About Us
Learn More About the UPRM R&D Center
What Is the R&D Center?
The Research and Development Center (R&DC) of the UPR-Mayagüez Campus (UPRM) was envisioned and organized in 1986. By means of its Certification 56, the Council on Higher Education of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico established the Center on September 12, 1986. The R&DC coordinates and manages externally funded research projects at UPRM. It is also the umbrella for other centers in campus.
The R&DC promotes and provides administrative support for research projects conducted by faculty members of UPRM’s four colleges— Agricultural Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Business Administration and Engineering. The funding partners include business and industry, public and private organizations, as well as government agencies, both federal and local.
R&DC’s Main Constituents:
- UPRM researchers and educators
- UPRM administrators
- UPRM graduate and undergraduate students
- Federal, state agencies and private sponsors that fund research and development
- Employees of externally-funded projects
- Researchers and personnel from Puerto Rico’s scientific, industrial and technological community
The Center premises include nine buildings, which used to house the former Puerto Rico Nuclear Center, and subsequently the Center for Energy and Environment Research, prior to becoming the UPRM Research and Development (R&D) Center. See map. The R&D Center facilities include an Administration Building (J), where the Office of the Director, Administrator and most pre-award and post-award services are provided, a Main Building (F) and several smaller buildings, which house important research program offices and laboratories.
Mission
To promote, develop and facilitate creative endeavors, research, and development at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez (UPRM) that foster the technological, economic, and social wellbeing of Puerto Rico, in collaboration with government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector.
Vision
To become the entity responsible for establishing world recognition of UPRM as Puerto Rico’s leading institution for research and creative endeavors, and the one having the greatest contribution in the socioeconomic development of Puerto Rico.
Values
Integrity, Responsibility and Commitment: To conduct our work with integrity, responsibility, and sense of urgency, and with a strong commitment to the institution, the community and the environment.
Mission
To promote, develop and facilitate creative endeavors, research, and development at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez (UPRM) that foster the technological, economic, and social wellbeing of Puerto Rico, in collaboration with government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector.
Vision
To become the entity responsible for establishing world recognition of UPRM as Puerto Rico’s leading institution for research and creative endeavors, and the one having the greatest contribution in the socioeconomic development of Puerto Rico.
Values
Integrity, Responsibility and Commitment: To conduct our work with integrity, responsibility, and sense of urgency, and with a strong commitment to the institution, the community and the environment.
R&D Center Operation
The operation of the R&D Center for the reported fiscal year can be summarized in eleven steps, as illustrated in the infographic above. Below we briefly describe each step.
- Researchers write proposals in response to requests for proposals or funding opportunities.
- The Proposal submission office receives researcher’s proposals and verifies budget.
- Pre–award compliance verifies compliance. Proposals are routed and submitted to agencies.
- Agencies respond with notifications. Granted awards are passed to the budget office.
- Budget distributes funds and creates accounts, which enable grant expenditure.
- Finance office manages accounts, receiving purchasing and human resources transactions
- Purchases requested by researchers are processed. Expense reports sent for pre–intervention
- Human resources’ needs handled by HR office. HR compensations sent for pre–intervention
- Pre–intervention verifies compliance. Incorrect or incomplete transactions returned for correction. Correct transactions are paid with university funds.
- Invoicing sends expense reports to funding agencies to allow for recuperating research expenses and Indirect Costs
- Accepted invoices are refunded by funding agencies, recuperating direct and indirect costs.
The operation of the R&D Center for the reported fiscal year can be summarized in eleven steps, as illustrated in the infographic above. Below we briefly describe each step.
- Researchers write proposals in response to requests for proposals or funding opportunities.
- The Proposal submission office receives researcher’s proposals and verifies budget.
- Pre–award compliance verifies compliance. Proposals are routed and submitted to agencies.
- Agencies respond with notifications. Granted awards are passed to the budget office.
- Budget distributes funds and creates accounts, which enable grant expenditure.
- Finance office manages accounts, receiving purchasing and human resources transactions
- Purchases requested by researchers are processed. Expense reports sent for pre–intervention
- Human resources’ needs handled by HR office. HR compensations sent for pre–intervention
- Pre–intervention verifies compliance. Incorrect or incomplete transactions returned for correction. Correct transactions are paid with university funds.
- Invoicing sends expense reports to funding agencies to allow for recuperating research expenses and Indirect Costs
- Accepted invoices are refunded by funding agencies, recuperating direct and indirect costs.