Lincoln (Neb)-July 24, 1998-Faculty and staff at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln were awarded a record $92.5 million in external grants and contracts for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1998.
The total, a 14 percent increase over the previous year, includes awards from governmental agencies and the private sector for the full range of activities at the university. Of the total, $48.2 million supports research activities, $27.7 million supports public service and $16.6 million is directed to instruction and student support.
Of funds for research, awards from federal sources rose by 12.9 percent to a record $32.4 million.
"These figures show that our faculty are strong competitors in Washington for federal research dollars," said Priscilla Grew, vice chancellor for research. "We also achieved dramatic growth in funding from industry, which has been another of our highest priorities. Our industry funding rose to a record $7 million, a 55 percent increase over the previous year."
The increase in private sector funding for research stems in part from a growing trend in industry to outsource research and develop costs, said Don Helmuth, associate vice chancellor for research. Helmuth said companies are increasingly courting the university as the marketplace becomes more competitive and hungry for new products and technologies, with agribusiness providing the lion's share of industry funding. However, Helmuth said, the university is successfully expanding to industries outside the agricultural sector.
Chancellor James Moeser said the growth in external funding will strengthen the university's position among peer institutions.
"I am very pleased that the university continues to show steady progress in external funding," Moeser said. "This is a key component of our national ranking as a major research university. We project a very solid upward trajectory."
Among projects funded by the federal government are the International Sorghum/Millet Research program funded by the Agency for International Development ($4.7 million); the Great Plains Regional Center for Global and Environmental Change, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy ($1.4 million); sustainable agriculture research funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture ($1.8 million) and the Mid-American Transportation Center ($1 million).
Funded service projects include $4.6 million from the
National Science Foundation for the Polar Ice Coring Office.
Additional service projects are $1.5 million for the Law
Enforcement Training project; $2.9 million for CLASS, a distance
education program; and $1.5 million from the Barkley Trust to
support activities at the Barkley Memorial Center relating to
assessment and treatment of speech and hearing disorders.
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