University leaders credit faculty for bringing in $254.8-million to fund research projects.
By ADRIENNE LU
Published August 9, 2003
TAMPA - The total includes $6-million for antibioterrorism research and $2.9-million for public health and disaster preparedness. More than $6-million came from the U.S. Army and the Office of Naval Research, which want to explore ways to use underwater vehicles for homeland defense.
Those were among the largest contracts and grants received in 2002-03 by the University of South Florida, which for the seventh consecutive year broke its record for research funding.
USF brought in $254.8-million, 23 percent more than in the previous year.
"Our impressive faculty are securing more competitive and more prestigious grants," USF president Judy Genshaft said Friday. "They are making USF an ever-stronger national research university in every way."
Among Florida's public schools, USF now trails only the University of Florida in research funding.
USF received $122.7-million last year in federal contracts and grants, which is among the most competitive sources of research funding. The amount represented an increase of 20 percent over the previous year.
Ian Phillips, USF's vice president for research, credited the university's faculty for the growing research dollars.
"It says a lot about the quality of the faculty and their competitiveness," said Phillips, who said success in the research arena tends to breed more success.
"If we have high-quality faculty with a high-quality research program, we then attract high-quality students," he said. The Health Sciences Center brought in the largest amount: $119.6-million. Engineering drew $25.3-million and Marine Sciences garnered $24.9-million. The College of Arts & Sciences received $16.7-million.
USF even exceeded its own goals for research contracts and grants this year, bringing in $24.8-million more than called for in its strategic plan.
