About
Mission
To identify and develop bold and transformative new engineering research directions and to catalyze the engineering community’s pursuit of innovative, high-impact research that benefits society.
How We Do it
Convene
the voices of engineers, scientists, technologists, ethicists, policymakers and the general public to exchange ideas.
Facilitate
the ideation and articulation of compelling engineering research visions that align with national and global challenges.
Catalyze
the development of programs, policies, and new models of connectivity and collaboration.
Communicate
the findings, priorities, and nascent opportunities in engineering research to all stakeholders.
A shared vision
For Engineering Research
The first engineering research visioning alliance of its kind
ERVA enables impact on national research priorities by convening minds and voices from across the nation to identify emerging trends and solutions.
Who Leads ERVA
WHAT WE DO
Driving collaborative research and technological innovations
ERVA identifies and develops new, high-impact engineering research directions to help solve challenges and improve daily life.
WHAT WE DO
Convene
Facilitate
Catalyze
Communicate
Why We Do It
Uniting the engineering
research community
ERVA enables the engineering community to speak with one voice to support a rapid and efficient response to emerging opportunities and areas of national need.
ERVA’s core partners
About Us
The Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA) is a neutral convener that helps to identify and develop bold and transformative new engineering research directions, directly supporting the nation’s ability to compete in a rapidly changing global economy. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering, ERVA is an engaged partnership that enables an array of voices to impact national research priorities. The initiative convenes, catalyzes and empowers the engineering community to identify nascent opportunities and priorities for engineering-led innovative, high-impact, cross-domain research that addresses national, global and societal needs.
Executive Committee
Our Executive Committee is responsible for administrative, programmatic, and process leadership and oversight.
Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board provides high-level vision and guidance to ensure continuous improvement.
Standing Council
Our Standing Council integrates input from all stakeholders with interest in engineering research.
ERVA Team
Our staff supports the work of the volunteer leadership that fuels ERVA’s ideation and visioning engine.
Apply to become an Affiliate Partner
Help us define the future of engineering research.
Addressing today’s critical scientific and societal challenges requires increasingly collaborative, cross-disciplinary and convergent approaches through new modes of engagement to ensure broad participation across the entire engineering ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
What is the purpose of ERVA? Why was it formed?
ERVA was created by the NSF to provide the engineering community with a process for identifying bold and high-impact engineering research directions that will place the U.S. in a leading position to realize a better future for all.
ERVA serves as a synthesizer of traditional disciplines to solve big challenges — and it enables the engineering research community to speak with a unified voice.
ERVA brings together unique perspectives to amplify efforts to improve the human experience through advancements in fundamental engineering research.
Specifically, ERVA convenes multi-sector and cross-disciplinary engineering researchers, practitioners and technologists to work jointly to solve the most challenging problems of modern society. Addressing today’s critical scientific and societal challenges requires increasingly collaborative, cross-disciplinary and convergent approaches through new modes of engagement to ensure broad participation across the entire engineering ecosystem — and ERVA was formed to create this new, convergent network.
ERVA also includes ethicists, physical and life scientists, and those in the social and behavioral sciences. Inclusion of myriad perspectives ensures that pursuit of technological progress considers the potential for unintended societal consequences. Learning from a range of theoretical paradigms informs novel approaches to address global and societal needs.
What is the impact of ERVA on society?
Engineering research is foundational to many of the products and services that we currently depend upon and look forward to having in the future. ERVA will help our nation stay at the forefront of innovation in engineering research and practice by identifying and developing new, high-impact engineering research directions to help the engineering community solve challenges and improve daily life. These visioning efforts will play a critical role in identifying opportunities that can be effectively translated to provide real-world positive impact to society.
What is the impact of ERVA on the engineering research community?
ERVA will advocate on behalf of the engineering research community across the country and provide a unified voice. As a convener, ERVA serves as a broad pathway for the engineering community to participate in defining new engineering research directions and have an impact on national research priorities.
What is the funding source for ERVA?
The Engineering Research Visioning Alliance (ERVA) is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering.
Who can contribute to ERVA’s visioning activities?
All are welcome — the general public; students at all levels; researchers, faculty and deans in small and large college engineering programs; and interested parties in industry (from engineers to CEOs). Everyone is encouraged to get involved with ERVA, especially those with an interest in the future of engineering research.
How do I get involved?
Everyone can participate in ERVA, especially those interested in increasing collaboration between engineering researchers and practitioners to benefit society. There are many ways to get involved:
Visit us online at www.ERVAcommunity.org.
Become an ERVA Champion: Subscribe for email updates on our progress and get an early look at our latest advances, such as highlights from visioning sessions with some of the most innovative minds in engineering.
Become anERVA Affiliate Partner: If your organization aligns with ERVA’s mission and goals and you are willing to substantially contribute on an ongoing basis, apply to become an ERVA Affiliate Partner at no cost.
Contribute to our visioning activities: Review our upcoming events. Is there something you could contribute to the discussion? We’re looking for participants to help us create bold, new ideas and identify cross-domain engineering research directions.
Give us feedback: Let us know what you think about ERVA and share your ideas about what we can do to help engineering constituencies identify and unite behind research priorities that address major societal challenges.
Follow ERVA on social media: Join the discussion with ERVA on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn by following @ERVAcommunity and #ERVAcommunity.
What is the time frame for ERVA?
The NSF has established ERVA as a five-year initiative, and the core organizational partners have developed an ambitious agenda for its work. This schedule will be significantly impacted by the alliance’s strategic plan development — a summary of which will be made public on the ERVA website upon completion.
Who are ERVA’s Founding Partners? How is ERVA led?
ERVA is managed by a team representing three Founding Partners: 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(UIDP). ERVA’s principal investigator (PI) is Dorota Grejner-Brzezinska, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a member of the BTAA. Co-PIs are Pramod Khargonekar, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science University of California, Irvine; Charles Johnson-Bey, Ph.D., senior vice president at Booz Allen Hamilton; and Edl Schamiloglu, Ph.D., distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering and associate dean for research and innovation for the school of engineering at the University of New Mexico.
Members of the engineering research and industry communities, as well as professional societies and associations, can join ERVA at no cost as Affiliate Partners and ERVA Champions.
The NSF provides funding for and is engaged in a cooperative agreement with UIDP to administratively manage ERVA.
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