Research Innovation Teams (RITe) - A Model for Research Affinity
Our RITe teams allow faculty to work together, in self-organizing groups, to advance research and extramural scholarship through peer support and mentoring. RITes are primarily comprised of College of Nursing faculty, but may invite faculty from outside the college, as well as post-doctoral and pre-doctoral trainees to participate. These teams provide a diversity of investigators who bring a full range of expertise, approaches, technologies, and creativity to the study of problems.
RITe teams are designed to increase extramural funding by enhancing the conditions that lead to research productivity, creativity, and excellence. This is accomplished through mentoring, shared resources, engagement, and diversity.
The current RITe teams, their leaders, and focus include:
RAISED: Research in Access, Inclusion, Equity and Diversity
The purpose of this RITe group is to bring together faculty, pre/post-doctoral, and graduate students, as well as other interested individuals from a variety of specialties and disciplines with a common interest in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and emerging intersections. Special areas of interest may include: building inclusive communities, creating a culture of health, building workforce diversity, and enhancing trust in clinical trials. The team will work together to build community partnerships that will enhance scholarship in culturally sensitive research interventions and programs of study. The goals of our group are to 1) Build collaborative partnerships and networking opportunities among members and the wider community with a focus on EDI and 2) support members in growing their program of research, pursuing external funding, and disseminating their work.
Faculty Leader: Ana Sanchez-Birkhead
Health Sciences Education Scholarship (HSES)
The purpose of this group is to pursue research and scholarship in the science of education as it relates to nursing and health sciences by synergistically building upon the educational scholarship of our faculty, with special emphases on: pedagogical innovation, collaborative models of education, and robust data collection for testing educational interventions and outcomes. We will focus on 1) how education can improve approaches to care, 2) interprofessional education, 3) technology-enhanced education including simulation, and 4) value-added education.
Faculty Leader: Linda Hofmann
Information and Technology for Health (ITH)
Our ITH RITe group addresses novel technologies and analytical approaches to the management of research and clinical information in health. We support interprofessional and collaborative science. Our goals are to support members in their pursuit of funding and communication of science.
Faculty Leaders: Jia-Wen Guo, Nancy Allen
Patient Communications
The focus of this interdisciplinary group will be on developing and supporting shared scholarship related to patient communication. Topical examples include shared decision-making, risk communication, family health team communication, health literacy, and communication among health team members.
Faculty Leader: Andrea Wallace
Transforming Caregiving through Science (TACTUS)
Our Transforming Caregiving through Science (TACTUS) RITe will unite an interdisciplinary group of investigators with the objective of creating innovations in caregiving science. Our overarching goal is to create synergy by leveraging extant programs of research, clinical and community partnerships and national networks to identify opportunities where we can apply scientific approaches to solving caregiving problems, generating and applying new knowledge. Our definition of "caregiving" will broadly encompass informal caregiving, family caregiver, and forms of paid caregiving with a special emphasis on under-researched and underserved groups. We also aim to translate scientific productivity into action and policy by including investigators with expertise in these arenas.
Faculty Leader: Kristin Cloyes
Transitions and Health
The Transitions and Health Research Innovation Team brings together senior and junior faculty as well as pre-doctoral and post-doctoral investigators from multiple disciplines with a common focus on examining and facilitating health and quality of life outcomes associated with transitions over the life course. The team will continue to support grant submissions and dissemination activities; provide pre-reviews for anticipated submissions; and implement a group project on hospice survivorship using recently acquired intramural funds.
Faculty Leader: Mike Caserta
Women's Health RITe (WH RITe)
The Women’s Health Research Innovation Team (WH RITe) is focused on improving health outcomes for women throughout the lifespan. While the group has a broad emphasis on research that impacts the lives of women, our members have specific and diverse research programs; reproductive and pregnancy outcomes, midlife and menopause transition, health promotion, family planning, breast and cervical cancer, HPV prevention, health disparities, rural communities, ethics, use of technology, perinatal mental health, delivery of healthcare services. The WH RITe has two primary goals; 1) Support for members on submission of high-quality grant applications for extramural funding of research projects, and 2) Networking and support for building successful interdisciplinary research teams and collaborative projects.
Faculty Leaders: Lisa Taylor-Swanson, Ana Sanchez-Birkhead