Universities and Universities and Centers:Centers:U.S. examplesU.S. examples

Susan E. CozzensSusan E. CozzensTechnology Policy and Assessment Technology Policy and Assessment CenterCenterGeorgia Institute of TechnologyGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlanta, GA Atlanta, GA

Outline of talkOutline of talk

Brief history of university research Brief history of university research and government research in the and government research in the U.S.U.S.– 17871787– 18761876– 19411941

Illustrations using Georgia TechIllustrations using Georgia Tech Main point: Diversity and Main point: Diversity and

decentralization serve us well.decentralization serve us well.

College Education in the College Education in the U.S.U.S.

Percent of People 25 and Over Who Have Completed College

0.05.010.015.020.025.030.035.0

..1940

..1952

..1962

..1966

..1969

..1972

..1975

..1978

..1981

..1984

..1987

..1990

..1993

..1996

..1999

..2002

..2005

..2008

Private higher Private higher educationeducation Private higher education started Private higher education started

before the U.S. was a countrybefore the U.S. was a country– Harvard, 1636Harvard, 1636– College of William and Mary, 1693College of William and Mary, 1693– Yale, 1701Yale, 1701– University of Pennsylvania, 1740University of Pennsylvania, 1740

About 1600 todayAbout 1600 today– 204 give doctoral degrees204 give doctoral degrees

Public higher Public higher educationeducation Education left to the states in the Education left to the states in the

Constitution in Constitution in 17871787– 650 public higher education institutions now650 public higher education institutions now– 150 give doctoral degrees150 give doctoral degrees– 75% of undergraduate enrollment75% of undergraduate enrollment

Land grant universities created a Land grant universities created a specific link in agriculture in 1862.specific link in agriculture in 1862.– Michigan State was the first, 1855Michigan State was the first, 1855– About 75 of these nowAbout 75 of these now

Technological Technological universitiesuniversities First was Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, First was Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,

Troy NY, 1824Troy NY, 1824– MIT, 1861 MIT, 1861 – Cal Tech, 1891Cal Tech, 1891

Engineering-based, mostly privateEngineering-based, mostly private History of special relationships with industry, History of special relationships with industry,

as well as military and space researchas well as military and space research

Adoption of German Adoption of German modelmodel

Johns Hopkins Johns Hopkins 18761876 FreedomFreedom SeminarsSeminars LaboratoriesLaboratories Active learningActive learning Shaping the worldShaping the world

Diversity of Diversity of institutionsinstitutions Comprehensives – mastersComprehensives – masters Four-year colleges - bachelorsFour-year colleges - bachelors Community colleges - associateCommunity colleges - associate

Government Government laboratorieslaboratories AgricultureAgriculture DefenseDefense HealthHealth SpaceSpace EnergyEnergy And many othersAnd many others

The project grant The project grant systemsystem Invented at OSRD, Invented at OSRD, 19411941 Proposal drivenProposal driven Reviewed by expertsReviewed by experts Pays (almost) full costsPays (almost) full costs Hallmark of NSF and Hallmark of NSF and

NIHNIH Also used by Defense, Also used by Defense,

Agriculture, NASA, Agriculture, NASA, Energy, etc. Energy, etc.

Flexible and scalableFlexible and scalable

The non-laboratory The non-laboratory agencyagency

National Science National Science Foundation, 1951Foundation, 1951– A balance wheelA balance wheel– The home for university The home for university

researchresearch

Industry researchIndustry research

About two-thirds of total U.S. R&D About two-thirds of total U.S. R&D fundingfunding– Computer and electronicsComputer and electronics– ChemicalsChemicals– Computer-related servicesComputer-related services– Aerospace and defenseAerospace and defense– R&D servicesR&D services– Automotive manufacturingAutomotive manufacturing

71% of R&D spending71% of R&D spending Provides just a small portion of Provides just a small portion of

university funding (5%)university funding (5%)

The Georgia Tech The Georgia Tech ExampleExample

Public technological universityPublic technological university 19,000 students, 6500 19,000 students, 6500

graduate students (half graduate students (half doctoral)doctoral)

1000 faculty, 4600 total staff1000 faculty, 4600 total staff Two-thirds engineering, but Two-thirds engineering, but

alsoalso– Computing, Sciences, Computing, Sciences,

Management, Architecture, Management, Architecture, social science and humanitiessocial science and humanities

$1 billion budget$1 billion budget $500 million in sponsored $500 million in sponsored

projectsprojects

ORNLORNL

Oak Ridge National LaboratoryOak Ridge National Laboratory Major user facilitiesMajor user facilities Georgia Tech is one of ten “core Georgia Tech is one of ten “core

universities” for Oak Ridgeuniversities” for Oak Ridge Joint program in computingJoint program in computing Alliance with Imperial College (UK)Alliance with Imperial College (UK) Joint facultyJoint faculty

GTRIGTRI

Georgia Tech Research InstituteGeorgia Tech Research Institute Affiliated laboratory, does Affiliated laboratory, does

classified workclassified work Formed 1934Formed 1934 1200 people, 7 labs, 13 field offices1200 people, 7 labs, 13 field offices Separate promotion tracks for Separate promotion tracks for

research facultyresearch faculty Largest employer of GT graduatesLargest employer of GT graduates

ERCs and STCsERCs and STCs

NSF-supportedNSF-supported– Engineering Research CentersEngineering Research Centers– Science and Technology CentersScience and Technology Centers

Industry advisory boardIndustry advisory board Integrated research, education, and Integrated research, education, and

outreachoutreach Examples:Examples:

– Tissue engineeringTissue engineering– Microsystems Packaging ResearchMicrosystems Packaging Research

PartnershipsPartnerships

Other types of centersOther types of centers

Industry-basedIndustry-based– Institute for Paper Science and TechnologyInstitute for Paper Science and Technology

EndowedEndowed– Brooks Byers Institute for Sustainable Brooks Byers Institute for Sustainable

SystemsSystems GT as partnerGT as partner

– ASU Center for Nanotechnology in SocietyASU Center for Nanotechnology in Society Block fundingBlock funding

– Georgia Water Resources InstituteGeorgia Water Resources Institute

DOE Bioenergy Science DOE Bioenergy Science CenterCenter

Roger Reisert is CEO of C2 Biofuels, a startup ethanol company that has supported research at Georgia Tech.

A complex patternA complex pattern

Each university can have many, Each university can have many, many relationships.many relationships.

Mostly this is driven bottom-up Mostly this is driven bottom-up from the faculty.from the faculty.

But the areas reflect the priorities But the areas reflect the priorities of funding agencies. of funding agencies.

Lessons learnedLessons learned

Diversity of funding sources is a Diversity of funding sources is a strength of U.S. research. strength of U.S. research.

Decentralization to the states has Decentralization to the states has contributed to a pragmatic contributed to a pragmatic orientation in universities.orientation in universities.

The project grant system has The project grant system has been given great flexibility. been given great flexibility.

Hopefully, some of these Hopefully, some of these lessons are useful for lessons are useful for Colombia.Colombia.

Muchas graciasMuchas gracias