Karen Walker joins USF Research Development Institute in new role

• November 8, 2024
• Research

Karen Walker recently joined the USF Research Development Institute as associate director for competitive intelligence. In this newly created position, she will develop strategic intelligence to analyze funding trends, expand communication of new grant opportunities and launch initiatives that contribute to meaningful research programs. Prior to joining the University of South Florida, Walker worked for 15 years in the Knowledge Enterprise at Arizona State University.

"Competitive intelligence is a practice that I initiated at Arizona State when our office was just starting under our Vice President for Research, Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, who now heads NSF," Walker said. "It is adapted from industry practices. By looking at what's new in science and technology, what our funders want, and what our internal capabilities are, I could help faculty see where they should be pursuing funding and how to develop more competitive proposals, and help our leadership make decisions about how to commit our resources ."

Walker plans to work with USF faculty to learn about their research, investigate opportunities that funders want to support and find ways to merge faculty needs and funder interests. "My main goal is to support faculty, staff and leadership and to help them grow the research enterprise."

At ASU, she cofounded and helped lead the Research Development Office, which contributed to tripling the university's research expenditures in ten years. In 2017, she created a national competitive intelligence working group that has since grown to more than 80 members and 50 academic institutions. The National Organization of Research Development Professionals honored her with its 2022 Innovation Award for contributions to establishing academic competitive intelligence as a field within research development.