In this paper we investigate the practices and capacities that define successful societal interaction of research groups with stakeholders in mutually beneficial processes. We studied the Finnish Strategic Research Council's (SRC) first funded projects through a dynamic governance lens. The aim of the paper is to explore how the societal…

This "2019-2020 IACC Autism Research Portfolio Analysis Report" presents trends in autism research funding from 2008 to 2020 and alignment of research projects with the primary Objectives of the 2016-2017 IACC Strategic Plan, as well as the Cross-Cutting Objective. An analysis of funding for projects that align with the Cross-Cutting…

University faculty have the talent, creativity, and training to tackle the serious challenges confronting our education system today, but the incentive structure in universities is often at odds with real-world contributions. What tensions are experienced by faculty who may be interested in partnership-oriented, engaged scholarship? How can these…

In this paper two foundation program officers describe their experiences as funders engaged in supporting research practice partnerships in two very distinct settings. The authors set the context for their experiences and walk through the challenges and opportunities in supporting research practice partnerships. They also discuss how supporting…

This report provides the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) with comprehensive information about the status of autism research funding among federal agencies and private research organizations in the U.S. This edition of the report features analysis of funding trends in autism research from 2008-2018, the first breakdown of the…

The authors of this report call on their colleagues to adopt "Public Impact Research" (PIR) as a broad label to describe how university research improves lives and serves society--locally, regionally, nationally, and globally. Using PIR consistently along with fundamental discovery and training the next generation workforce communicates…

Many of the researchers in research-practice partnerships (RPPs) are drawn to them because of frustrations that their work--while esteemed by academic colleagues--too infrequently influences education policies or practices. Many district partners in RPPs also have backgrounds as researchers, and they too want to see research address stubborn…

Challenges to closing the gap between findings from academic research and effective policymaking are not new, and they will not be solved overnight. However, as the entire education sector faces mounting pressure to provide high-quality education under tightening fiscal constraints, all while demonstrating improving student outcomes, the time may…

This article presents a conceptual framework for analyzing how researchers and district leaders perceive and navigate differences they encounter in the context of research-practice partnerships. Our framework contrasts with images of partnership work as facilitating the translation of research into practice. Instead, we argue that partnership…

Over the last decade, higher education policy in the United Kingdom (UK) has increasingly focused on the impact of academic research. This has resulted in the emergence of specialist knowledge brokers within UK universities in the social sciences and humanities. Our empirical research identified a tension between the research impact agenda and the…

Despite a robust body of evidence of effectiveness of social programs, few evidence-based programs have been scaled for population-level improvement in social problems. Since 2010 the federal government has invested in evidence-based social policy by supporting a number of new evidence-based programs and grant initiatives. These initiatives…

The Center for Composite Materials at the University of Delaware opens up new funding sources and collaborative research opportunities and enhances student skills. Government-sponsored research is focusing on real-world problems in close cooperation with industry. (SK)

Educators are often caught up in the problem of political agendas or funding driving educational research. Projects and proposals congruent with current trends or some agency's priority are often those that are funded. Institutional recognition in the form of promotion and salary increments is frequently focused on funded research. What, then, is…

This introductory article in a special issue on mentoring as a means to prevent school failure looks at the beginnings of mentoring in the United States, recent growth of mentoring programs, similarities and differences in mentoring programs, sources of funding for mentoring programs, what works and what does not, and the future of mentoring…

Discusses the utility of IEA cross-national studies of achievement and its determinants, why some countries appear uninterested in such information, the comparability of achievement data between nations, how to improve the selection of input and process variables, other international research needs, and the role of national funding agencies. (SV)