Four campuses to collaborate for funding
The University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ System Office of Research and Economic Development along with the four UM System campuses announce their newest funding program—Interdisciplinary Intercampus Research Program—designed to increase research activity that could lead to the advancement of technologies and commercialization.
“A priority for the university is to increase interdisciplinary and intercampus research collaboration among all four of the campuses and create stronger research teams to move technologies forward and to attract more grant funding,” said Mike Nichols, Vice President for Research and Economic Development. “This program was created to meet that need by leveraging the intellectual capital and resources among the four campuses while incentivizing faculty members to collaborate with other university faculty as they work to move a technology to the marketplace.”
The fund is $1 million for the first round with $125,000 contributions from each of the four campuses and a $500,000 match from the system. Each faculty member may request up to $25,000; therefore, the maximum funding requested will depend on the number of faculty collaborating on the research project.
The program encourages proposals that are high-reward research ideas that will eventually lead to extramural funding. Each proposal must involve faculty from at least two UM campuses and at least two different disciplines. Proposals will be reviewed by an internal panel consisting of the four campus research officers and the university system based on the novelty and merits of the proposed research, potential for follow-on extramural support, and the extent to which the collaboration is new. The UM System has created an online collaboration website that will aid in the proposal process.
“By continuing to invest in these funding programs, we are advancing ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥’s technologies and their potential to continue along the research and commercialization pipeline and make them more attractive to external funders or potential licensees,” said University of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ System President Tim Wolfe. “This program represents our commitment to research systemwide.”
The four campuses of the UM System perform 95 percent of the research conducted in the state by public four-year institutions. In fiscal year 2012, the campuses conducted $325.5 million worth of research and generated $6.8 million in licensing income. In addition, they received 163 invention disclosures, filed 118 patent applications, received 34 US patents and helped establish 8 startups.
Reviewed 2013-01-09