The University of Toledo set an institutional record in fiscal year 2009 for sponsored-research funding, bringing in more than $70 million for the first time in its history.

The $70.8 million total is 12 percent more than the previous record high of $63 million in 2007.

In all, UT received 517 awards, including three Ohio Third Frontier grants totaling almost $14 million.

Dr. James Trempe, senior director of research administration, said the overall increased funding is directly correlated to an increase in grant proposals submitted by faculty members.

“During tough times, people have to step up to the plate, and our faculty here at UT are working very hard,” Trempe said.

In addition to those submitting grants, the University’s Office of Innovation Enterprises has been busy. UT Innovation Enterprises is a new office that brings together research development, technology transfer, incubation, work-force development, campus-wide research institutes, and the previous Science and Technology Corridor operations.

“I am pleased with the hard and tireless work of Dr. Elsa Nadler [director of grants development] in assisting the coordination and submission of large, multi-investigator and multidisciplinary proposals,” said Dr. Frank Calzonetti, vice president for research and economic development.

Calzonetti and Trempe encourage faculty members to contact the offices of Innovation Enterprises and Research and Sponsored Programs with questions about submitting competitive proposals. The Office of Innovation Enterprises also has available funds for cost-sharing to better position UT to compete against other major research universities.

Not only is research funding a major factor in how universities are ranked, it also can have a ripple effect around campus. Research funding typically helps retain talented researchers and recruit new scientists who already have large grants they can bring to Toledo. Those scientists then can help enhance UT’s academic rigor and student experience.

“Perhaps the most important element of our success is the increased number of faculty members on campus who have excellent research credentials, great ideas, and the drive to support their research through external funding,” Calzonetti said. “Our increased grant and contract activity enhances our stature as a growing research university.”

In addition to hard work being done at UT, Calzonetti acknowledged the support of U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Sen. George Voinovich and Sen. Sherrod Brown in assisting UT with funding and access to funding opportunities.

This entry was posted   on  Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 at  5:44 am and is filed under  Research. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.   You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.