The Role of Research Institutions in Developing Public Policy Infrastructure for Social Benefit

Scientific information often takes over a decade before it is used in decision making. While some universities and funders have begun to focus study priorities on the needs of communities, there has been little attention to how academic institutions translate existing knowledge for public policymakers. Scholars report the greatest hindrances to their public engagement activities include limited time, resources, training, or technical support. Scholars who study research impact are calling for system change that would routinize knowledge mobilization and create infrastructure for research synthesis and outreach. This study produces insights about systemic barriers and facilitators to developing infrastructure within academic and funding systems that would improve the societal benefit of scientific knowledge. The study focuses on eliciting problem definitions and recommendations from those who have decision-making power in academies including leaders of: (1) public universities (e.g., vice/chancellors, vice/provosts, vice/presidents of research, or deans) and (2) research-funding philanthropies (e.g., vice/presidents or members of the board of directors). The research is action-oriented and produces recommendations on the development and resourcing of research translation and policy engagement infrastructure by gleaning decisionmakers' perspectives relative to institutional missions and roles. Findings inform institutional change initiatives; therefore, a report of recommendations derived from interviews will be shared on a public website and disseminated in partnership with university and philanthropic consortia. This research examines the perceptions of decision-makers in public universities and research-funding philanthropies regarding the structural or institutional barriers and facilitators of translating research evidence for policymakers. To offer a more complete view of the evidence ecosystem, the study includes both university and research-funding leadership. A qualitative grounded theory methodology develops robust theoretical frameworks that allow investigators to understand structural barriers and facilitators for disseminating research for public policymakers. The study explores implications for developing university infrastructure for research impact. The team investigates how public university decision-makers describe barriers and opportunities in achieving public benefit through research translation and policy engagement and how philanthropic leaders understand their role in resourcing infrastructure for research impact and policy engagement. The data analysis involves iterative and constant comparative process, leading to the development of a theoretical framework, grounded in data from participants, and guidance for research leaders and policy makers.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.