Research and Sponsored Program Awards Surpass 2015 Goal

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Sharon Gaber, provost, and James M. Rankin, vice provost for research and economic development

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Research and sponsored program awards for the University of Arkansas and the Division of Agriculture totaled $82.3 million in fiscal year 2010, setting a record for the institution and surpassing the goal of $75 million set for 2015.

“We are pleased to have exceeded this goal five years ahead of schedule,” said Provost Sharon Gaber.

Some of the increased funding comes from the federal stimulus program, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which has supported research projects on campus ranging from undergraduate research programs to faculty researchers’ efforts to foil the flu virus. The stimulus program has also provided funds for non-research projects such as educational programs and public transportation. The stimulus funding accounted for $11.4 million, or 62 percent of this year’s increase.

The office of research support and sponsored programs accepted 535 awards in fiscal year 2010. Federal awards totaled $53 million, up 19.6 percent from fiscal year 2009. State awards totaled $15.2 million, up 89 percent, and other awards totaled $14.1 million, up 20.5 percent, according to the office’s data.

The total value of awards has risen 68 percent from $49.1 million in fiscal year 2000.

“This is an exciting time to be in research support at the University of Arkansas,” said Jim Rankin, vice provost for research and economic development, who assumed his duties on July 19. “Even without the support of federal stimulus money, funded faculty research continues to grow annually, keeping the university competitive nationally, which is crucial to state and institutional long-term development.”

The number of award proposals submitted increased by 10.3 percent over the previous year to a total of 882.

The Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences received $21.3 million in awards; the Fay Jones School of Architecture received $468,000; the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences received $21.9 million; the Sam M. Walton College of Business received $618,500; the College of Education and Health Professions received $8.7 million; the College of Engineering received $19.3 million; the graduate school received $3.5 million; the School of Law received $39,700; the office of the vice chancellor for academic affairs received $51,500; the office of the vice chancellor for finance and administration received $3.6 million; and the office of student affairs received $2.9 million.

A few of the larger awards include:

• $637,000 awarded by the National Science Foundation to entomology professor Fiona Goggin to determine the role of fatty acids in plant defense against aphids.

• $2.5 million awarded by the Army Research Office to Greg Salamo, Distinguished Professor of physics, for research in novel nanomaterials for nanoscale biosensors as a defense against biological threats.

• $3 million awarded by the Arkansas Department of Human Services to research associate professor Debra Hurd in the School of Social Work for the Arkansas Academic Partnership in Public Child Welfare.

• $900,000 awarded by the Arkansas Department of Education to clinical assistant professor Deborah A. Davis in the department of curriculum and instruction for the Arkansas Leadership Academy.

• $3.4 million awarded by the National Science Foundation to Amy Apon, professor of computer science and computer engineering, for a cross-college collaboration to increase the capabilities of the cyberinfrastructure at the University of Arkansas.

• $1.9 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to Collis R. Geren, dean and vice provost emeritus, for phase 1 of the decommissioning of the Southwest Experimental Fast Oxide Reactor, a nuclear test reactor that was shut down and deactivated in the 1970s.