Areas of FOCI- Centers of Excellence

The University's strategic plan calls for areas of foci with concomitant development of centers or institutes of research excellence. These centers and/or institutes are founded upon the intellectual expertise of a group of faculty members who have the critical mass to significantly impact its field of study, and are augmented by robust graduate programs. Their purpose is to stimulate systemic research productivity, build institutional reputation, and, in some cases, provide a boost to the local economy. The Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI) was developed with these goals in mind, and is the model that the University will use as it strives to increase the number of centers/institutes of excellence.

The University has many areas of research strength - Delta Heritage, Delta Economic Development, Health Disparities, Sustainable Resources, to name but a few, that have the capacity to catalyze research on the ASU campus. It is therefore the intent to foster research in these and other emerging areas of strength to fully develop the University's research agenda.