Vice President’s Letter
Message from the Vice President for Research and for National Laboratories
I am very pleased to present the FY2009 annual report of the Office of the Vice President for Research and for National Laboratories. Despite the economic downturn, the research enterprise at the University of Chicago continues to flourish, a measure of the dedication and talent of our extraordinary faculty and researchers. We received a record $471.8 million in research funding from federal agencies and non-federal sponsors in FY’09, surpassing previous-year funding by eleven percent.
The boost in research funding furthered a range of important work, including: improving cancer treatments; developing technologies to detect, prevent, and counter bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases; and expanding the operation of the TeraGrid to advance scientific inquiry and finding answers to big questions about the universe. All told, 2,096 awards were granted to UChicago investigators opening new doors for discovery and innovation.
As President Zimmer noted in the University’s 2009 Annual Report, faculty achievements and awards included Professor Yoichiro Nambu’s receipt of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics. Economics professor and Nobelist Roger Myerson was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Among her many significant honors in the past year, Janet Rowley was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contributions to our understanding of cancer. College student Antonia Clifford was selected as a 2009 Truman Scholar, and thirty University students received Fulbright fellowships.
Technology transfer activities remained strong in FY09. Breakthroughs ranged from drug therapies for treating atherosclerosis to a new technology that converts wind and solar electrical power into methane, which can be made available anytime, anywhere, as needed. These are just two examples of the discoveries taking place here that have potential for commercialization. To increase the likelihood of their success, UChicagoTech, the University’s Office of Technology and Intellectual Property, has implemented a number of measures to reduce the time it takes to go from bench to bedside.
2009 also marked the completion of the Searle Chemistry Laboratory providing a new state-of-the-art wet laboratory and new offices for the Department of Chemistry and the Computation Institute. Construction was also completed on the Gwen and Jules Knapp Center for Biomedical Discovery, a 330,760-square-foot, 10-story, glass-walled building, that provides a state-of-the-art home for research programs in cancer, diabetes, genomics, pediatrics, and other medical specialties.
As the manager of Argonne National Laboratory and co-manager of Fermilab, the University welcomed several distinguished new members to both Laboratory Boards and appointed Eric Isaacs as the new director of Argonne. Eric, a University physicist and former deputy laboratory director for programs and director of Argonne’s Center for Nanoscale Materials, possesses the scientific credentials, vision, and experience to lead Argonne in its mission to provide scientific and engineering solutions to national priorities in energy, environment, security, and sustainability.
Despite the funding challenges presented this past year, both Argonne and Fermilab produced significant research advances, due in no small part to the resourcefulness and strategic focus of the laboratories’ senior officers and the collective efforts of Laboratory employees. Through joint programs and collaborative efforts, ties between the University and the Laboratories have never been stronger and the creative energy generated by these relationships has benefited each of our institutions, the local research community, and, from the standpoint of economic development, the region.
To further strengthen cross-institutional research, our office launched the Arete Initiative last year. Arete is an intellectual incubator program designed to assist faculty in developing innovative, large-scale interdisciplinary research projects. The program provides investigators with resources to produce breakthrough research innovations and spawn new scholarly fields.
Our office also assists with developing center-level proposals and preparing for funding organization site visits and manages the selection process for University NIH, NSF “Limited Opportunities” proposals. Of the FY'09 applicants, seven won fellowships (five NSF; one DOD; and one Ford fellowship) and eleven won NSF Honorable Mention. The Great Lakes Regional Center of Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases (Olaf Schneewind: Molecular Analysis and Interventions for Biodefense and Emerging Pathogens) grant also was renewed for a second five-year term for $37.8 Million.
Lastly, the University demonstrated its commitment to broader impact through participation in Science Chicago, a year-long celebration of science sponsored by the City of Chicago, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Museum of Science and Industry. The University invested in a number of unique programs for kids and adults including a mini-medical school day; astronomy events and visualizations at the Adler Planetarium; Physics with a Bang! public lecture and open house; and a monthly biological sciences lecture series for high school students and their teachers. These programs continue to have an impact on STEM education throughout the city and surrounding community.
Through the outstanding efforts of our faculty, staff, and students, the University of Chicago continues to innovate and contribute new knowledge that challenges, inspires and improves the quality of life, both for today and for future generations.
Enjoy the report!
Sincerely,
Donald H. Levy
The Albert A. Michelson Distinguished Service Professor in Chemistry
Vice President for Research and for National Laboratories
Donald H. Levy
The Albert A. Michelson Distinguished Service Professor in Chemistry,
Vice President for Research and for National Laboratories