Generative and other AI tools have the potential to transform and accelerate scientific research and communication. However, realizing that potential will require institutions to invest in the administrative and technical infrastructure, staffing, and capacity required to manage the data security, compliance, technical, and ethical issues of generative AI usage at the institutional level, and provide professional development for staff in units engaged in all aspects of the research enterprise. Creating this infrastructure will be difficult for all universities, but is particularly challenging for Emerging Research Institutions.

Today we are excited to announce the Advancing AI Governance and Implementation at Emerging Research Institutions project. This planning grant will identify novel solutions to strengthen the capacity of these institutions to govern and implement generative AI technologies to amplify and accelerate their growth as research universities. The project is made possible with the generous support of the US National Science Foundation and will be conducted in collaboration with Chapman University and Montclair State University.

NSF funding will support two convenings of administrators and research support staff from Emerging Research Institutions in New Jersey and Southern California to identify and prioritize opportunities and avenues for implementation and collaboration. Key topics of discussion at these workshops will include:

  • co-funding of software and computing infrastructure, including the possibility of shared development costs to support engineering and maintenance of custom large language models (LLMs) to aid in research administration
  • collaborative professional development opportunities for researchers, research administrators, and librarians or other support providers, as well as possible models for shared staffing and services
  • development of regional research incubation hubs.

The workshops will lay the foundations for a subsequent proposal to implement the most important and promising opportunities the convenings surface. We will also publish findings and actionable recommendations for research administrators at other emerging research universities, funders, and other stakeholder communities. If you are affiliated with an Emerging Research University in Southern California or New Jersey and are interested in participating in the workshop, or have general inquiries about the project, please contact Ruby MacDougall (ruby.macdougall@ithaka.org).

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant. No. 2437518. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.