Spring Break
University seeks part of $1.4 M investment for science programs
Greg Gentile
Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: News
10/09/08 - The Rhode Island Science and Technology Advisory Council plans to invest about $1.4 million into Rhode Island science programs.
The funds come from grants and the Rhode Island Research Alliance program, and will go to 17 different teams from 24 institutions. Projects funded include engineering, chemistry, biology, oceanography, environmental science and medicine.
University of Rhode Island College of the Environment and Life Sciences dean Jeff Seemann, who is also the co-chair of STAC, said the funds are vital to the university's research programs.
"In 2007, the University of Rhode Island was a partner in four awards provided by this program totaling $452,776," Seemann said. "In 2008, URI was a partner in four awards provided by this program totaling $506, 302."
URI researchers compete for the money with other institutions.
"The awards have not yet been made so it remains unclear what portion of this year's award dollars will go to URI," Seemann said.
STAC was launched in 2005 with three major goals in mind: to bring growth to Rhode Island's research and development capability, to support entrepreneurship and bring about new companies and to enable innovation in organizations throughout the state.
With past grant money, the National Science Foundation and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, along with the Proteomics Facility, purchased advanced equipment that scientists throughout Rhode Island can use to process new data and substantiate findings in research.
Though Rhode Island is in a major budget crunch, there is "continued support from the state leadership," Seeman said, adding that it showed "Rhode Island is committed to making strategic investments into its research and development platform and significant improvements to our innovation infrastructure."
This is "investing in the future," Seemann said. Research universities "provide businesses with the tools they need to compete in the global innovation economy and stimulate economic development through the creation of high-wage jobs," Seemann said.
According to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, which cites data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for every million spent on research and development it created 36 new jobs in the country .
Seemann added, "Investment in research is an investment in growing Rhode Island's economy, which is precisely what we need to do to get through this current crisis."
The funds come from grants and the Rhode Island Research Alliance program, and will go to 17 different teams from 24 institutions. Projects funded include engineering, chemistry, biology, oceanography, environmental science and medicine.
University of Rhode Island College of the Environment and Life Sciences dean Jeff Seemann, who is also the co-chair of STAC, said the funds are vital to the university's research programs.
"In 2007, the University of Rhode Island was a partner in four awards provided by this program totaling $452,776," Seemann said. "In 2008, URI was a partner in four awards provided by this program totaling $506, 302."
URI researchers compete for the money with other institutions.
"The awards have not yet been made so it remains unclear what portion of this year's award dollars will go to URI," Seemann said.
STAC was launched in 2005 with three major goals in mind: to bring growth to Rhode Island's research and development capability, to support entrepreneurship and bring about new companies and to enable innovation in organizations throughout the state.
With past grant money, the National Science Foundation and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, along with the Proteomics Facility, purchased advanced equipment that scientists throughout Rhode Island can use to process new data and substantiate findings in research.
Though Rhode Island is in a major budget crunch, there is "continued support from the state leadership," Seeman said, adding that it showed "Rhode Island is committed to making strategic investments into its research and development platform and significant improvements to our innovation infrastructure."
This is "investing in the future," Seemann said. Research universities "provide businesses with the tools they need to compete in the global innovation economy and stimulate economic development through the creation of high-wage jobs," Seemann said.
According to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, which cites data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for every million spent on research and development it created 36 new jobs in the country .
Seemann added, "Investment in research is an investment in growing Rhode Island's economy, which is precisely what we need to do to get through this current crisis."
