“SHATTERING”
The Tower of Babel:
and
Making Interdisciplinary
Research Happen
Jacqueline C. Resnick
Director
Office of Research Development
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development
“Tar Heels”
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Office of Research Development
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ORD – an Innovative Approach to Increasing
Research Opportunity
Focusing on Interdisciplinary Initiatives
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development
The University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, NC
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•
1st State University– Chartered 1789 (The year George Washington was inaugurated as president),
classes began 1795
– only public university to award degrees in the 18th century
• Faculty 3,161 (Permanent & Fixed Term)
• 26,878 students
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All 50 states
>100 foreign countries
61% undergraduates
30% graduate students
9% in professional programs (Law, Medicine, Public Health, Journalism,
Nursing, Pharmacy, Dentistry)
• 14 colleges
• > 100 fields
• 5.6 million volume library (2004) 1st in the South (16th overall) per ARL &
Chron. Ed
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The University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, NC
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• The Morehead Planetarium
– 1ST at a university 1949
• The Arts
– Playmakers Repertory Company
– Ackland Art Museum
– Jazz
Research (www.research.unc.edu)
• Mixing the arts, humanities and sciences
• A research I University
• > $678 million (year 2008)
• Top federally funded public southern university (as stated in R & ED
briefing, Oct. 2005:”11th & first in the south in federally financed research
& development expenditures at public universities & colleges inFY03”)
• The Carolina Center for Public Service
• AHEC, Institute of Government
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Carolina: A Research University
attracting talent and funding
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• First among public universities for the fourth consecutive year
and ninth overall for the third straight year in “Great Schools,
Great prices,” based on academic quality and the net cost of
attendance for a student
• Top public university in the south for FY 2005
• Tenth nationally and top in the south in federally financed
research and development (R&D) expenditures at public
universities and colleges in FY 2006(329.2 million)
• Ranks 5th among the nation's best public universities eighth
consecutive year, according to U.S. News & World Report
magazine.
• Eighth in federal obligations for fellowships, traineeships and
training grants in FY 2005 (21.8 million)
• Sixteenth among institutions of higher education in NIH funding
for FY 2007awards received among public research institutions
(The Center, 2004)
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Office of Research Development
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• What we do:
– In a rapidly changing funding environment ORD provides
services to enhance the university’s research performance.
• Our charge:
– research development, greater visibility of young research
faculty, administrative linkages, educational support,
service outreach.
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ORD PROGRAMS
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1) Research Proposal/ Program Development
2) University Nominated Grants
3) Special Projects (out of the Box)
4) Graduate Student Assistance
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RESEARCH
PROPOSAL / PROGRAM
DEVELOPMENT
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HOW DOES IT HAPPEN
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1. Faculty come to us
2. ORD invites faculty to an information session
3. ORD identifies a faculty expert as a potential PI
4. ORD identifies university potential/capacity
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Aging
Energy & Environment
Water Research
ORD’s Grant Proposal and Program
Development
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This occurs through:
• consultation at any stage of the research process (e.g.
brainstorming project strategies, resource analyses, proposal
critique);
• facilitating the formation of research groups;
• coordination of activities (e.g. communication, networking,
marketing, packaging);
• team-building and resource identification (e.g. experts,
funding agencies);
• links to administrative supports (e.g. matching funds);
database development.
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ORD Research Project Involvement
on Campus (Selected examples)
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College of Arts & Sciences
School of Dentistry
School of Education
School of Information & Library
Sciences
School of Journalism & Mass
Communications
School of Law
School of Medicine
School of Nursing
School of Pharmacy
School Of Public Health
School Of Social Work
School of Government
Graduate School
Kenan Flagler Business School
Carolina Center for Public Service
Center for the Study of Development and
Learning
Center for the Study of the American South
Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European
Studies
Center for Urban & Regional Studies
Carolina Women’s Center
Developmental Disabilities Training Institute
Family Support Network System
Frank Porter Graham Child Dev. Institute
Friday Center
Institute for African American Research
Institute On Aging
Institute for the Environment
Institute for Renaissance Computing
Morehead Planetarium
Office of Global Health
Sheps Center
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ORD Research Project Involvement
UNC-CH Department Programs Receiving Project Support
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Allied Health
African/Afro American Studies
American Studies
Anthropology
Art
Biology
Biochemistry & Biophysics
Biomedical Engineering
Chemistry
Classics
Cultural Studies
Computer Science
Communication Studies
Economics
Emergency Medicine
Environ. Sciences & Engineering
Epidemiology
Exercise & Sports Sciences
Family Medicine
Geography
Global Studies
Health Behavior & Health
Education
History
Health Services Research Center
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ORD Research Project Involvement
UNC-CH Department Programs Receiving Project Support
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Learning Disabilities Services
Linguistics
Marine Science
Maternal & Child Health
Mathematics
Music Department
North Carolina Botanical Gardens
Nutrition
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Occupational Therapy
Oncology
Pathology
Pediatrics
Pharmacology
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Physics & Astronomy
Political Science
Public Policy
Psychiatry
Psychology
Rehabilitation Medicine
Romance Languages
Sociology
Biostatistics
Toxicology Program
Women’s Studies
Women’s Center
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THE ORD STORY
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• All projects represent diverse academic disciplines:
– Center for Inflammatory Disorders
– Center for the Utilization of Carbon Dioxide in Manufacturing
– Research into Crimes Against Women
– Statistical & Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute
– Slavic studies
– A Su Salud - to train Health Professionals to meet the needs of their Hispanic
clients
– Blind Audio Tactile System
– Homeland Security – Center for Natural Disasters
– The Azoria Project
– Difficult Dialogues
– Human Sexual Trafficking
– Neurobiological & Behavioral Consequences of Cocaine Use in Mother/Infant
Dyads
– Energy Research Frontier Center
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CRITERIA FOR ORD SUPPORT
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Priority is determined by the following criteria, with Interdisciplinary
research potential being the key factor.
• Interdisciplinary nature of project
• Feasibility
• Long-term impact for furthering the research mission (PI, dept.,
school, institution)
• Physical needs of the project
• Level of funding requested from the agency
• Resources required from the University
• Intellectual potential / contribution, educational impact
• Service to the state of NC
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Limited Grants and Awards
Expanding the University’s Research Reputation
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• Identifying and communicating opportunities
• Identifying outstanding researchers
• Formalizing the internal nomination and
selection process
• Developing a “star” database
• Working with faculty to prepare the final
product/presentation
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THE BIG PICTURE
1997 – To Date (2009)
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• Research Projects Submitted
143
>$460,000,000
• Projects & L S Grants Funded
89
$200,202,067
485
>$194,100,000
– Grants Funded
30
$31,491,666
– Awards Funded
58
$15,771,800
• Limited Submissions:
– Awards & Grants Submitted
• Activity Total
628
>$4,590,689,903
• Total Research Funded
175
$529,004,301
Updated May 2009
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LARGE SCALE MULTIDISCIPLIANARY GRANTS
FUNDED – 1997 – 2009 (examples)
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Energy Frontier Research Ctr. , Tom Meyer A&S /Chemistry Funded -2009 $17,500,000. US
Dept of Energy
Josephine Johns Psychiatry, SOM-Funded – 2008 $12,379,584, NIDA
(Neurobehavioral & Biological Consequences of Cocaine Use in Mother/Children Dyads)
Ctr. Of Excellence for Natural Hazards & Disasters, R. Luettich, Marine Sci./UNC/NC State,
Funded - 2008 $15,000,000.00 ,DHS
Jan Busby-Whithead SOM/Allied Health Science, Funded – 2008 $1,500,000, Hartford Fnd.
Herbert Peterson, SPH-MCH Funded - 2005 $1,925,000, Maternal & Child Health Bureau
S.P.I.R.E, A&S/Biology Funded – 2004 $12,040,965 NIGMS/NIH
Social Entrepreneurship SO Business -Funded - 2004 , $5,000,000,NIH Kaufman Foundation
Steve Marron, Statistics-A&S Funded-2002 $ 2,099,633, NSF
S.P.I.R.E. W.E. Bollenbacher Biology-A&S,SOM,SPH Funded-2001,$4,500,000, NIH/NIGMS
Joe Desimone Chemistry-A&S -Funded-2000, $18,500,000, NSF
Patrick Flood SO Dentistry-SOM,SPH,A&S -Funded-1999 $ 22,000,000, NIH/NIDR
S. Washburn - Otto Zhou Physics/Astro.-A&S- Funded-1998 $ 5,600,000, US Dept. Of
Energy
PROBLEMS
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 Getting faculty to collaborate
 Training and socialization
 Role Models
 Publications
 Reward system structure
 “Change”
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THE ORD STORY
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 Evaluation:
– a unit unaffiliated with a specific school or
college is strongly supported by the UNC-CH
faculty!
– effective in fulfilling the role of faculty advocate.
– bridges the gap between faculty and central
administration.
ORD: an important step in providing an innovative and
coordinated approach in “Finding a Common
Language.”
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OUT OF THE BOX !
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