The Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA)

The Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA) is established through a Cooperative Agreement between the National Science Foundation and the University Industry Demonstration Partnership (UIDP). This newly formed ERVA organization will serve to identify and develop bold and societally impactful new engineering research directions and thereby catalyze the engineering research community’s pursuit of innovative, high-impact research.

The ERVA will seek, obtain and integrate input from all stakeholders with interest in engineering research, including academia, industry, professional societies, government agencies, and the public. Robust, multi-modal communications will fuel consistent, effective, bidirectional flow of information across the engineering research stakeholder community to ensure broad input and impact.

Through its activities, the ERVA will strengthen connectivity across stakeholders and increase coordination among engineering disciplinary communities. The ERVA ideation and visioning engine will drive new initiatives that advance the frontiers of engineering and science to maximize potential for economic growth, national security and societal benefit and strengthen U.S. leadership in the technology-based global economy.

The newly formed ERVA is a partnership of the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA), the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)/Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Foundation (EIF), and the University Industry Demonstration Partnership. The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) is ERVA’s Affiliate Partner. Leveraging this expansive cross-sector partnership network, the ERVA will establish a national, independent, agile engine to CONVENE a representation of academic, corporate, community, professional society, and public stakeholders; IDEATE and articulate bold new engineering research visions; CATALYZE development of new programs, policies, and models of connectivity, together with investments that address critical national and global challenges; COMMUNICATE findings, directions, and opportunities to stakeholders; and EVALUATE the outcomes and impacts of its work.

Professional contractors will be engaged to optimize communication and evaluation strategies and outcomes. The ERVA seeks to foster an engineering community committed to realizing societal needs through collaborative and convergent research, technology innovations, and community engagement.

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.