Article originally appeared on the Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Technology's Website

8 STEAM members are among the 25 researchers who have been selected from a competitive process for the 2023 Growing Research Opportunities (GRO) Academy. This professional development program helps researchers develop the skills and confidence to work on and lead effective interdisciplinary research teams.

“The Office of Knowledge Enterprise supports faculty in becoming research leaders,” said Julie P. Martin, assistant vice president for talent and team development in the Office of Knowledge Enterprise. “Federal funders are increasingly emphasizing research that is interdisciplinary, convergent or collaborative. We’re offering GRO Academy to facilitate participants’ ability to effectively lead interdisciplinary research teams that can tackle today’s complex problems.” 

Federal funders are also increasingly emphasizing research that is interdisciplinary, convergent or collaborative. The GRO Academy curriculum was specifically designed – using models of training through evidence-based guidelines – to provide a supportive environment for learning about principles of team science and apply them to their research collaborations.

The 2023 cohort includes about 30 hours of program participation, including: a kickoff retreat, weekly in-person sessions and weekly virtual small group discussions. Highly interactive sessions will be led by national and international experts in interdisciplinary research at Ohio State and across the nation. As the lessons build off of each other, participants will ultimately come away from the course with a three- to five-year research plan and the toolkit to put the plan in motion.

The STEAM members who are among the 2023 cohort include:

• Harmony Bench, PhD | Associate Professor, College of Arts and Sciences
• Jordan Clark, PhD | Assistant Professor, College of Engineering
• Jessica Cooperstone, PhD | Assistant Professor, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
• Karen Dannemiller, PhD | Associate Professor, College of Engineering
• Jennifer Hefner, PhD | Associate Professor, College of Public Health
• Rachel Kajfez, PhD | Associate Professor, College of Engineering
• Kelly Purtell, PhD | Associate Professor, College of Education and Human Ecology
• Jonathan Song, PhD | Associate Professor, College of Engineering