University Research Council

March 11, 2004

Meeting Summary

COUNCIL ON GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Kate Phillips, President of the Council on Government Relations (COGR), addressed the University Research Council.  COGR is an association of research universities whose primary function is to provide advice and information to its membership and to make certain that federal agencies understand academic operations and the impact of proposed regulations on colleges and universities.  Ms. Phillips discussed issues related to academic freedom, research integrity, intellectual property, and financial accountability.

REPORT FROM THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH

Mike Crouch, Director of the Office of Research, discussed several topics:

  • The University’s external research funding now exceeds $500 million annually
  • The Office will hire two staff members to work on clinical and corporate grants and contracts.

The schedule for the next series of NCURA professional development teleconferences is:

  • Project Management – June 15, 2004
  • Conflict of Interest Management – September 14, 2004

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS

The University of Pittsburgh is leading a collaborative venture that includes members of the Keystone Alliance (the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Pennsylvania), the University of Florida, and West Virginia University.  The venture’s participants are preparing for a soon-to-be-released Department of Homeland Security RFP for a Center of Excellence on first responders.  Pitt and CMU may collaborate on another upcoming RFP for a Center of Excellence on the psychology of terrorism.

The University will launch its Center for National Preparedness on April 15.  The launch will include a celebratory luncheon at which D.A. Henderson, Director of the University’s Center for Biosecurity, will speak.  Two panel presentations will follow.  The first panel will include government experts, and the second panel will include industry representatives.  The event will conclude with a poster session.

NATIONAL ENERGY TECHNOLOGY LAB

The University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia University, Carnegie Mellon University, and several private firms continue to collaborate on efforts related to the National Energy Technology Lab.  The consortium is developing a proposal that, if accepted, will enable them to manage the NETL.

FUNDING WORKSHOPS

Faculty from the sciences and engineering will travel to Washington, D.C., on March 22 to discuss funding opportunities with federal agency representatives.  George Gopen from Duke University will lead a proposal-development seminar on April 16.

MISCELLANEOUS

Several other issues were addressed:

  • An upcoming National Institutes of Health visit
  • The Conflict of Interest memo
  • High-speed computing