The Office of Research Development has a full slate of professional development opportunities planned for the 2025-26 academic year to help researchers improve their chances for competitive external funding.
Workshop topics cover funding opportunities for faculty at all career levels, helping them to navigate funding challenges, write strong impact statements in proposals, utilize artificial intelligence in research, communicate work to broader audiences, and much more.
“At Clemson, we believe that great research doesn’t just happen — it grows when ideas are sharpened, collaborations are sparked and skills are strengthened,” said Shelia Cotten, associate vice president for research development. “The workshops offered through the Office of Research Development this year are more than training sessions; they are springboards for discovery, pathways to funding and opportunities to shape the future of research. I encourage all faculty and research staff to invest in yourselves and your research by taking full advantage of these resources. Together, we can continue to elevate Clemson’s research to new heights.”
The next workshop, Navigating Federal Funding Opportunities, will be Sept 29. Recent federal directives have altered the funding landscape, which can present novel challenges for principal investigators. This workshop will focus on strategies for building research portfolios given the realities of the current funding ecosystem. Register online here.
On Oct. 9, ORD will have a workshop on “Demystifying EPSCoR Opportunities” to provide insight on different EPSCoR programs across funding agencies, along with some examples of available funding opportunities. The event features presentations from EPSCoR representatives both at Clemson and from the state EPSCoR office, as well as some time for audience Q&A. Register online here.
In November, ORD has planned an “Early-Stage Investigator Programs” workshop to provide an overview of the various programs available to help early-career faculty members build their research portfolios, including Naitonal Science Foundation CAREER Awards, National Institutes of Health K Series and other programs focused on early-stage investigators. The workshop is a precursor to ORD’s popular CAREER Academy, which provides a dedicated support structure for untenured junior faculty who are planning to submit NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) proposals. The Academy is held every year from January through proposal submission in July.
The full list of ORD workshops for the 2025-26 academic year is online here. Workshops will be held in person on the main Clemson campus, with remote options for faculty at other Clemson campuses. Details will be shared online as well as on the Clemson events calendar when available. Questions can be directed to vprord@clemson.edu.
