On Sept. 21, 2015, Rice University announced an investment of more than $150 million in strategic initiatives aimed at increasing its research competitiveness, establishing a world-renowned program in data sciences and bolstering its position as one of the leading centers for molecular nanotechnology research.

“Great research universities stay great by continually challenging themselves, by searching for new opportunities, by supporting the faculty’s drive to discover, create and innovate and by demanding excellence,” said Rice President David Leebron. “The intellectual impact and productivity of our faculty are second to none, but the landscape for research funding has changed dramatically over the past decade. We must do everything possible to ensure that our faculty are positioned to succeed in an increasingly competitive research environment.”

The plans call for a $49 million reinvestment in molecular nanotechnology, a traditional area of strength for Rice, as well as a $43 million investment to establish a world-class program in data sciences. These two initiatives build on existing strengths and include funding for 21 new faculty positions, as well as technical staff positions, startup funds and associated support.

The third initiative will promote research competitiveness broadly across the university and includes $58 million for an enhanced postdoctoral program; a “research venture capital” fund for high-risk, high-return initiatives; strengthened support services for grant writing and grant management; improved faculty networking for interdisciplinary team building; and investment in information technology for grant and data management.

The plans also call for an integration and coordination of the research-related functions that are currently performed in the Office of Research, the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations, the Controller’s Office and the Office of General Counsel. The new approach will follow a concierge service model to support logistics, allowing faculty to focus on research and scholarship.

Finally, Rice also will invest in data systems to identify calls for proposals from a broad portfolio of potential funders and push those to faculty members with potential interest. New online tools and in-person efforts for additional faculty networking are planned to support team-building for interdisciplinary calls for proposals. The university will also strengthen its support systems for multi-investigator and interdisciplinary projects, and it will invest in IT infrastructure to increase overall competitiveness and assure compliance with federal rules.

The initiatives will be funded by a combination of allocations from endowment, reallocation of current resources, and philanthropy.