The status of UConn research in 18 charts

[Matrim55]

The status of UConn research in 18 charts

Important context for understanding where we are academically, specifically with regard to postgrad research status/expenditures.

 

[LoyalFanCT]

Thanks for posting. The numbers appear to show that UConn is in the mix but still has to improve its research standing.

 

[SubbaBub]

Is there a GoFundMe for research on turning 18 charts into 1 chart? Seems like a worthwhile field of study.

 

[junglehusky]

Two source of funding that I hope UConn will re-establish an upward trend are NIH (which would fall under the Dept. HHS) and private foundations. The availability of grants from the NIH fluctuates with presidential administrations and congress. It grew under the Clinton administration, and fluctuated under Bush and Obama. Early in Obama's first term was the stimulus package which included a one time injection of research money, but when that ended it was back to lean times. Politically, NIH was probably the most popular agency in Congress, but gridlock over basically everything else in government prevented the NIH from actually growing until only recently. So depending on the economy over the next presidential term, we should expect another increase for UConn researchers (though of course all other research U's will also be competing for those grants).

Private foundations appear only recently in their charts (the red data at the top of the 2014 bar in the second histogram). These are more like elite-level (Platinum, top-shelf) grants.Tend to be dominated by the Ivys/Big Ten/Pac12 research hospitals and centers. Those funds don't tend to go up unless someone like Bill Gates decides to start a new institute. It's good that UConn has recently started to compete for some of that, it's very challenging to win but hopefully some of the recent faculty hires at the Health Center and in Storrs, after they get established, get tenure, maaaaaybe will be able to be more competitive.

 

[huskyinfl]

How is Mallet's time machine coming. That could really help right now. All funding should go to the time machine.

 

[Matrim55]

Those funds don't tend to go up unless someone like Bill Gates decides to start a new institute.

Apropos of everything, who's the richest UConn alum? Anybody know?

 

[pj]

Private foundations appear only recently in their charts (the red data at the top of the 2014 bar in the second histogram). These are more like elite-level (Platinum, top-shelf) grants.Tend to be dominated by the Ivys/Big Ten/Pac12 research hospitals and centers. Those funds don't tend to go up unless someone like Bill Gates decides to start a new institute. It's good that UConn has recently started to compete for some of that, it's very challenging to win but hopefully some of the recent faculty hires at the Health Center and in Storrs, after they get established, get tenure, maaaaaybe will be able to be more competitive.

I wouldn't say that Gates Foundation money is "elite-level" grants. The issue is that they tend to be highly focused in specific applications -- for Gates, helping impoverished/developing countries, disease in Africa, etc. They don't allocate a lot of money to general research. It's really distorting to the mission of a university to go after that money.

Then there are the "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" status enhancement grants. These go to the Ivies because they have prestige and the foundations want to be associated with them. UConn can't easily compete in that arena.

 

[FAIRTIDES]

Apropos of everything, who's the richest UConn alum? Anybody know?

Scott Case, probably, by a lot.

 

[CL82]

Scott Case, probably, by a lot.

With his interest in eliminating malaria and start ups, one would think he might be interested in research partnerships regarding third world disease. There's a UConn professor who has been working on Zika vaccine for a few years now. I wonder if he needs funding?

 

[Slasher]

This is very cool. According to most merits, UConn lags USF, UAB, Cincinnati, and Miami as also non-AAU members. That was at a quick glance. There are some very specialized ones I ignored (as I assume AAU is looking for multi-discipline research.)

 

[Slasher]

This is very cool. According to most merits, UConn lags USF, UAB, Cincinnati, and Miami as also non-AAU members. That was at a quick glance. There are some very specialized ones I ignored (as I assume AAU is looking for multi-discipline research.)

Arizona State is another.

 

[John Greene]

This is very cool. According to most merits, UConn lags USF, UAB, Cincinnati, and Miami as also non-AAU members. That was at a quick glance. There are some very specialized ones I ignored (as I assume AAU is looking for multi-discipline research.)

UAB is pretty much a special case. It consists of a top notch medical center; med school, nursing school, clinics, 900 bed general hospital with 300 children's beds affiliated. It does a tremendous amount of graduate school research in drug trials, genetics, bio chemical and bio mechanical fields. There are several buildings filled with 'faculty' that never see the inside of a class room.

On the undergrad side it is a large CC that accepts 90% of applicants and graduates only about 65% in 6 years. Of the 19,000 undergrads only about 8,000 are full time day students.

As one might expect the two sides don't always get along.

 

[BKarchitect]

South Florida surprised me with the amount of R&D they do. It's pretty impressive. They beat some B1G schools. I think if the Big 12 presidents were looking at Florida, South Florida has to be ahead of UCF. Besides having a 40,000 seat, cheap-o, on-campus erector set stadium - I'm not sure what UCF has going for it to be ahead in the pecking order. People point to their ridiculously huge 50,000 undergrad enrollment or whatever as a plus - but South Florida is not small either. Being a virtual diploma mill isn't like some badge of honor in higher academia - and it's not like their athletic brand is creating a ton of hardcore UCF fans at this point. It's pretty fairweather attendance. Same as South Florida but at least they are a more matured university.

Not trying to advocate for either - it's just that people either lump them together or casual football fans for some reason think UCF is a step above, when it was South Florida who burst onto the scene first and averaged 50,000 in the Big East and is a far superior school. I don't particularly want either but if Fox demanded Florida exposure, I'd rather Kansas be in a conference with South Florida than UCF.

 

[MattMang23]

UAB is pretty much a special case. It consists of a top notch medical center; med school, nursing school, clinics, 900 bed general hospital with 300 children's beds affiliated. It does a tremendous amount of graduate school research in drug trials, genetics, bio chemical and bio mechanical fields. There are several buildings filled with 'faculty' that never see the inside of a class room.

On the undergrad side it is a large CC that accepts 90% of applicants and graduates only about 65% in 6 years. Of the 19,000 undergrads only about 8,000 are full time day students.

As one might expect the two sides don't always get along.

I hope you're getting ready for the Navy game. Posting on The Boneyard won't help us get a W.

 

[pj]

With his interest in eliminating malaria and start ups, one would think he might be interested in research partnerships regarding third world disease.

Why does he want to eliminate start ups, and isn't it unethical to use third world diseases to do so?

 

[CL82]

Why does he want to eliminate start ups, and isn't it unethical to use third world diseases to do so?

It's that kind of small thinking that will keep us in the G5. I heard from Memphis tweet that UConn used malaria on Memphis to knock them out of the Big 12 search in the first round.

 

[John Greene]

I hope you're getting ready for the Navy game. Posting on The Boneyard won't help us get a W.

LOL

I do have 5 years of eligibility left (1 year high school & 4 years college) but, at this point my measurables (9.9 in the 40 and 125lb bench press) would not allow me to into the locker room to pick up towels never mind the roster. At my age I fall squarely into the category of preferred non walk on.

 

[mavblues]

LOL

I do have 5 years of eligibility left (1 year high school & 4 years college) but, at this point my measurables (9.9 in the 40 and 125lb bench press) would not allow me to into the locker room to pick up towels never mind the roster. At my age I fall squarely into the category of preferred non walk on.

???

Were you trying to bench press WHILE you were running the 40?

 

[John Greene]

???

Were you trying to bench press WHILE you were running the 40?

You mean to tell me I got it wrong? I'm really disappointed after all the effort I put into finding a bench that weighed exactly 125lb. I tried it without the bench and my time improved to 7.7. Can I go in now coach?

 

[Chief00]

If academics drove this; we would have gotten in last time not Louisville !