Did you know one of the few places in the Southeast where university scientists can print circuit boards is at a Clemson University campus in Blackville, about 30 miles southeast of Aiken?
At Clemson’s Edisto Research and Education Center, sensor engineer Joe Maja is able to rapidly design, print and test circuit boards for emerging sensor-based technologies for the agricultural and environmental sectors.
The Sensor Lab was just one of the stops on a recent tour my staff and I took at the Edisto REC. The REC has a strong team of scientists studying plant physiology, soil health, animal health, crop improvement and much more. Several faculty members expressed interest in working with faculty on campus – with computer engineers, chemists or geneticists, for example. And the Edisto REC is just one of Clemson’s off-campus research facilities as part of the Experiment Station managed by Clemson Public Service and Agriculture. There are also research stations in Georgetown, Florence, Charleston, Columbia and here near Clemson’s main campus. These facilities house top-notch faculty and offer invaluable opportunities for conducting experiments in real-world situations.
I encourage you to familiarize yourself with Clemson’s various facilities and programs. Our reach – and your opportunities for collaboration – stretch across the state and beyond. You can find collaborators by using the Faculty Insight tool on the Division of Research website. With this tool, you can search by keyword to find collaborators by expertise.
Additionally, the Division hosts the Research Symposium in May to bring together faculty members from across our campuses to share research ideas and results and to pursue collaborators. The Symposium includes breakout sessions on numerous research topics of which faculty members share interest. We are currently gathering ideas for session topics for the 2019 Symposium, which will be May 8 at the Watt Family Innovation Center. If you have an idea for a session topic, please email vpr@clemson.edu. We are also planning to have a keynote presentation from an external speaker. If you have any suggestions, please email vpr@clemson.edu.
Collaboration is critical to our ongoing growth as a research institution. Funding agencies are looking for multidisciplinary teams to tackle societal problems with far-reaching impact.
Research with real-world impact is at the heart of our land-grant mission and is on full display at our research stations like the Edisto REC. I want to thank the administrators, faculty and staff at the Edisto REC for hosting us and informing us of some various research ongoing at the station.
The trip to the Edisto REC, as well as the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North Charleston, was part of a working retreat my staff and I take each year to discuss issues with limited distraction. This year, we discussed challenges we face in providing our services to you. One of those challenges is better communicating our various roles and ensuring our faculty members understand the many policies covering their research.
Our Office of Export Controls, for example, can help you identify and manage risks involved with international shipments, international travel, foreign scholars and employees, and research security. Please reach out to export control officer Tami Hemingway at theming@clemson.edu for guidance on these matters. Additionally, our Office of Industry Contracts can help you negotiate agreements to work with private companies. Our of Office of Research Safety can help you maintain safe laboratories. An overview of the Division of Research and our various offices and services is outlined here. Please take a look and contact us with any questions you may have.
Our conversation on the challenges facing our team was valuable. I appreciate similar input from you. What are the challenges you face in conducting research at Clemson? What would better help you meet those challenges? Please email vpr@clemson.edu with comments and suggestions any time. Also, discuss these matters with your representative on my Faculty Advisory Board. Members for each college and the libraries are listed here. The board serves to bring to my attention ideas that could improve the research environment at Clemson University, that could help you become more successful at Clemson. Please engage with your Faculty Advisory Board representative and share your insights on making Clemson University the best we can be.
I want to express my appreciation and gratitude for your hard work and commitment to research and education at Clemson University. I wish you and your families a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday.
Go Tigers!
Tanju
The Division of Research will accept applications in the fall and spring for funding under the 
