Clemson University has joined a national cohort of institutions working to strengthen and expand the impact of academic research.
The Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) selected Clemson to join its Organizational Research Impact Capacity (ORIC) program. ORIC helps organizations develop skills, systems and strategies needed to assess, communicate and scale research impact. The two-year program provides extensive training, organizational assessment, monthly engagement with ARIS leadership and other programming designed to help participants assess and communicate the broad impact of their work.
Clemson’s participation will be led by the Office of Research Development (ORD), which provides professional development and faculty training to nurture interdisciplinary research at Clemson.
“Clemson faculty across disciplines are deeply committed to advancing research that improves health care, strengthens K–12 education, drives industry innovation, enhances agricultural productivity, promotes economic prosperity, and benefits the communities they serve. The challenge, however, is often communicating the impacts of that work effectively to key stakeholders.” said Shelia Cotten, associate vice president for research development who will lead Clemson’s participation in ORIC.
In a survey of Clemson faculty in early 2026, Cotten and her ORD colleagues found that only about one in four researchers indicated strong confidence in assessing the impact of their research, leveraging university resources to communicate their impact or initiating conversations with potential corporate, community or philanthropic partners.
Through its two-year participation in ORIC, ORD intends to develop training programs, establish a faculty research impact advisory committee and create a train-the-trainer model to nurture outreach and engagement across the university.
“Our goal is to empower faculty to design projects with research impact at the forefront, unlocking their potential to drive meaningful and lasting change in South Carolina and beyond,” Cotten said.
Founded in 2014 and based at the University of Missouri, ARIS boasts more than 2,000 members worldwide. AIRS serves researchers, practitioners and leaders working in universities, funding organizations, nonprofits, government agencies, industries and communities who want research to be more relevant, accessible and responsive to society.
