About RDI
Who We Are
The Research Development Institute: A Bold, New Initiative
The goal of the Research Development Institute is to empower interdisciplinary research teams to pursue large-scale, center-level grant funding and elevating those submissions to be successful in a highly competitive environment.
The Research Funding Landscape
The funding environment for research is extremely competitive, with institutions across the nation contending for limited, large-scale support. Large-scale research proposals, often totaling over $5 million, typically focus on “grand” challenges with significant societal or global impact, and/or pave the way for a new technology, field, or industry to emerge. They, consequently, require long-term planning with strong, interdisciplinary or multi-institutional teams ready to articulate a bold, strategic, and scalable vision, inclusive of novel innovation, societal impact, and public engagement.
How can the RDI help?

The RDI, in complement to the important administrative support of colleges, aims to be a guide for teams looking to navigate the complex landscape of large-scale funding. We work closely with faculty throughout the entirety of this “research development” process—from “bold idea” generation to post-submission support—as well as across their careers to prepare and pursue these transformative, large-scale grant opportunities. Our aim is to maximize research productivity, offering a concierge service for grant seekers including grant writing, editing, and graphic support, and assist in communicating the significant and compelling impact of their research.
We also aim to elevate the 鶹AV research enterprise—creating diverse pathways for transformative knowledge to emerge through think tanks, research collaboratives, and the university’s thriving innovation ecosystem. Think Tanks, a featured initiative of the RDI, bring together dynamic, interdisciplinary teams capable of generating transformative discoveries and bold solutions for the world’s most pressing challenges. By empowering faculty to pursue dynamic discoveries and investing in open networks of collaboration, the RDI works with purpose to advance 鶹AV’s bold trajectory of excellence and relentless pursuit of innovation with an eye toward the future.
RDI TEAM
- Sandra Justice, Director, 鶹AV Research Development Institute
- John Johnson, Associate Director, 鶹AV Research and Innovation
- Miranda Mattingly, Ph.D., Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives
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Ross DuBose, Ph.D., Assistant Director, RDI and 鶹AV Sarasota Manatee Research Office
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Karen Walker, Associate Director, Competitive Intelligence
- Tina Lucas, Administrative Coordinator, 鶹AV Research Development Institute