During the 2004-2005 fiscal year, the total amount of grants and contracts received by the University for research and development exceeded $314 million, said David Hudson, associate vice president for research and graduate studies.
There has been a 6 percent increase over the previous year in the amount of funding available for research programs at the University, bringing the amount to an all-time high, Hudson said.
Most financial support is awarded based on applications to the government, strengthened by the results of peer reviews by other universities.
"Our peers think we're doing good stuff," Hudson said. "Our research efforts are viewed as worthy of continued support."
According to Hudson, additional funding for research activities will enhance all aspects of the University's three-fold mission of "academics and scholarship, research, and public service."
He said the University will be able to attract more highly qualified faculty members, who will be participating in the most up-to-date research in their fields. Students will be more likely to have professors at the forefront of their fields, enhancing all aspects of academic life.
"Doing more research contributes very directly to our teaching missions," Hudson said.
The University has improved its ranking in the amount of research expenditures from 69th to 67th from the fiscal years 2002 to 2003 in a survey conducted by National Science Foundation, but Hudson said there is still ample room for growth.
Although most of the schools within the University receive some research funding, the Medical School leads the way, accounting for 60 to 70 percent of the total financial support, said Peter Brunjes, associate dean for graduate programs and research in the College of Arts and Sciences. Brunjes said he pointed to the Medical School's emphasis on graduate teaching to explain this disparity.
"The Medical School doesn't teach undergraduates," Brunjes said. "One hundred percent of their work is research, and they need the money for it."
The National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation are the primary sources of funding, supporting many types of biomedical and scientific research, Brunjes said.
The scientific programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, such as environmental sciences and chemistry, are receiving relatively larger amounts of support in comparison to nonscientific departments, Brunjes said.
"The government puts less money into humanities and arts, so there's more competition for fewer dollars in humanities," Brunjes said.
Most of the faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences are pursuing research actively, and there will be a continued effort to continue to build up the research programs, he added.
In addition to the positive academic ramifications of increased research funding, University officials are emphasizing the economic potential of the increased funding, Hudson said. An economic study revealed that 31 jobs are expected to be created in the University and Charlottesville communities for every $1 million spent by the University for research, Hudson said.
-Maria Jeong also contributed to this report
Read More
U.Va. loses over $60 million in federal research cuts
By Bertie Azqueta | 2 days agoThe impacted grants include three from the NIH, seven from the NEH, one from the United States Agency for International Development and four from the State Department.
Department of Education reverses course, awards Federal Executive Institute to U.Va.
By Ford McCracken | 5 days agoThe ED had previously awarded the institute to Charlottesville City Schools.
Students reflect on the life and legacy of Pope Francis
By Bertie Azqueta | 5 days agoAt the University, students shared a range of perspectives on his legacy of reform, inclusivity and his impact on the global Catholic community.
