Contracts and Grants Funding at UA Sets New High

Contracts and Grants Funding at UA Sets New High

by Joanna C. Hutt

Annual contracts and grants funding to The University of Alabama reached a new high for the 2001-02 fiscal year -- $79.2 million. This all-time high figure is an increase of $23.2 million over last year's figure of $56 million, a 41.4 percent increase.

More on research at UA: Research Highlights 2002

Direct federal funding for 2001-02 is also up -- $51.7 million over last year's $29.8 million, a 73 percent increase. A special indicator of the University's significant progress in research funding, according to Dr. Bob Wells, assistant academic vice president for research in the Office of Sponsored Programs, is sources of funding.

"A sign of quality is the funding source," Wells said. "Our number of applications is lower than last year's figure, but the size of the funding is up because we are going to federal agencies that fund larger grants." The number of applications last year was 890 compared to this year's 645, but the funding amount is larger.

Two other touchstones that account for the growth in research funding at UA is the ability to do interdisciplinary research and to team with other universities in working on research projects. "These standards are becoming a metric used to evaluate the quality of a research university," said Wells.

The University is both granting to and receiving sub-grants from other universities. "UA has roughly 170 current sub-grants with other national and international universities from proposals we initiated," said Wells. He also noted that UA has received sub-grants from universities such as Penn State, Yale, the University of Florida, the University of California at Davis and other highly rated institutions.

Wells credits UA's excellent faculty with two major capacities that accounts for success. "The quality of our faculty has made this leap possible," he said. "Our faculty has the capacity to work together to write big interdisciplinary proposals and the capacity to find that common ground to work with other universities on major projects."

UA's Dr. David Oppenheimer, professor of biological sciences, is a key player in the Floral Genome Project. The project is an example of a multi-institutional and interdisciplinary research project that can capture funding from major Federal agencies like the National Science Foundation. These kinds of awards have contributed to UA's significant increase in funding for research. (photo: Alice Wilson)

One example of teaming with other major universities on important research is work on the Floral Genome Project. UA's Dr. David Oppenheimer, associate professor of biological sciences, is a key player in the multi-university project funded by the National Science Foundation. UA is working with Penn State, Cornell, the University of Florida and scientists from Oslo, Stockholm, and London.

"Certain questions can be answered by focusing on specific questions about organisms," said Oppenheimer. "The project brings together people from several disciplines and institutions to solve a difficult problem."

Oppenheimer is quick to credit Wells and other administrators in UA's having reached this threshold. "Bob's strategy has been to step in and help researchers get the larger grants," he said. "Federal agencies are more likely to fund projects where there is institutional support."

Another factor that accounts for UA's healthy annual increase in funding for research projects is a well-focused strategy. Five years ago (FY 1997-98), UA's total awards amounted to $42.8 million, which translates to an 85 percent increase to this year's $79.2 million. Direct Federal research awards stood at $11.3 million compared to this year's $23 million, doubling in five years. Barrett cites UA's research centers, including the Center for Freshwater Studies, the Center for Green Manufacturing, the four Transportation Centers, the Center for Mental Health and Aging and others, as contributing to the success by transforming thinking.

"Success changes the culture," said Dr. Nancy Barrett, vice president for academic affairs and provost. "Excellence in research becomes the rule, and that affects teaching and outreach. UA has gone this far on talented, dedicated faculty, and we have to keep making sure we get and keep this kind of quality faculty."

According to Barrett, strategy and focus can overcome other negatives that threaten forward progress. Oppenheimer agrees. "We've got real forward momentum at the University," he said, "and we don't want to lose it."

Interim President Barry Mason has made research a priority in his Alabama 2010: A Vision for The University of Alabama." (The working draft of this document may be seen on the Web at http://president.ua.edu/ala2010.html.) Foundation 3 states "Promote interdisciplinary research," and Foundation 8 addresses the need for quality space that enhances research. The goal is for UA faculty to generate $55 million in sponsored research and $45 million in training and service support.

If UA continues the forward momentum, the goal should be reachable. "UA has crossed an important line. The faculty stepped up because they recognize the lack of state research support and the consequent need to generate their own support," said Wells. He suggests that externally funded research has become the primary metric in assessing outcomes of the undergraduate and graduate educational experience.