The National Science Foundation revealed a record-high research expenditure for the University at Buffalo in 2008. Totaling $348.2 million, the expenditure was close to a 7.7 percent increase from the year before.
Research funding from the government has decreased since 2003. However, since President John B. Simpson was elected in 2004, there has been a 30.6 percent increase in spending.
Research expenditures in science and engineering in the year of 2008 alone increased from $259 million in 2007 to $338.3 million, a 7.5 percent rise from the previous year.
Although the majority of UB research funding is devoted to science and engineering, an increase of approximately 15 percent over the past year gave the education, humanities, social work and professional programs a total of $9.9 million in expenditures.
The majority of funding at UB is related to health sciences research, comprising 65 percent of the total funding. The National Institute of Health funds most of the spending dedicated to health sciences according to Jorge Jos?(c), vice president for research.
A number of the grants given to UB have been funded by organizations that involve collaborations from specialists in different focuses. With the economy in a slum, the university faculty has found new ways to become more competitive at finding funding.
"What is happening is that funding from the federal government has decreased," Jos?(c) said. "My office's mission is to write proposals [that are aimed] at solving new problems that are crucial to be solved in the 21st century."
Danielle Luckow, a junior business administration major, is not so sure that such large sums of money are necessary or beneficial.
"It just seems that with as much money being spent as there is, the useful outcomes of the research would be much more apparent," Luckow said. "I feel that not being frugal enough with money in matters like this play a big part of why the economy is struggling right now."
Although the country is currently in an economic crisis, the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on research are helping the economy despite the misconceptions about research spending, according to Jos?(c).
"It's a counterbalance to the problems with the economic downfall," Jos?(c) said. "The economic future is based on the technology of science."
Roughly 3,500 people have been hired at UB with the funds. Much of the money also goes to medicine in research.
A large portion of UB research funds are applied to research on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the chemistry department and research in addiction, all of which will help contribute to developmental changes in the economy, Jos?(c) explained.
"With my major I realize more and more that funding towards medical research is vital for progress in science and although it is costly it will absolutely benefit the economy in the long run," said Kelly Nugent, a junior nursing major.
President Barack Obama has signed into law an economic stimulus bill containing $21.5 billion for federal research and development support of science research for the next two years. With this support for future research funding, Jos?(c) is optimistic that UB's research will continue to thrive.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
