ehrman said SJSU depends on shared facilities in the region, which are excellent but may require making appointments and waiting for access, rather than just walking down the hall. There has also been a learning curve in terms of negotiating IP with industry.

Dr. Ehrman also pointed to new opportunities. Strategies include working with faculty and program managers to understand budget requirements, looking for new sources of funding, and proactively reaching out to industry to showcase the strengths of the institution. The demographic mix of the students adds value by contributing great ideas and eventually becoming employees of local companies. She pointed to the veterans on campus, as well as students who come from places of conflict, who clearly understand the mission for U.S. security and the need to get the mission correct. To run more effectively, SJSU is using postdocs and supporting lab managers who can provide continuity with master’s and bachelor’s students. In addition, by involving students at community colleges before they transfer, students spend a longer time at the bench. SJSU is also looking to achieve “super user status” at regional facilities to avoid the lag time and be more efficient in instrumentation usage.

Dr. Ehrman offered four recommendations to DOD. First, she urged thinking regionally, noting that most students at regional institutions come from the region and want to stay there postgraduation, which can provide workforce. Second, long-term student engagement can be achieved through early research experiences and direction toward DOD support for graduate programs. She noted students are more aware of the area’s tech companies than of DOD, and she urged DOD to be more visible. Third, she suggested support for mid-scale research instrumentation to build a body of results, including support staff to maintain them. Finally, she suggested incentives

to strengthen the partnerships between research-intensive and regional institutions. MSIs could take the lead or be involved throughout a project, not just brought in to provide workforce.

Discussion

Dr. Newsome launched a short discussion by asking about resolving equity and equality at each institution. Dr. Bora noted he has worked at the National Institute for Food and Agriculture as a grant-giving body, at a large university, and now at a smaller HBCU. From the HBCU perspective, there can be collaboration at different scales, such as targeting small businesses to build a research portfolio. Dr. Orok, commenting on equity and equality, noted the good news for all MSIs when Howard University became a University Affiliated Research Center. But while it is a cause for celebration, she asked how many other MSIs are granted this level on a daily basis. “When we think about what is equitable, fair, and necessary, these are the kinds of issues we must address,” she said. And although a $20 million project sounds very large, she reminded the group about the finance and administration costs, staffing, lab costs, and other expenses. Dr. Ehrman commented on mindset, noting that sometimes faculty become intimidated about submitting proposals, although this has improved in the last few years. She added that Silicon Valley has had historic discrimination in idea generation, and some students have been discouraged from pursuing STEM majors while also facing off-campus discrimination. Reaching out to community colleges is important to draw people in, she stressed.

Dr. Guy noted that TCUs have unique challenges. Many are on reservation lands based on a Trust Relationship, not ownership.² Because of that, it is difficult to build the infrastructure that is needed, such as faculty housing. They are building a cadre of local STEM professionals, but it will take time. One advantage of a small institution is the agility in adapting curriculum design to meet industry and community needs, which is harder in larger schools.

Dr. Orok commented about the work involved when large awards are received. Figuring out workloads and managing the process requires

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² The “trust relationship” is a responsibility derived from federal statutes, treaties, court decisions, executive actions, and the Constitution (which assigns authority over federal-Indian relations to Congress). The provision of postsecondary education opportunities for tribal members is one manifestation of that relationship. For more information, see https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10554.

specialized skills according to requirements and policies. “As we step into a contractual piece, we must be clear these are contracts and not grants. The deliverables become very different. The schedule is different. If we don’t manage it correctly, we get blackballed, that we can’t handle the big dollars,” she cautioned. Dr. Guy said NTU is just starting to win larger grants but agreed with the need to build capacity slowly. Dr. Bora said FSU works with other institutions in the state system, such as North Carolina State University, to help with compliance and related issues.

To set up and measure successful research partnerships, it is important to share expertise to solve community problems, Dr. Bora suggested. Dr. Ehrman said a successful partnership is one in which the entities are truly partners, rather than “industry just throwing money over the fence.” One example is when students can work directly with an industry collaborator and faculty. Sometimes it takes a while to work out the details. Dr. Guy concurred that the partnerships that are most successful take time to develop, and Dr. Orok added that partnerships are a two-way street. Minority Institutions must position themselves to have an impactful and sustainable relationship with partners to acquire funding and place students. She also said if missions are not aligned, it may be necessary to stop them.

When asked by Dr. Newsome for one idea that each would change with a magic wand, Dr. Ehrman replied that she wished for better utilized space. Dr. Bora called for more resources for the labs to serve communities. Dr. Guy expressed the wish to do more work with the Navajo government on economic development. Dr. Orok said she would wish for agencies to establish technical support centers to enable institutions to systematically go after awards more competitively and provide guidance that institutions need.

APPLIED RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCES

Chad Womack, Ph.D. (United Negro College Fund [UNCF]) discussed the Applied Research Institute for Mathematics and Computational Sciences (ARI), a new initiative that emerged from work by UNCF, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, presidents at HBCUs, and Google. Dr. Womack called on the African proverb “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” In this context, Dr. Womack said, ARI is a “go-together strategy. This is about how do we bring our respective institutions together on a platform that will support and enhance their research profiles and capacities in the mathematics and computational sciences.” He

acknowledged the contributions of colleagues who were involved in the development of ARI over more than a year.

The first step, he explained, was to look at data to understand what research in these fields was taking place at HBCUs. This was done by mining the NSF database of active research awards on key words (e.g., AI [artificial intelligence], deep learning, machine learning). A more comprehensive study of NSF awards is under way.

The vision for ARI is “to establish an HBCU-anchored institute that conducts leading-edge applied research in a variety of mathematical and computational fields and produce commercially applicable solutions that have positive social impact.” A foundational principle, he stressed, is the belief that solutions can be developed that are technologically advanced with positive social impact. In addition to building and sustaining research capacity, ARI is designed to strengthen innovative pedagogy so that students learn cutting-edge knowledge. Thus, the key priorities are to (1) build math and computer science research and teaching capacity at HBCUs, (2) (re)build the research and academic talent pipeline, and (3) build tech entrepreneurship and commercialization capacity at HBCUs.

The core of the model is what is called the ARI Triad, in which HBCU research networks and communities are linked to Tier 1 academic research partners and companies (see Figure 5-1). The first such partner is Google, he announced.

Pilot research awards will go to faculty, who will then be eligible for a higher level of project funding. At each level, the vision is to provide catalytic support to work on ideas and build solutions to faculty, affinity groups, and research communities. A workshop model pioneered by Fay Cobb Payton, Ph.D., will help faculty put together highly competitive proposals for ARI but also for other external funding. ARI will be organized through research affinity groups and networks so that HBCU faculty and students with interest in certain verticals (e.g., computational biology) organize to create research communities. As they receive resources and get to know each other, they become potential research partners that can partner with companies and Tier 1 institutions. Students are at the core of these communities.

Dr. Womack expressed excitement that ARI is progressing beyond the concept stage and is working with partners and stakeholders. An advisory board is being formed to support HBCUs.

Discussion

Workshop chair Oscar Barton, Jr., Ph.D., P.E. (Morgan State University), pointed to ARI’s potential to impact curricula, including delivering curricula through different modalities. He urged working with deans to build in flexibility. An ABET-accredited degree sets requirements, and electives have morphed into requirements in some programs, he observed. Dr. Womack agreed with the challenge to make innovative changes in core curricula. In forming ARI, these issues were addressed with the idea of bringing in research and pedagogy to support schools. “Our goal is to support you to offer cutting-edge curricula to students, in a way that builds capacity—not to subtract, but to add,” Dr. Womack stressed. For example, he expressed hope that postgraduate fellows supported by ARI may work at HBCUs. Another idea, suggested by Dr. Newsome, is to build modules embedded within existing courses that could excite students, faculty, and administration. She also suggested credentialing for teachers who go through ARI programs.

Several participants asked how the ARI model might be exported to other MSIs, as well as to a range of industrial and academic partners. Another expressed concern that ARI’s research award model does not provide sufficient support in the pilot stage for faculty buyouts, which have been identified as a challenge. He also commented that curricula changes can take years. Dr. Womack said ARI is an affiliated communal research asset for HBCUs and welcomes new participants. Research faculty may be offered joint appointments with ARI to provide flexibility. He acknowledged the pilot stage does not provide enough funding for buyouts, but noted most faculty are on 9-month appointments, and this stage is envisioned to take place during the summer. ARI envisions building up both a research and a teaching core, to alleviate the stress around a department’s fear of losing teaching capacity. He urged lifting up teaching and pedagogy to make sure faculty who prioritize teaching are resourced. What distinguishes HBCUs from Predominantly White Institutions, or PWIs, is the great teaching that is culturally responsive, Dr. Womack said, but it is also important to support faculty members with deep research interests.

FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS

The final session of the second town hall focused on federal agency programs that have successfully facilitated the development of equitable

partnerships. Moderated by Keith McGee, Ph.D. (Alcorn State University), the presenters were Jesus Soriano Molla, Ph.D. (National Science Foundation), and Terrence Mosley (Department of Energy [DOE]). The opportunities they discussed are in addition to others described by their agency colleagues at the first and third town halls (see Chapters 3 and 7).

National Science Foundation TIP Directorate

Dr. Soriano provided an overview of NSF programs that accelerate research to impact, with a focus on NSF’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP), and invited participants to see which are most relevant to their needs. TIP is creating horizontal approaches in collaboration with other directorates to achieve the NSF mission to promote the progress of science; secure the national defense; and advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare, he explained. The three approaches are to (1) foster innovation and technology ecosystems, (2) establish translation pathways, and (3) partner to engage the nation’s diverse talent.

While NSF has a budget of $10 billion and supports 350,000 individuals from undergraduate to faculty levels, millions of people are not participating in NSF or the STEM enterprise in general, and such challenges as climate change and access to health care need their talent, he said. One way that NSF has determined it can involve more Americans is through partnerships. A marquee TIP program is the creation of regional innovation engines to develop a range of partners to engage in use-inspired research, drive research results to the market and society, promote workforce development, and stimulate the economy and create jobs. Forty-three development awards were recently made.³

Dr. Soriano highlighted a number of other TIP-coordinated programs:

• Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity, or EPIC, which provides training and networking support to help build more inclusive innovation ecosystems and a pathway into larger NSF Regional Innovation Engines, with up to $400,000 for 3 years.
• Convergence Accelerator program, which brings together multidisciplinary teams to stimulate idea sharing and development of sustainable solutions.

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³ For more information on the development of NSF Regional Innovation Engines and for the programs listed below, see beta.nsf.gov/tip/latest.

• Small Business Innovation Research grants, which help bridge the “valley of death” between research and commercialization.
• Partnerships for Innovation, which support faculty to do proof-of-concept work, ideally in partnership with industry or national labs.
• Innovation Corps, or I-Corps, which trains NSF-funded faculty, students, and other researchers in innovation and entrepreneurship skills.
• Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems, or POSE, which supports the creation of open-source platforms to promote new technology solutions.
• Accelerating Research Translation, or ART, which provides $6 million for up to 4 years to build capacity to strengthen and scale the translation of basic research outcomes into impactful solutions.
• Visionary Interdisciplinary Teams Advancing Learning, or VITAL, which is a prize challenge to develop innovate learning technology for K–12 students.
• Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies, or ExLENT, which is a workforce development program that promotes partnerships between organizations in emerging technology fields and those with expertise in workforce development.
• Activate, which is an entrepreneurial fellowship program that supports researchers from a variety of backgrounds and geographies to move technologies from lab to society.

As TIP ramps up, Dr. Soriano invited participants to learn about the program and funding opportunities most relevant to their needs and to participate.

Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Mr. Mosley spoke about partnership programs with DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The mission of EERE is to accelerate the research, development, demonstration, and deployment of technologies and solutions to equitably transition America to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050. There is an emphasis on workers and communities who have been most negatively impacted by the energy transition and those historically underserved by the energy system and overburdened by pollution.

An interagency agreement with NSF is an opportunity for EERE to take advantage of established programs to broaden STEM participation beyond its traditional research and development (R&D) audience. A 5-year, $50 million program will provide technical training, K–12 outreach, and other efforts to interest a range of people in clean energy. As one example of the use of the interagency agreement, EERE is taking advantage of an NSF internship program in geothermal energy. A partnership with NSF’s Engineering Research Initiation program will fund researchers at non-R1 institutions. As noted by Dr. Soriano, NSF has begun many programs through the CHIPS + Science Act, and the opportunities are great. EERE also takes part in the MSI STEM R&D Consortium (MSRDC), which consists of more than 70 MSIs and is aimed at reducing barriers to entry for MSIs to do more research for DOE and other agencies.^4,5 In FY 2022, EERE funded $8.6 million in direct R&D funding through the consortium. Of note, the partnership developed when he met MSRDC representatives at a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine workshop.

EERE recently launched the HBCU Clean Energy Education Prize, which has two tracks. The Inspire Track funds HBCU-hosted programs for K–12 and/or community college students. The Partnerships Track gives HBCUs the opportunity to develop new partnerships to equip HBCU students with the skills to succeed in clean energy careers. The partnerships are designed to enhance existing opportunities such as exchange programs, online offerings, and the transition of MSI students to graduate school or careers.⁶

The work is paying off for DOE and MSIs, Mr. Mosley said. In 2022, DOE was ranked third as a top HBCU supporter among government agencies and nonprofits, yet it was not even in the top 10 agencies in 2020, according to the Career Communications Group, Inc. Mr. Mosley concluded, “Through partnerships, we can lean on each other to get the best results and reach concurrent goals.”

Discussion

To further discuss how federal agencies are interacting with MSIs, Mr. Mosley described MBE (Minority Business Enterprises) Connect, a DOE

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⁴ For more information, see https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4346.

⁵ For more information, see https://www.msrdconsortium.org.

⁶ For more information, see https://www.herox.com/HBCU.

summit held in February 2022. MSI representatives talked with DOE staff to review funding opportunities. In addition, the DOE Office of Economic Impact and Diversity started a webinar series with MSIs to learn about current and upcoming funding opportunities and to help connect them to the right offices. He reinforced the need for advocacy, developing strategic partnerships, and not “re-creating the wheel.”

While many programs require partnerships, Dr. Soriano acknowledged that some institutions need the tools to initiate and sustain them. He encouraged MSIs to advocate and engage agencies to focus on these tools, something that TIP is starting to do. He also pointed to the INCLUDES Initiative as an opportunity in this respect.⁷

Both Dr. Soriano and Mr. Mosley underscored the need for evaluation and tracking. At NSF, according to Dr. Soriano, a centralized group is developing intentional evaluations to assess the success of partnership creation and factors involved in success or failures. At DOE, according to Mr. Mosley, a strategic analysis group is evaluating several programs to measure impact, such as a solar decathlon that has been going on for about 20 years. Both stressed the need to reach K–12 students to interest them in STEM.

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⁷ For more information, see https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/inclusionacross-nation-communities-learners.

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