- The Research Office
- Research Centers and Facilities
Wilson Hall
371 Wilson Boulevard
Rochester, Michigan 48309-4486
(map)
(248) 370-2762
(248) 370-4111
research@oakland.edu
371 Wilson Boulevard
Rochester, Michigan 48309-4486
(map)
(248) 370-2762
(248) 370-4111
research@oakland.edu
Research Centers and Facilities
Biomedical Research
Support Facility
Support Facility
Oakland University's $5.8-million Biomedical Research Support Facility has been providing a high quality environment for animal research since it opened in August of 1999. This 7,500-square foot facility was funded, in part, by a grant from the National Center for Research Resources.
The state of the art structure features sixteen environmentally controlled animal housing rooms with an on-line computer control and monitoring system, and centralized cage-washing equipment that provides pass-through sterilization. The surgery area contains two operating suites that offer up to six surgical stations and an operating support room, recovery room, diagnostic lab, and radiological capabilities.
Also contained in the facility is a barrier/containment BSL-2 suite for work with animals involving infectious agents. These features support advanced biomedical research at Oakland University by providing the proper space and equipment for the humane care and use of laboratory animals in research.
The Biomedical Research Support Facility offers centralized laboratory animal research services that adhere to all applicable laws, standards and policies that govern responsible use of animals in research and education. The Biomedical Research Support Facility is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC), a voluntary accrediting organization that enhances the quality of research, teaching, and testing by promoting humane, responsible animal care and use. For more information, contact Janet Schofding, Animal Research Facility Manager, at schofdin@oakland.edu or (248) 370-4440.
The state of the art structure features sixteen environmentally controlled animal housing rooms with an on-line computer control and monitoring system, and centralized cage-washing equipment that provides pass-through sterilization. The surgery area contains two operating suites that offer up to six surgical stations and an operating support room, recovery room, diagnostic lab, and radiological capabilities.
Also contained in the facility is a barrier/containment BSL-2 suite for work with animals involving infectious agents. These features support advanced biomedical research at Oakland University by providing the proper space and equipment for the humane care and use of laboratory animals in research.
The Biomedical Research Support Facility offers centralized laboratory animal research services that adhere to all applicable laws, standards and policies that govern responsible use of animals in research and education. The Biomedical Research Support Facility is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC), a voluntary accrediting organization that enhances the quality of research, teaching, and testing by promoting humane, responsible animal care and use. For more information, contact Janet Schofding, Animal Research Facility Manager, at schofdin@oakland.edu or (248) 370-4440.
Centers
and Institutes
and Institutes
Research Centers and Institutes
The Automotive Tribology Center
The Automotive Tribology Center (ATC) is an academic research unit within the Mechanical Engineering department. It is the only university research center in the United States that is dedicated to automotive tribology research and is uniquely positioned to advance the reliability, mobility and efficiency of automotive components. The ATC is mainly dedicated to performing fundamental and applied research that lowers frictional energy losses. Particular emphasis is placed on engine and transmission tribology. The research results of ATC benefit the US military and different governmental and industrial sectors of the economy.Oakland University and allied institutions, to recruit and retain outstanding biomedical scientists, to facilitate collaborative biomedical research projects and finally to develop gift, grant, and contract support for biomedical research programs, graduate and undergraduate training, as well as core facilities and equipment.
Center for Applied Research in Musical Understanding
The mission of the Center for Applied Research in Musical Understanding (CARMU) is to build and advance a research-based pedagogy of teaching for musical understanding, as well as support pre-K-12 music educators in Michigan, the United States and internationally. The center seeks national and international eminence in applied research in musical understanding and supports faculty, graduate and undergraduate research in musical understanding.
Center for Applied Research in Musical Understanding
The mission of the Center for Applied Research in Musical Understanding (CARMU) is to build and advance a research-based pedagogy of teaching for musical understanding, as well as support pre-K-12 music educators in Michigan, the United States and internationally. The center seeks national and international eminence in applied research in musical understanding and supports faculty, graduate and undergraduate research in musical understanding.
Center for Autism Research, Education and Support
Oakland University Center for Autism Research, Education and Support (OUCARES) integrates academic coursework, knowledge and research with hands-on work to prepare professionals to be leaders in the autism community. Through these academic and service programs, OU also provides supportive individual and family programs. OUCARES encourages the exchange of ideas relating to the education and support of individuals with autism spectrum disorder as well as providing services and support needed to improve daily living.
Center for Biomedical Research
The mission of the Center for Biomedical Research at Oakland University is to vigorously promote and support biomedical research and education at Oakland University and allied institutions, to recruit and retain outstanding biomedical scientists, to facilitate collaborative biomedical research projects and to develop gift, grant, and contract support for biomedical research programs, graduate and undergraduate training, as well as core facilities and equipment.
Oakland University Center for Autism Research, Education and Support (OUCARES) integrates academic coursework, knowledge and research with hands-on work to prepare professionals to be leaders in the autism community. Through these academic and service programs, OU also provides supportive individual and family programs. OUCARES encourages the exchange of ideas relating to the education and support of individuals with autism spectrum disorder as well as providing services and support needed to improve daily living.
Center for Biomedical Research
The mission of the Center for Biomedical Research at Oakland University is to vigorously promote and support biomedical research and education at Oakland University and allied institutions, to recruit and retain outstanding biomedical scientists, to facilitate collaborative biomedical research projects and to develop gift, grant, and contract support for biomedical research programs, graduate and undergraduate training, as well as core facilities and equipment.
Center for Creative and Collaborative Computing
The mission of the center is to provide an environment for students, faculty and participating industry professionals to collaborate and create novel information technology applications to keep our industry competitive and at the forefront of technology. The center is seen as an integral component of the future success of the computing and information technology-related undergraduate and graduate programs.
Center of Cyber Security
The mission of the Center of Cyber Security is to advance interdisciplinary collaborative research and technology solutions in the field of cyber security. The mission will be achieved by leveraging the partnerships and resources of the university, and building upon the momentum that has been launched in research, curriculum and outreach in cyber security. In addition, the Center will position Oakland University to seek further funding through external funding resources.
Center for Data Science and Big Data Analytics
A collaborative research forum for multiple units within Oakland University, this center facilitates multidisciplinary data science research that uses big data analytics techniques. The focus is on health care operations analytics, industrial and financial analytics, genome and evolutionary biology research, sensor networks and the internet. Partnering with industry and other institutions, the center will also use cutting-edge analytics, informatics and computing methodologies to conduct research and develop innovative solutions to address high-impact problems.
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL)
The mission of the center is to provide an environment for students, faculty and participating industry professionals to collaborate and create novel information technology applications to keep our industry competitive and at the forefront of technology. The center is seen as an integral component of the future success of the computing and information technology-related undergraduate and graduate programs.
Center of Cyber Security
The mission of the Center of Cyber Security is to advance interdisciplinary collaborative research and technology solutions in the field of cyber security. The mission will be achieved by leveraging the partnerships and resources of the university, and building upon the momentum that has been launched in research, curriculum and outreach in cyber security. In addition, the Center will position Oakland University to seek further funding through external funding resources.
Center for Data Science and Big Data Analytics
A collaborative research forum for multiple units within Oakland University, this center facilitates multidisciplinary data science research that uses big data analytics techniques. The focus is on health care operations analytics, industrial and financial analytics, genome and evolutionary biology research, sensor networks and the internet. Partnering with industry and other institutions, the center will also use cutting-edge analytics, informatics and computing methodologies to conduct research and develop innovative solutions to address high-impact problems.
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL)
The development and advancement of teaching excellence among faculty is central to a quality educational experience for students. This involves supporting faculty efforts to improve teaching by creating learning environments in which our diverse student body achieves maximal learning potential and promoting a culture throughout the university, which values and rewards effective teaching, and respects and supports individual differences among learners. This center is open to full-time and part-time faculty and graduate assistants who teach at Oakland University.
Center for Integrated Business Research and Education
Rapid changes in the business world – driven by globalization, technological advances and shifting economics – require business professionals, researchers and students to be prepared for anything. The new Center for Integrated Business Research and Education (CIBRE) at Oakland University’s School of Business Administration is harnessing the power of integration to do just that. CIBRE not only offers a mechanism to build the region’s economic future, but is educating a workforce that will be fully prepared to find success in it.
Center for Robotics and Advanced Automation
Since its establishment in the 1980's, the Center for Robotics and Advanced Automation (CRAA) at OU has been at the forefront of research and development in the areas of controls, robotics, automation and machine vision. Over the last two decades, CRAA has successfully completed numerous R&D projects, sponsored and funded by the national research organizations and agencies, Department of Defense and military sectors, local automotive industries, and the State of Michigan.
Center for Robotics Unmanned and Intelligent Systems
The Center for Robotics Unmanned and Intelligent Systems (CRUIS) will facilitate opportunities for OU faculty to lead start-up initiatives to work with business & government agencies to transition technical knowledge from academia to industry commercialization opportunities by enabling a research, development, test and evaluation capabilities. CRUIS will seek opportunities to support robotics and unmanned systems challenges in the defense industry that will lead to development of expertise that can be translated to various sectors – security, commercial, social, medical and others that are main stream to our daily lives.
Center for Undergraduate Research and Leadership (CURL)
Oakland's unique Center for Undergraduate Research and Leadership (CURL) supports undergraduate research initiatives, and the key work of those actively developing undergraduate research. CURL promotes leadership and excellence among the Oakland University undergraduate community, and the qualities of creativity, innovation and social and public enterprise. Based in The Honors College, the Center advances the idea that strong undergraduate research is the future of higher education, the engine powering the success of our colleges and universities and of the public and private sectors. Champions of Research are elected to CURL on a semester basis. These Champions are faculty and undergraduate students who exemplify world class research.
Chrysler Learning and Innovation Center for Sheet Metal Forming Technology
Composed of university faculty, scholars, students, and industry experts, the Chrysler Learning and Innovation Center for Sheet Metal Forming (CLIC-form) is an academic center at which training, applied research, and intellectual property management in the area of sheet metal forming are carried out. Collaborative initiatives at CLIC-form are open to all domestic and international entities. A unique feature of CLIC-form is its highly selective, industry-hosted internship program in which OU undergraduate students participate in research projects during the summer. In addition to providing educational training and engaging in collaborative research, the team at CLIC-form seeks to develop and commercialize intellectual property related to sheet metal forming technology.
Clean Energy Research Center
Energy affects all aspect of our lives from the economy to recreation to health care. The Clean Energy Research Center (CERC) explores sustainable ways to meet our future energy needs utilizing unique renewable energy feed sources, from biomass to wind to solar with a focus on overall energy conservation. The CERC has launched an academic effort to teach and train the next generation of students on energy issues, has begun the green campus initiative to demonstrate the benefit of alternative energy technology on campus, and continues to perform research towards developing environmentally friendlier technologies.
Counseling Center
The School of Education and Human Services Counseling Center is a teaching and research facility for the Counselor Education program that offers personal and career counseling to the community. The center enables graduate students to integrate and apply counseling theory with practice, as well as provide supervised professional counseling assistance to persons in need at no cost.
The School of Education and Human Services Counseling Center is a teaching and research facility for the Counselor Education program that offers personal and career counseling to the community. The center enables graduate students to integrate and apply counseling theory with practice, as well as provide supervised professional counseling assistance to persons in need at no cost.
The English as a Second Language Center
The English as a Second Language Center (ESL) is charged primarily with monitoring and implementing the English Proficiency Requirement on campus. The ESL Center offers a full range of ESL courses at all skill levels and supervises the ESL Endorsement Program, the ESL Institute Programs, the Individual ESL Instruction Program, and the Hispanic Outreach Program (HOP). During its eight years of operation, HOP has received financial support from the College of Arts and Sciences, local corporations, and Michigan government agencies.
Eye Research Institute
The Eye Research Institute (ERI) has a history of over forty years in vision research and has received over $50 million from external funding sources, mainly the National Eye Institute. Each year the Institute, in conjunction with the Center for Biomedical Sciences, awards competitive $3,500 Summer Vision Research Fellowships to OU undergraduate students. In addition to conducting vision research here at OU, the ERI is also formally associated with the Department of Ophthalmology at William Beaumont Hospital.
The Ken Morris Center for the Study of Labor and Work
The Ken Morris Center for the Study of Labor and Work is a division of the Department of Human Resources Development. Founded in 1972 as a Labor Education Program, the center was renamed in 1983 for Ken Morris. Its primary goal is to help develop potential leaders who possess the analytic, interpersonal and organizational skills to respond to human needs in an era of rapid social change. The program seeks to join education, skill development and service in the pursuit of this goal.
The Eye Research Institute (ERI) has a history of over forty years in vision research and has received over $50 million from external funding sources, mainly the National Eye Institute. Each year the Institute, in conjunction with the Center for Biomedical Sciences, awards competitive $3,500 Summer Vision Research Fellowships to OU undergraduate students. In addition to conducting vision research here at OU, the ERI is also formally associated with the Department of Ophthalmology at William Beaumont Hospital.
Fastening and Joining Research Institute (FAJRI)
The Fastening and Joining Research Institute (FAJRI) at Oakland University is the only known facility of its kind in the world: an academic, nonprofit research facility dedicated solely to the fastening and joining of materials. This one-of-a-kind facility pursues fundamental and applied research to develop and disseminate new technologies in fastening and joining engineering. Through its research, FAJRI helps improve the safety and reliability of equipment, machinery and mechanical structures. The research conducted also significantly improves the mobility and combat readiness of military vehicles. On the civilian side, applications of FAJRI research benefit the automotive, aerospace, nuclear power, and transportation industries.
Galileo Institute for Teacher Leadership
The Galileo Institute for Teacher Leadership is dedicated to improving the learning of all students, elevating the education profession, enhancing the leadership skills of teachers, and fulfilling the vital role of public education in achieving a civil, prosperous and democratic society. The commitment to the concept of developing teacher leaders, to defining what teacher leadership is and why it is so important is at the heart of the institute.
Hardware in the Loop
Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation is used widely in the development and testing of complex real-time embedded systems, such as automotive engine controllers. The OU HIL Lab is a unique multi-disciplinary academic facility, which was established in 2012 with support from Chrysler LLC, and is located in Dodge Hall of Engineering. The HIL lab contains five automotive-hardware-in-the-loop simulators that allow testing and development of production and prototype engine and transmission controllers using simulated (software) automobiles. Current research projects include fuel economy strategies, engine thermal modeling, and advanced control techniques for transmission shift control.
The Ken Morris Center for the Study of Labor and Work
The Ken Morris Center for the Study of Labor and Work is a division of the Department of Human Resources Development. Founded in 1972 as a Labor Education Program, the center was renamed in 1983 for Ken Morris. Its primary goal is to help develop potential leaders who possess the analytic, interpersonal and organizational skills to respond to human needs in an era of rapid social change. The program seeks to join education, skill development and service in the pursuit of this goal.
Lowry Center for Early Childhood Education
The Lowry Center offers early childhood education programming to children from 18 months to 5 years old using the newest innovative equipment, materials and practices to cultivate the development of young children. The center’s mission is to provide an exemplary laboratory center for early childhood education for the university and the neighboring communities.Prevention Research Center
The Prevention Research Center strives to promote community health through education, promotion, and translational research. Translational research discovers which strategies work in the community: the community of youth, or the community of women, or the community of senior citizens - all at high risk. The Center brings experts from OU and the community together to make a difference in people's lives.
Public Affairs Research Library
The Public Affairs Research Laboratory (PARL), affiliated with the department of Political Science, provides services to local governments and municipalities as well as research opportunities for our students. Dr. Pat Piskulich is director of PARL at Oakland University, the public service and outreach unit of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Reading Clinic
Dedicated to helping children between the ages of 6 and 17 with any type of reading or writing difficulties including learning disabilities, dyslexia, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorders, the clinic diagnoses the nature and extent of a child’s reading and writing capabilities and works to improve them.
SmartZone Business INCubator
Oakland University’s SmartZone Business INCubator (OU INC) is a SmartZone Business Accelerator, in collaboration with the City of Rochester Hills, Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), and various industry partners. OU INC’s focus is in the Energy, Medical Device, and Information Technology sectors, providing entrepreneurial resources and strategic business solutions for developing business ventures and accelerating ideas to market. OU INC fosters a healthy environment for the growth of new start-up companies, and provides support for existing entities through its facility and business development resources.
