About the Research University Alliance

The Research University Alliance – RUA

For the first time, nine of the nation’s most prominent universities are engaging in joint mentorship, scientific collaboration, career development and guidance of advanced PhD students and postdoctoral fellows.

RUA focuses on the advancement of underrepresented minority graduate and postdoctoral scholars that are pursuing academic careers in mathematical, physical, and environmental sciences, and engineering. RUA’s goal is to diversify the future professoriate nationally by creating robust professional development, mentoring, and networking opportunities.

With the support of the National Science Foundation’s Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program the Research University Alliance (RUA) officially launched in October 2020.

RUA is made up of a nine-university partnership that includes Caltech, Georgia Tech, Harvard University, UC Berkeley, UC Los Angeles, University of Michigan, Stanford University, University of Texas at Austin and University of Washington.

Photo from 2018 AGEP Conference

Looking toward the future:

Over the next four years (2020-2024) RUA will focus on four key program areas:

Research Exchange — Graduate and postdoctoral scholars can receive funding to visit any of the nine university partners for several weeks to learn new research techniques, find mentors, start new research collaborations and hear about postdoc opportunities.

Extensive Outreach — Advanced graduate students from colleges and universities beyond the nine Research University Alliance schools will be invited to take part in the Alliance’s professional development activities.

Concierge Service — Free, individual help will be offered to scholars wanting to be connected to postdoc opportunities, as well as to principal investigators searching for highly skilled, ambitious postdocs.

Online Postdoc Portal — A new website will list postdoc and faculty opportunities available within the nine schools, accept scholars’ applications and forward them to principal investigator for the Research University Alliance.

Annual Professional Convening — Gatherings for scholars will focus on networking and professional development that leads to faculty positions, with advice ranging from how to do a chalk talk to how to negotiate a job offer to how to prepare to meet with a dean.

Creating systemic practices that advance
equality and inclusion

Photo from 2018 AGEP Conference

The RUA External Advisory Board

The RUA External Advisory Board advises the collaborating institutions and the project personnel on efforts to make improvements in the proposed Alliance work. The Board members provide the appropriate expertise to guide and support the project team’s plans for Alliance Model development, implementation, self-study, evaluation, and dissemination.

The RUA Community Engagement Board

Photo of Cody Aldaz
Cody Aldaz
Photo of Nick Geiser
Nick Geiser
Photo of Melissa Ramirez
Melissa Ramirez
Photo of Yeimy Rivera
Yeimy Rivera
Natalie Nicole Sanchez

The CEB will guide the Alliance efforts to build community among the AGEP Alliance graduate students, postdocs, new faculty and AGEP alumni. To do so, the CEB will use their personal experiences, networks and real-time knowledge of social media to develop and implement tools that will foster community within the Alliance and beyond, and that will amplify the impact and sustainability of the Alliance model.

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