Strategic Priorities

ASPIRATIONAL VISION

The College of Science will be a global leader in fundamental and transdisciplinary scientific research, discovery, scholarship, and education.

GOALS

• Expand the depth and breadth of science scholarship, focusing on research excellence, and increase the impact of research and discovery in the College of Science.
  
• Enhance basic research and disciplinary areas of distinction, while simultaneously building transdisciplinary research capabilities and investing in high-impact strategic research opportunities.
• Provide cutting-edge, meaningful, transformative, and high-quality educational experiences for all students, including ensuring that non-College of Science students learn to appreciate the importance of science and scientific inquiry.

ASPIRATIONAL VISION

The College of Science will continue to build a robust, durable, diverse, inclusive, and thriving scientific community focused on excellence.

GOALS

• Enhance our ability to attract, hire, and retain the best faculty, staff, and students from around the world, with an emphasis on improving the diversity of the College of Science in all dimensions.
• Increase the number of women, underrepresented, first generation, and historically disadvantaged students, to more closely align College of Science undergraduate student demographics with the Commonwealth’s, and establish processes to support their success.
• Promote a culture focused on excellence in all that we do – teaching & learning, research & discovery, and service & outreach – recognizing that a diverse and inclusive environment is the foundation upon which excellence in science is built.

ASPIRATIONAL VISION

The College of Science will excel in outreach, engagement, and economic development to promote healthy people, strong communities, and a sustainable planet.

GOALS

• Establish partnerships with alumni, industry, the public, and local and national policymakers in order to increase the impact of our research, improve the visibility of our faculty and students, and promote societal well-being.
• Enhance the College’s outreach and engagement activities to promote science and scientific literacy, increase awareness of Virginia Tech and the College of Science, and attract the best and brightest faculty, staff, and students to the College.
• Support economic development in the Commonwealth, particularly related to the University’s efforts in Roanoke and the Greater Washington, D.C., Metro Area, with an emphasis on the College’s strengths in basic science, applied science, data science, and decision science.

ASPIRATIONAL VISION

The College of Science will invest in the College’s people and infrastructure to fully support our missions of teaching, research, and service.

GOALS

• Support and encourage the professional development, career satisfaction, and work-life balance of College of Science faculty and staff so they may reach their full potential, maximize their quality of life, and make the College a destination for new talent.
• Develop and expand the College’s financial resources, including maximizing revenue returned to the college under the Partnership for an Incentive-Based Budget (PIBB), in order to support College operations via robust funding and other assets that are resilient to external influences.
• Improve the quality and quantity of College facilities and infrastructure to best support faculty teaching and research productivity, including the establishment of affordable shared research facilities to promote research excellence and financial efficiency.