As interdisciplinary collaborations and the use of digital technologies become gold standards for research, University Libraries’ Research Commons helps Ohio State researchers achieve both. Research Commons staff and partners train faculty and graduate students in topics such as securing funding, utilizing new software tools and boosting the impact of their work with data visualization and online communication channels. They host seminars and other catalyzing events that help researchers from across the university connect and form the type of collaborations that are capable of tackling the most complex challenges. They empower the next generation of knowledge-seekers by teaching graduate students the research, presentation and organizational skills that will serve them for the rest of their careers.
The constant evolution of new technologies combined with the perennial importance of soft skills, such as communicating and working as a team, mean the Research Commons offerings will only become more essential to realizing the university’s research mission. Giving opportunities include support for specialized technology to help innovation with a permanent, dedicated budget for keeping software, projection equipment and other research tools up to date, support for the creation of a digital scholarship and support for the creation of a Researcher in Residence program.