The Research Operations & Program Support Office (ROPSO) provides oversight of institutional programs, supports the development of laboratory recapitalization and prioritization in coordination with the Chief Operating Officer, and advocates for NPS faculty and staff in their execution of research activities.  Working with the Safety Office and Naval Support Activity Monterey, it manages and supports NPS research field experimentation and compliance.  It provides program management functions for large, multidisciplinary research activities and supports the coordination of research execution with external partners.  ROPSO oversees numerous institutional internship programs that support research activities across campus and manages various STEM activities and fellowship programs.

Institutional Program Management – Responsible for support and administration of large multi-disciplinary research programs and centers at NPS such as CAMRE (Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education), or CAVR (Center for Autonomous Vehicle Research).  Working closely with the Emerging Technology and Innovation Office, the IPM branch coordinates and provides program management support for all NPS CRADA’s after they have been established by the Tech Transfer office.  

Institutional Research Field Activities – Provides administrative and management support for the full spectrum of efforts at NPS, with a focus on safety and compliance for field experimentation.  The goal is to provide guidance and expertise to faculty and departments to relieve some of the administrative burden that often falls on departments, while working closely with the Safety Office and NSAM.   The office will coordinate permitting activity, spectrum management, and unmanned systems compliance , as well as critical safety concerns such as energetics safety or heavy lift operations.

Institutional Research Support – Focused on the continued development of the NPS research enterprise.  The office, working with the COO and the departments, develops plans for laboratory recapitalization and prioritization, creating a vision for future work at NPS while ensuring the delivery of research and education in the near term.  The office also provides research staff support for emerging high priority NPS efforts, to initiate new efforts of critical importance to the campus.

STEM and Internship Programs – The primary entry point for all STEM outreach activity for NPS.  It manages the Scholarship for Service Internship program and will work to expand it beyond the initial pilot program.  The STEM director will be the lead for student summer internships for NPS, providing research support to the faculty, as well as developing a new generation of Navy scientists and engineers.    The office will be the action agent for the NPS executive champion for STEM, the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation.