Last week on Nov. 17, as part of the Robert J. O’Leary SPARK Speaker Series, the college gathered Ohio State faculty and research leaders for a critical dialogue on the state of research today.
Held at the Ohio Union, this event included a powerful discussion focusing on the ever-changing environment of research practices, including hot topics such as navigating increased scrutiny and the politicization to shifting funding priorities and review processes. Together, panelists openly conversed on effective strategies researchers may use to adapt and preserve the integrity, relevance and impact of their work.
Featured Panelists:
Deborah Hernandez, MA, MSCRP, is associate vice president for Strategic Research Development at Ohio State and leads the university’s research development team. Hernandez is a seasoned research leader with a strong track record of partnering with faculty to identify, pursue and secure funding for large-scale interdisciplinary grants. Throughout her career, she has facilitated and managed partnerships with government, non-profits, industry and academic institutions to ensure project success and program development.
Sarah Hayford, PhD, is Robert T. Lazarus Professor of Population Studies in the Department of Sociology and director of the Institute for Population Research at Ohio State. As director of the Institute for Population Research, Hayford supports research development and grant writing training for faculty and research staff across the university. She has leadership roles in the Population Association of America and the Association of Population Centers, professional organizations that advocate for federal funding for research and data.
Jason Reece, PhD, is vice provost for Engaged Scholarship and Community engagement and associate professor in City & Regional Planning. As vice provost, he manages the university’s Office of Outreach and Engagement and collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to create a strategic vision for academic partnership with Ohio State’s local communities. He is a community engaged scholar, collaborating directly with local community leaders in co-creating knowledge that serves communities.
Donte T. Boyd, PhD, is associate professor at The Ohio State University College of Social Work. He also serves as a visiting research faculty member as part of the Research Education Institute for Diverse Scholars at Yale University’s School of Public Health through the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS.
