Annual Funding Report Shows Across the Board Growth

The University of Cincinnati is attracting more funding from government, industry and private sources than ever before. The Sponsored Programs Awards report for the 2000 fiscal year showed across the board increases in support for research, instruction, and public service projects.

Howard Jackson, Vice President of Research and University Dean for Advanced Studies said the report shows that UC is able "to conduct research at the frontiers of knowledge, to train graduate students and postdoctoral associates as future researchers, and to contribute to society in both direct and indirect ways.

Total funding increased more than 14 percent from $120.2 million in fiscal year 1999 to $137.2 million in fiscal 2000. The largest percentage jump was in funding for public service projects, up 53.5 percent from the previous year. The largest total category of external funding was in research which topped $100 million for the first time ever.

"If you add in the impact of affiliated institutions such as Children's Hospital, Shriner's Hospital, the Veteran's Administration and the Office of Clinical Trials, the total reaches nearly $193 million," said Jackson. "Clearly this shows we have a talented faculty that make the University of Cincinnati a remarkably vital research institution."

The Sponsored Programs report details all levels of funding from the university level through colleges, departments, and individual investigators. Jackson noted that "Research is wide-ranging at UC, covering basic research, applied research, creative works and performance."

Jackson highlighted the breadth of university scholarship in a recent presentation to the Board of Trustees. A few examples of faculty and their research interests follow:

John Hancock, DAAP
Hancock is a professor of architecture who is using multimedia to create a virtual reality tour of Native American burial mounds in Ohio. Hancock's work is a way to preserve the state's ancient history and make it available more widely to educators and the general public without endangering the actual structures.

David Millhorn, Medicine
Millhorn is an expert at genomics and complex traits. Early genetic research focused on single-gene traits such as sickle cell anemia and Tay-Sachs, but it turns out many genetic traits involve multiple genes and factors. In one project, Millhorn identified more than 100 genes which determine how an individual reacts to oxygen deprivation.

Gary Dean, Medicine
Associate professor Dean is known for much more than his research in yeast genetics. Dean has been able to involve local high school students in his research, showing them how a simple single-celled organism can help unlock the secrets of our own genes. High school students are carrying out research in the fullest sense.

William Heineman, Arts and Sciences
Heineman is a Distinguished Research Professor of chemistry who has also been honored nationally for his teaching and mentoring. Current research projects include the development of tiny, but extremely durable sensors which can be used to monitor hazardous wastes stored at Department of Energy nuclear facilities in Fernald and Hanford, Washington.

Andrew Steckl, Engineering
Ohio Eminent Scholar Andrew Steckl has made several breakthroughs in recent years in the areas of photonics and nanotechnology. The combination of light and computer chip technology is a powerful one. Not only does the research tremendously increase data storage and data processing speeds, Steckl's research has applications in sensor development, biotechnology, and the development of energy-effecient, flat- panel displays for TVs and computers.

RESEARCH FUNDING
Fiscal 1999: $92.6 million
Fiscal 2000: $104.5 million
Up 12.9 percent

PUBLIC SERVICE FUNDING
Fiscal 1999: $7.2 million
Fiscal 2000: $11.1 million
Up 53.5 percent

INSTRUCTIONAL FUNDING
Fiscal 1999: $6.6 million
Fiscal 2000: $9.2 million
Up 38.6 percent