The VSU PACER Grant (BOR Referendum No. 22, s. 2025) aims to pair a complementary ally to collaborate with an emerging researcher through a buddy system. In a nutshell, a young/early career researcher (‘ECR’) with potential publication/policy/patent/other IPs collaborates one-on-one with a senior/experienced researcher. An ECR may include faculty members with stalled manuscripts, completed but unpublished projects (across REI), or other related outputs that only require additional support or collaborative efforts to be published or registered.
The senior researcher (‘PACER’)—with a track record of Scopus-indexed publications, registered patents (or other IPs), or approved policies—will serve as a close mentor and collaborator, setting the pace until the ECR achieves a publication, policy approval, or patent. In the end, the PACER is remunerated for their mentorship role without being included in the authorship.
Overall, the PACER Grant aims to:
• Foster a culture of mentorship and collaboration among VSU faculty researchers by creating a dynamic buddy system.
• Enhance peer-to-peer collaboration between PACERs and ECRs to accelerate the publication and registration of REI outputs.
• Boost Scopus-indexed publications, policy recommendations, patents, and other IP outputs in line with VSU’s strategic priorities.
For detailed application guidelines and requirements, please click here. To enable access, please go to accounts.google.com and ensure you are signed in with your VSU Google account.
