CSN Faculty Earn National Spotlight for Research Partnership Work
CSN just got a shoutout on the national stage, and it’s well earned.
The college is being featured in a newsletter from the National Science Foundation’s EPIIC program, spotlighting an NSF-funded initiative that’s putting CSN students shoulder to shoulder with faculty on real research projects. The recognition centers on CIRCLET, a CSN project built around one simple idea: strong partnerships between faculty and industry don’t happen by accident.
Douglas Sims, dean of CSN’s School of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics and a principal investigator on the project, put it best when asked what actually drives that success. Sure, tools like customer relationship management systems help keep track of who’s who and what’s been done. But that’s not the secret sauce.
“That responsibility rests with faculty who actively engage industry through ongoing collaboration, regular communication, and shared initiatives,” Sims said. “When faculty and industry partners work together as long-term collaborators, the CRM becomes more than a database. It becomes a record of strong, enduring partnerships that support student success and workforce development.”
In other words, relationships come first. The database just keeps score.
Sims isn’t doing this alone. Ruth Palileo in the Office of Sponsored Programs and John Howard from the Department of Physical Sciences round out the CSN team making this happen, connecting students to hands-on research experience that goes way beyond the textbook.
The recognition didn’t go unnoticed at the top, either. Dr. James McCoy, executive vice president of Academic Affairs and chief academic officer, thanked the team directly for putting CSN on the map nationally.
“I appreciate your leadership, continued focus on research at CSN, and for engaging on the national level in this work,” McCoy said.
The newsletter feature is set to publish early next week through the NSF website.
