C. Michael Carolina, executive director of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST), has been named to the Standing Council for a new engineering research initiative recently launched by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
America’s economic competitiveness is tied directly to the pace of scientific and technological discovery, which requires sustained, long-term support as well as agility. To help the United States stay at the forefront of research and innovation — and maintain its leadership in the global economy — NSF Directorate for Engineering recently launched the Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA), the first engineering research visioning organization of its kind.
ERVA was created to provide the engineering community with a process for identifying bold and societally impactful engineering research directions.
Carolina is part of a 35-member Standing Council providing critical input for visioning activities. ERVA stakeholders from academia, industry, government, professional societies and foundations and the general public will be invited to participate on topic-based task forces and to offer insight for new research directions.
“I am excited to join the ERVA team and about the opportunity to help accelerate collaborative engineering research leading to innovations that translate to scientific leadership that benefits the public,” Carolina said.
Engineering research profoundly impacts our daily lives in a variety of areas, from improved vaccine distribution to better smartphone cameras to the recent Mars rover landing. ERVA brings the engineering community together to envision high-impact solutions to society’s grand challenges and to spark new research directions for a more secure and sustainable world.
“Engineering has the power to transform people’s lives, especially when it brings to bear a diversity of knowledge, perspectives and experience to solve important problems,” says NSF Assistant Director for Engineering Dawn Tilbury. “With NSF’s support, the Engineering Research Visioning Alliance will enable the engineering community to mobilize and make a difference in our country’s future.”
Funded with a five-year, $8 million award from the NSF, the new initiative convenes, catalyzes and enables the engineering community to identify nascent opportunities and priorities for engineering-led innovative, high-impact, cross-domain, fundamental research that addresses national, global and societal needs.
ERVA builds connectivity among government, academic, industry, community, professional society and public sector stakeholders, empowering the engineering research community to speak with a unified voice.
To become involved with ERVA and learn about its upcoming visioning activities, visit www.ERVAcommunity.org and follow @ERVAcommunity and the hashtag #ERVAcommunity on social media platforms LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
About ERVA
The Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA) is a neutral convener that helps define future engineering research directions. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering, ERVA is a diverse, inclusive and engaged partnership that enables an array of voices to impact national research priorities. The five-year initiative convenes, catalyzes and enables the engineering community to identify nascent opportunities and priorities for engineering-led innovative, high-impact, cross-domain research that addresses national, global and societal needs. Learn more at www.ERVAcommunity.org
