Mandate

Research Promotion:

• Continues to nurture the research culture at TRU, building on current success;
• Integrates the strengths of TRU, including open learning; flexible programming and laddering of programs; opportunities for practical experience, co-op and internship placements; and international education in developing the activities of the university;
• Promotes the development of undergraduate research as an integral part of TRU, teaching and research integration, and the ongoing development and implementation of the TRU Strategic Plan;
• Provides management oversight and review of research centres and programs, along with criteria for establishing new ones.

Research Funding:

• Administers research accounts and ensures compliance of research and expenditures with granting agencies, and proper accounting overhead;
• Raises funds for research from non-traditional sources;
• Advertises funding opportunities, and helps faculty and students leverage funding  for current and future scholarly activities;
• Administers internal grant competitions and awards committees.

Project Facilitation:

• Facilitates liaisons between government, industry and community groups for applied research projects;
• Reports on internal and external research activity, including publications and funding, contributions to society and the economy.

Research Integration:

• Integrates research with co-op and internship programs and project-based graduate degrees.

Training:

• Conducts workshops and information sessions for ethics reviews, funding applications, and awards opportunities;
• Reviews and authorizes grant and contract preparation.

Ethics:

• Supports the human ethics and animal care committees, and provides training in these areas.

Information Delivery:

• Maintains a current university experts database, and an inventory of business, industry and government agencies with potential to partner or support research and development at TRU.

Policy:

• Develops, reviews and revises policies for research, intellectual property management and commercialization, centres, graduate and undergraduate research, overheads on grants and contracts, etc.;
• Is the compliance office for TRU administering university and Tri-Council policies on research that collects data from human subjects, live animals, and biohazards, and ensures compliance with all policies relating to research and sponsored research.

Liaison:

• Liaises with human resources on issues relating to research support, including Research Assistants.