Are you curious or even confused about the university's strategic initiative to achieve NRUF status and to become an R1? Has this transition had an impact on your career? Are you contemplating your place in this institutional change? Dr. Blanda will explore the benefits of pursuing funded research for individual faculty, the institution, the community, and society. Funded research can link the teaching and scholarly mission of the university as well as enhance your own teaching and learning. He will provide an overview of critical research expenditures as they relate to our Carnegie status and efforts to become NRUF eligible. Lastly, he will describe support services within ORSP to assist faculty in pursuing external funding. Join us for a lively discussion on the future direction of Texas State.