Spring Break
Bataille announces new research plan
Arlinda Arriaga
Issue date: 9/10/08 Section: NEWS
Beginning this fiscal year, NT will invest $25 million over a five-year period to further faculty research on high profile issues affecting society, NT officials said.
During the annual faculty-staff convocation held Tuesday morning, President Gretchen Bataille announced the plan to support multidisciplinary research collaborations, or clusters.
Six research clusters will begin building on the research of more than 70 NT faculty members in 30 departments and disciplines, Bataille said.
"By investing in known areas of excellence, we will use our strongest existing research efforts to stimulate growth in complementary areas," Bataille said.
The NT Office of Research and Economic Development asked for research proposals from the faculty in the spring semester, and of the 37 proposals submitted, six were selected for full funding, two received partial funding and the immigration studies program will receive money for development of a centralized administration.
University spokeswoman Sarah Bahari said the money for the collaborations is from the university budget, which is a projected $668 million.
"This is not new money; it is reallocated funds from faculty and capital improvement budgets," said Kenneth Sewell, associate vice president for research.
He also said that allowing the faculty to decide what type of research the university will take on is an unusual approach.
"The kind of changes that we want to make as a university are natural changes so that we have change from within, rather then it being forced upon from the administration," Sewell said. "The faculty is then more likely to buy into it."
NT's six clusters will be in the areas of bio/nano photonics, material modeling, developmental physiology and genetics, signaling mechanisms in plants, autism spectrum disorders and advanced research in technology and the arts.
"The work of our clusters include the discovery of more effective ways to treat conditions such as autism, cancer and heart disease; the development of more durable jet engines and better materials for an array of uses; the investigation of molecular plant signals that could lead to innovations across the scientific spectrum and the exploration of new ways to support sustainable environments," Bataille said.
Other research initiatives NT has started since Bataille took office in 2006 include the plan to develop a biological sciences complex and the further evaluation of sustainability.
Provost Wendy Wilkins said students could expect to have more professors equipped with research experience.
"Our students will have more great faculty members," Wilkins said. "The other thing we need to keep our eye on is the better UNT gets, the better it is perceived and then your degree becomes more valuable."
During the annual faculty-staff convocation held Tuesday morning, President Gretchen Bataille announced the plan to support multidisciplinary research collaborations, or clusters.
Six research clusters will begin building on the research of more than 70 NT faculty members in 30 departments and disciplines, Bataille said.
"By investing in known areas of excellence, we will use our strongest existing research efforts to stimulate growth in complementary areas," Bataille said.
The NT Office of Research and Economic Development asked for research proposals from the faculty in the spring semester, and of the 37 proposals submitted, six were selected for full funding, two received partial funding and the immigration studies program will receive money for development of a centralized administration.
University spokeswoman Sarah Bahari said the money for the collaborations is from the university budget, which is a projected $668 million.
"This is not new money; it is reallocated funds from faculty and capital improvement budgets," said Kenneth Sewell, associate vice president for research.
He also said that allowing the faculty to decide what type of research the university will take on is an unusual approach.
"The kind of changes that we want to make as a university are natural changes so that we have change from within, rather then it being forced upon from the administration," Sewell said. "The faculty is then more likely to buy into it."
NT's six clusters will be in the areas of bio/nano photonics, material modeling, developmental physiology and genetics, signaling mechanisms in plants, autism spectrum disorders and advanced research in technology and the arts.
"The work of our clusters include the discovery of more effective ways to treat conditions such as autism, cancer and heart disease; the development of more durable jet engines and better materials for an array of uses; the investigation of molecular plant signals that could lead to innovations across the scientific spectrum and the exploration of new ways to support sustainable environments," Bataille said.
Other research initiatives NT has started since Bataille took office in 2006 include the plan to develop a biological sciences complex and the further evaluation of sustainability.
Provost Wendy Wilkins said students could expect to have more professors equipped with research experience.
"Our students will have more great faculty members," Wilkins said. "The other thing we need to keep our eye on is the better UNT gets, the better it is perceived and then your degree becomes more valuable."
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