Research Development Academy
Building research programs. Developing competitive proposals. Creating a path forward.
The Division of Research and Innovation at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi offers the Research Development Academy (RDA) to help faculty and research staff strategically develop their research, scholarship, and creative activity (RSCA) programs and position their work for external support.
For purposes of the RDA, references to research and research development are intended to encompass research, scholarship, and creative activity across disciplines.
The 2026-2027 RDA will run from September 2026 through May 2027. The nine-month program follows a structured developmental sequence, with each month focused on a primary stage of building a sustainable research program.
2026-2027 Research Development Academy Fellows
- Faezeh Babaieasl, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Nursing
- Hady Benyamen, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Autonomy Research Institute
- Karisse A Callender, Ph.D. | Associate Professor of Counselor Education
- Sourav Chakraborty, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Marine Biomedical Science
- Guo Cheng, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Computer Science
- Audrey Douglas, Ph.D. | Program Coordinator, Adjunct Faculty
- Susan Elwood, Ed.D. | Associate Professor of Instructional Design and Educational Technology
- Agustin Juan Garcia, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration
- Lewis Heuermann | Cybersecurity Instructor
- Keith Muhlestein, Ph.D. | Director, National Spill Control School
- Harish Ram Nambiappan, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Computer Science
- Roya Narimani, Ph.D. | Postdoctoral Research Associate
- Roxana Sierra, Ph.D. | Assistant Professor of Environmental Science
- Kellie Smith, Ph.D. | Associate Professor of Communication
- Evan Turner, Ph.D. | Assistant Director, Conrad Blucher Institute
Program Overview
The Academy combines cohort-based sessions and individualized research development consultations. It helps fellows connect research ideas, funding strategies, collaborations, institutional resources, and long-term scholarly goals into a coordinated plan.
Program Schedule, Support, and Deliverables
The Academy will generally include one structured cohort session per month, supplemented by targeted workshops, individual consultations, peer-review activities, and asynchronous work. Exact meeting dates and times will be established after the cohort is selected and will take participant availability into consideration.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet TAMU-CC requirements for Principal Investigator/Project Director eligibility. Applicants should have an identifiable scholarly or creative area they wish to advance during the program.