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Faculty invited to Research-to-Impact Partnerships Workshop

George Mason University faculty interested in strengthening the real-world impact of their research are invited to apply for the Research-to-Impact Partnerships Workshop: Translating Grand Challenge Research into Real-World Impact, a two-day interactive program offered by the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact.

The in-person workshop will take place October 22–23, 2026. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. Space is limited, and priority will be given to PI-eligible faculty, as defined by University Policy 4012, and participants who can commit to attending both workshop days.

The workshop will focus on helping faculty build and sustain the partnerships needed to translate research into meaningful impact. Participants will explore practical approaches for identifying potential partners, initiating and developing relationships, and managing productive partnerships across disciplines and sectors.

Facilitated discussions and applied exercises will also give faculty an opportunity to develop partnership strategies tailored to their own research and impact goals.

Supporting Grand Challenge Initiative Research

The workshop is being offered in support of George Mason's Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) and is designed to benefit faculty at multiple stages of involvement with the initiative.

Faculty leading or participating in currently funded GCI teams can use the workshop to refine their partnership strategies and strengthen their approaches to securing and working with partners. Faculty considering future GCI proposals will gain tools and frameworks that can help them develop stronger partnership strategies for their proposals.

Participation is not limited to GCI teams. All faculty interested in developing transdisciplinary partnerships that can help translate their research into real-world impact are encouraged to apply.

What participants will gain

Workshop participants will leave with:

  • A shared language and research-informed foundation for understanding how effective partnerships support research translation and real-world impact.
  • Practical tools and frameworks for identifying, initiating, designing, and sustaining productive cross-sector and interdisciplinary partnerships.
  • Strategies for communicating the relevance and value of their research to diverse stakeholders and cultivating partnerships that can increase impact, visibility, and future opportunities for support.
  • A partnership-building roadmap that can inform a future GCI proposal, strengthen implementation of a funded GCI project, or advance other transdisciplinary research efforts.

Who should apply

The workshop is designed for:

  • Faculty leading or participating in funded GCI teams.
  • Faculty preparing a GCI proposal or considering a future proposal.
  • Faculty interested in building transdisciplinary partnerships to support the translation of their research into impact.

Apply to participate in the Research-to-Impact Partnerships Workshop.

* The programs and services offered by George Mason University are open to all who seek them. George Mason does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic national origin (including shared ancestry and/or ethnic characteristics), sex, disability, military status (including veteran status), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. After an initial review of its policies and practices, the university affirms its commitment to meet all federal mandates as articulated in federal law, as well as recent executive orders and federal agency directives.