University Research Council

October 27, 2003

Meeting Summary

COMMITTEE CHARGE

Provost Maher delivered the Council charge.  He asked the Council to:

  • Continue to use the CRDF to help junior faculty develop self-sustaining research projects and senior faculty to reorient their research portfolios.
  • Create an advisory committee that will inform the Office of Research of faculty interests as the Office updates its procedures and software.
  • Develop a fully integrated proposal-writing program that includes a series of workshops, visits from agency representatives, and trips to Washington, D.C.
  • Explore how the University can facilitate faculty participation in NSF educational programs.
  • Work with the Co-Directors of the new Center for National Preparedness to identify faculty whose expertise is congruent with the mission of the Center.

MISCELLANEOUS

The University’s various seed-grant programs were discussed.  The FAS and CRDF seed-grant committees should coordinate their work so that they do not duplicate awards.  The School of Nursing permits its faculty to use multiple seed grants for the same project if the project can be divided into stand-alone components.

The Entrepreneurial Oversight Committee discussed how members of the faculty develop products for the market.  Technological innovations often require extensive development before they can be considered commercially viable products.  The Council could examine whether it can award grants to help faculty develop discoveries and inventions.

The NSF’s educational programs include an initiative on undergraduate education that helps foster education and teaching in the sciences.  The NIH may also have a program with similar goals