The ScienceDocs Federal Research Strategy Council is a curated group of current and former federal research leaders—primarily program directors, scientific review officers (SROs), and senior agency insiders—assembled to help universities, departments, research centers, and innovation programs navigate today’s increasingly complex and uncertain funding environment.

This Council was created in response to a growing need we see across the academic and innovation landscape: institutions seeking strategic, insider-informed guidance to strengthen their research infrastructure, refine their funding portfolios, and make smart pivots during periods of federal funding disruption, policy change, or shifting agency priorities.

What Makes the Federal Research Strategy Council Unique

Most ScienceDocs consultants have served as federal grant reviewers, and many have held internal leadership roles within major U.S. funding agencies. Building on that foundation, the Federal Research Strategy Council provides a higher level of institutional support—focused not on individual proposals alone, but on long-term research strategy and capacity building.

Council members bring deep, first-hand knowledge of how funding decisions are shaped at agencies such as:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• National Science Foundation (NSF)

• Department of Defense (DoD)

• Department of Energy (DOE)

Their experience spans investigator-initiated research, center-level funding, translational programs, workforce development, and commercialization pathways.

Who We Support

The Federal Research Strategy Council works with:

• Departments and schools seeking to strengthen competitiveness or refocus research priorities

• Universities aiming to advance their research classification (e.g., R2 → R1 pathways)

• Offices of the Vice President for Research navigating institutional growth, restructuring, or funding uncertainty

• Incubators, accelerators, and innovation hubs supporting startups and translational research

• Early-stage companies exploring SBIR/STTR and alternative federal funding options during program slowdowns or pauses

Whether the challenge is aligning institutional strengths with agency priorities, restructuring internal support systems, or identifying new funding and commercialization pathways, the Council provides informed, pragmatic guidance grounded in federal realities.

Services & Engagement Areas

Engagements with the Federal Research Strategy Council are tailored, but commonly include:

• Strategic assessments of institutional or departmental research portfolios

• Guidance on research infrastructure development and optimization

• Institute-specific funding strategy and prioritization

• Advisory support during federal funding disruptions or program hiatuses

• SBIR/STTR strategy guidance for startups and incubators

• Topical, institute-focused webinars informed by current federal perspectives

This work is consultative and collaborative, designed to complement—not replace—existing research development, grants administration, and leadership teams.

A Trusted Extension of Your Research Leadership

The Federal Research Strategy Council is intended to function as a trusted external advisory resource—one that brings clarity, perspective, and actionable insight during periods of change. For many institutions, especially those without extensive internal research strategy capacity, the Council serves as a bridge between academic ambition and federal funding realities.

Below you’ll find the bios and backgrounds of the Federal Research Strategy Council members—each selected for their depth of experience, institutional perspective, and commitment to strengthening the research ecosystem.  To engage with us on leveraging our Strategy Council, please go to our Quotes Page.