A strategy to support future research growth at Memorial will soon be shared with the university community.

Through 2010-11, Memorial has been involved in a process to develop a comprehensive research strategy in response to Memorial’s 2007 Strategic Plan. One of the five pillars in the 2007 strategic plan focuses on research, creative activity and scholarship. Under that pillar, there are five goals related to the advancement of research at Memorial.

The new research strategy helps address these goals and includes the identification of strategic research themes that represent areas of existing research strength as well as new areas of significant research opportunity.

Extensive consultation was a cornerstone to the strategy development.  The planning committee completed 110 internal and external consultation sessions throughout the province. In total, more than 1,250 individuals provided input into the strategy.

“The ideas emerging from those consultations shaped the final strategy, helping ensure that our future growth remains connected to the needs of the province,” said Dr. Christopher Loomis, vice-president (research), Memorial University.

As a growing research institution, Dr. Loomis says it is important to build a shared vision for research and to communicate the strategic direction with internal and external stakeholders.

To that end, he, in consultation with senior administration and research staff, has decided to forego a research report for 2010-11 in order to focus on the research strategy. The funding results usually included in the research report will be released when final analysis has been completed. 

Last year’s research report, The Shining, used movie titles as an entrée to the specialized worlds of Memorial’s research “stars” and described some of the significant university research projects of 2009-10. The report received four international, three national and two local awards  in recognition of its success in telling the story of research at Memorial in a creative and engaging way.

“The Shining was an internal publication that took considerable time and effort. We are proud of the end result and appreciative of the awards and feedback it has received, but right now our focus is on sharing our research strategy in a manner that will have similar impact and effect as our recent research reports,” Dr. Loomis explained.

The strategy identifies the principles, goals and objectives that will guide Memorial’s pursuit of research excellence, translation and impact. It will be presented to Memorial's Senate and Board of Regents early in the new academic year and then be shared publicly.