UB's research expenditures reached an all-time high last year, with $323 million going towards the University's research centers and individual studies, despite national cuts in research spending.
This increase moved UB up two spaces in the National Science Foundation's Survey of Research and Development Expenditures at Universities and Colleges.
Research is an important part of UB's goals, according to Jorge Jose, Ph.D., vice president for research at UB.
"The role of the university is to educate the student and one of the best ways is to be on the forefront of creating new knowledge," Jose said. "The goal of a research university is innovative sustainability through research which has a significant impact on the educational component of the university experience for everyone."
Expenditure is an important measurement tool for a university's academic, social and economic implications, according to Jose. Expenditure has a two and a half to three multiplier effect on the economy in regards to jobs and purchasing power in the region. $323 million actually translates into over $900 million in funds for the Buffalo area economy.
Research spending also benefits the University in the long run, Jose said.
More research means more faculty, which translates into a better student-faculty ratio. As UB's presence grows, research opportunities will attract faculty, which will ultimately better the University's reputation and thus provide more job opportunities for graduating students, Jose said.
While research expenditure has increased in some cases, funding has been cut for many professors and researchers. A lot of funding comes from the National Institute of Health (NIH), which makes up 47 percent of the federal money UB receives, according to Jose. Between 1998 and 2003, the NIH budget doubled every year so there were plenty of funds available. Since 2003 there has also been an increase in number of applicants seeking funds, but the NIH budget has remained unchanged.
Andrew Gulick, a professor of structural biology who studies the formation of bacteria pathogens, has felt the repercussions of this imbalance. Gulick received an NIH grant four years ago, but every year "it keeps getting cut 10 to 12 percent," he said.
Despite the federal research funding maintaining the status quo over the past few years, UB is going through a positive transition period where growth is faster than it has ever been, according to Jose. Since President John B. Simpson took over in 2004, UB's research expenditures have increased 21 percent, according to a press release.
Most of this funding goes to faculty who then use funds to get graduate and post-doctorate students involved in the research. Not much money ends up trickling down to undergraduate research, according to Jose. He said there are other avenues of funding for undergraduates.
Many faculty members are involved in interdisciplinary research, which involves a variety of specialists working together. This approach is important to solving this century's key problems, according to Jose. For this reason, UB has been funneling government money into this area.
"There are so many problems that we face today in the 21st century - things such as aging, chronic diseases, climate change - and these problems can't be solved by specialists in a specific field. Rather, these problems need to be solved by specialists spanning a variety of fields," Jose said.
This type of research is already taking place on campus. The Toshiba Stroke Center is one example, according to Jose. The center combines disciplines including urology, engineering, physics and chemistry to come up with treatments and preventative methods for strokes, which are the third leading cause of death in the US according to the Center for Disease Control's Web site.
Funds for research expenditure come from a variety of sources including many federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation and Department of Defense.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
