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Research Faculty and Staff,
Download the latest edition of UC Research. In it you’ll find the 2008 Report on Research, along with stories about Pompeian excavations, “chaotic” cell death, water quality and vision research.
We hope you enjoy reading about the great work happening at UC.
As always, we welcome your feedback and encourage you to check out research.uc.edu.
Sandra Degen, PhD
Vice President for Research
NEWS/GRANTS
UC Rises in Expenditure Rankings
The University of Cincinnati now ranks No. 18 among public research universities for federal expenditures. This data, tracked by the National Science Foundation, is reflective of expenditures for 2007. The No. 18 ranking is an improvement over the 2006 ranking of No. 28. Expenditure data is different from the sponsored award total we report yearly, but it is an important indicator of the amount of research work happening on campus.
Research Office in New Location
The Office of Research and most of its functions are now located in University Hall. Phone numbers and mailing locations remain the same. The Office of Research is located in Suite 540. Other key Office of Research units and their locations are listed below:
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)—University Hall, Floor 2
Intellectual Property Office—University Hall, Floor 2
Human Subjects Monitoring Program—University Hall, Floor 2
Institutional Review Board—University Hall, Floor 3
Biosafety—University Hall, Floor 3
Sponsored Research Services/Sponsored Program Accounting—University Hall, Floor 5
Laboratory Animal Medical Services, Radiation Safety and Entrepreneurial Affairs have not moved to University Hall.
Postdoc Info Now Online
Postdoctoral researchers can now access a variety of information online at www.uc.edu/ucResearch/postdocs.html. There you will find information for new and prospective postdocs, details on maximizing your postdoctoral experience, information on the National Postdoctoral Association, FAQs and key contacts. Still to come are tips for the “post-postdoc” job search and a listing of recommended readings.
Monthly Research Data Available on Gateway
It’s important—particularly in difficult funding times—to monitor progress of sponsored research awards and expenditures. Monthly reports for the university and each college are available on Researcher’s Gateway under the “Grants” link. Data for fiscal year 2009 (July through March) shows a significant increase in the number of proposal submissions due to the unprecedented response to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) opportunities. Data for April submissions is still being tabulated, but all indications point to a proposal submission total for that month of about 300. Expenditures to date for FY09 are ahead of the same FY08 period by nearly 6 percent. As of the end of March, awards to the College of Allied Health Sciences had already exceeded all of FY08 by 24 percent. Nursing has also already exceeded their funding for FY08. We continue to be down in the amount of federal funding received since January. We expect that this may be a reflection of an awards processing backlog at the federal agencies due to their focus on ARRA initiatives.
Research Strategic Plan for Review
The Office of Research is currently preparing an updated strategic plan. We’d like your input. Check out the “announcements” section on Researcher’s Gateway. Share feedback with Sandra Degen at sandra.degen@uc.edu.
Faculty and Staff Campaign
UC has begun its annual faculty and staff giving campaign. The goal this year is to increase participation, so any contribution you can give would be appreciated. Please note that there are several initiatives within this campaign that support research at UC. They include undergraduate scholarships for students interested in conducting research, endowment funds for recruitment of internationally recognized faculty involved in interdisciplinary research, and research infrastructure, such as support for the Intellectual Property Office and entrepreneurial activities, establishment of an endowment to support graduate stipends in interdisciplinary research and a fund supporting Office of Research initiatives. All of these opportunities are university-wide programs that are not located in one college or discipline. If you are interested in giving to Office of Research initiatives, you must indicate that your contribution go to the Office of Research Discretionary Fund. You can also be more specific and designate your donation to go to a fund within the Office of Research (for example, the IP Endowment Fund). More information is available giveto.uc.edu/giving_initiatives/research_initiatives. If you would like to give now, visit www.donateproudlycincinnati.org.
New Grants Awarded in May
Writing winning grants is tough. We understand the hard work that goes into preparing a proposal and want to make sure that effort doesn’t go unnoticed. Check out your great work—and that of your colleagues—at uc.edu/ucresearch/new_grant_winners.html.
GREEN BITS
The university, as part of the Green Partnership for Greater Cincinnati, is working collaboratively with four other major organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area to reduce its carbon footprint. The coordinator for the group works in the MSB and is looking for opportunities in our labs and offices to improve energy and waste management. Research Update—with the help of Eric Gruenstein, PhD, professor of molecular genetics—provides monthly “greening” tips for research faculty and staff.
Tip #14: Investing My Savings From 'Ecodriving': Part 2
Last month I talked about my quest to save money by modifying four of my bad driving habits: no jack rabbit starts, ride the green wave by taking advantage of synchronized traffic lights, drive slow-and-go rather than stop-and-go, and use A/C above 40 mph but open windows below 40. These are just one part of a larger, systematic program to increase gas mileage called Ecodriving that can easily increase my mpg by 15 percent or more without imposing any significant burdens other than a few very modest attitudinal changes. Here then is the rest of the story.
The next change on my list is one that I know I’m going to find the hardest to make is maintaining highway speed for optimal gas mileage. When I go just 5 miles over 60 mph limit, I decrease my mpg by about 7 percent. And since decreased fuel efficiency is not a linear function of speed, the next increase in speed from 65 to 70 mph will cost me even more. I expect I’ll do OK at sticking to 60 mph for local trips—it’s the long trips that are going to really tax my willpower.
Fortunately, there is one thing that will help my never-too-strong-to-begin-with willpower—cruise control. Not only will that help avoid the speed-creep that inevitably occurs on long trips, but by keeping speed constant, cruise control improves fuel efficiency by an average of 7 percent. Thus, according to a Department of Transportation study, 10,000 miles per year of highway driving under cruise control would save the average driver about $200.
I’ve always been an idler, and that goes for my driving too. But I’m going to reform and even on hot summer days and cold winter days, when I have to wait for more than a couple of minutes, I’m going to turn the ignition off. I was at one of Cincinnati’s elementary schools a couple of months ago and watched as about 40 parents waited for over 20 minutes for their children to appear at the end of the school day. As far as I could tell none of them turned off their engines.
Finally, it has been estimated that over a billion gallons of fuel are wasted each year as a result of driving on underinflated tires. I’ve actually got a tire gauge in my glove compartment, but I never use it. So now I’m going to start. I figure it should take me only about two minutes, so I’ll try to do it once a month. In the same vein, periodic engine tune-ups can improve my gas mileage by about 4 percent as well as prolonging the life of my car, which already has slightly over 120,000 miles on it.
At the conclusion of last month’s Green Bit, I reckoned I’d invest the $270/year of gas savings I expected as a result of ecodriving in GM stock. Bad idea! Maybe instead I’ll use the money to buy carbon offsets. More about that topic next month.
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