It is an AI-powered advisory resource. The USC RA Navigator helps users locate guidance, understand requirements, and navigate research administration processes.

It can explain policies and sponsor requirements, support proposal and award preparation, identify compliance considerations, and direct you to an appropriate USC resource or office.

No. It supports research administration work but does not replace professional expertise, PI responsibilities, institutional review, or required approvals.

Ask about proposal development, award management, sponsor requirements, research compliance, institutional systems, research security, export controls, human subjects research, or animal research.

Yes, as a starting point. Ask it to explain or summarize sponsor guidance, then verify the response against the current funding opportunity and sponsor materials.

Include relevant context such as your role, sponsor, award type, research activity, project stage, compliance topic, and the response format you need.

No. It can explain human-subjects research considerations and help you prepare, but only USC HRPP and the IRB can make official determinations or approve a study.

No. It can explain protocols, amendments, training, and animal-welfare considerations, but formal review and approval remain with USC DAR and the IACUC.

No. It can identify potential export-control considerations and explain general requirements. Official reviews and licensing determinations are provided by USC Export Controls.

No. It can support proposal planning and administrative preparation, but submissions must follow USC processes and be completed by authorized institutional officials.

No. Only authorized USC officials have institutional signature authority.

No. Cost-sharing commitments require review and approval through established USC processes.

No. Effort must be certified through USC’s official process by the appropriate individuals.

Upload a document only when it complies with USC data-governance requirements and contains no restricted, confidential, sponsor-proprietary, export-controlled, or other prohibited information. Confidential or sponsor-restricted information should not be entered.

No. Protected Health Information and other HIPAA-regulated information should not be entered into the USC RA Navigator.

No. Export-controlled information should not be entered into the USC RA Navigator.

No. Verify important information before relying on it. Sponsor requirements, USC policies, regulations, award terms, and authorized institutional guidance take precedence over an AI-generated response.