Broader Impacts – Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

What are broader impacts?

The broader impacts of a research project are those components that, beyond the advancement of knowledge, have the potential to benefit society and contribute to achievement of specific desired societal outcomes. The National Science Foundation (NSF) requires proposals to address the broader impacts in addition to the intellectual merit of the project. NSF provides the following examples of desirable societal outcomes (broader impacts):

full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
improved STEM education and educator development at any level
increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology
improved well-being of individuals in society
development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce
increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others
improved national security
increased economic competitiveness of the US
enhanced infrastructure for research and education

For more information, please view the full document, which includes examples of broader impact sections of funded awards of RU-N faculty.