Research

Research

UC Davis’ midyear report on research funding, for the last fiscal year, 2008-09, provided good news in an otherwise dismal budget year. For the fifth consecutive year, research awards topped the half-billion-dollar mark, this time setting a new record of nearly $622 million.

The total includes $8.6 million in economic stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. By Dec. 10, the campus had received a grand total of $69.2 million in stimulus funds, in 176 grants.

“Despite the difficult budget situation, UC Davis is on a steep upward curve — doubling our research income in less than a decade,” Chancellor Linda Katehi said.

Still, the new chancellor said she wants to see more.

“By reforming our processes, we can transform our research enterprise and bring this total to 900 million or even a billion dollars a year. In partnership with our cities of Davis and Sacramento, we will become the engine of innovation and economic development in the region, the state, the nation and the world.”

The federal government accounted for slightly more than half of the research funds, almost $330 million, mostly from the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Agriculture. The state of California gave $113 million.

Vice Chancellor Barry Klein, who heads the Office of Research, said, “Our research funding trend is a tribute to our exceptional research community, and this record-breaking year is certainly a reflection of UC Davis’ continuing strength as a leader in multidisciplinary research. The work of our community of scholars has far-reaching impact on improving our society’s well-being in many ways.”

Federally-funded projects include wheat genome mapping and biodiversity research in Indonesia. Philanthropic organizations supported the fight against childhood malnutrition in the developing world ($16 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) and work on synthetic bone implants ($300,000 from The Hartwell Foundation).

Philanthropic organizations gave $27 million overall, while charities gave $22 million.

Businesses provided nearly $38 million in funding, while other institutions of higher education provided $29 million, principally as subcontracts on other grants. Other UC campuses and the Office of the President provided $22 million.