National Research Association Awards Major Website Assignment to TDC

Universities Research Association looks to agency to develop enhanced public-facing website

Washington, DC, September 15, 2022—David Franek, president and chief creative officer of TDC, announced that Universities Research Association (URA) has selected TDC to design and build a new website for the organization. The site will be a hub that further expands URA’s engagement and collaborations with current and prospective members, as well as with university faculty and students, the federal government, industry, and the general public.

“We are thrilled that URA has chosen us as a partner for this critically important assignment,” said Franek. “We have enjoyed a six-year relationship with URA, working on a wide range of projects, and look forward to helping the organization further strengthen its abilities to build collaborations with its audiences and stakeholders to expand the frontiers of scientific knowledge.” TDC began working with URA in 2016, designing and developing URA’s current website.

In addition to creating a new, updated look-and-feel for the site, TDC will incorporate a new content management system, a new sitemap and page structure, more robust SEO, greater connectivity to social media platforms, and more dynamic visual features. Prior to development of these aspects, TDC will conduct a brief discovery effort that will include interviews and focus groups with Executive Board members, URA program participants, researchers, and URA staff. Takeaways from these conversations will help inform and shape the development of creative and messaging assets for the new site.

The project will commence September 30th and is scheduled to be completed by February 2023.

About URA

Based in Washington, D.C., URA is a non-profit association of more than 90 research universities primarily in the U.S. dedicated to advancing research and development in the physical and biological sciences in the national interest, fostering innovation, and promoting the education of future generations of scientists.

Since 2007, URA has shared responsibility with the University of Chicago to manage the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. In addition, URA is a member of the National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia for the management and operation of Sandia National Laboratories. URA also receives funding from the National Science Foundation for U.S. participation in the 17-country Pierre Auger Cosmic Ray Observatory in Argentina.

About The Design Channel

With offices in Washington DC, Baltimore, and Atlanta, The Design Channel offers a full range of integrated creative services, including branding, marketing communications, advertising, content development, and broadcast and interactive media.