Research Administration A Historical Perspective & A Look at the Future Laurianne Torres, MNM, CRA Director, Research Administration Department of Medicine.

Research AdministrationA Historical Perspective & A Look at the Future

Laurianne Torres, MNM, CRADirector, Research Administration

Department of MedicineDuke University

Tony VentimigliaAssociate Director of Education & Communication

Office of Sponsored ProgramsAuburn University

Justo Torres, CRAAssistant Director, Award Management

Office of Sponsored ResearchUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Objectives

1 • Overview of the Profession of Research AdministrationThe Role of the Research Administrator

2 • History and Evolution of Research AdministrationPartnership between Universities and the Federal Government

3 • Future of Research AdministrationDeveloping Trends

Overview of the ProfessionWhat is a Research Administrator?

Overview of the ProfessionWhat is a Research Administrator?

Research Administrators represent their institutions in diverse matters related to:

Rese

arch

De

velo

pmen

t

Gran

ts a

nd

Cont

ract

s Ad

min

istra

tion

Regu

lato

ry

Com

plia

nce

Insti

tutio

nal

Polic

ies &

Pr

oced

ures

Com

mer

cializ

ation

Econ

omic

Deve

lopm

ent

Overview of the ProfessionWhat Roles Do We Play?

Resource Locator, Scout

Interpreter

Reviewer

Motivator, Catalyst, Advocate

Compliance Expert

Team Builder, Broker

Gatekeeper

Enforcer

Evolution of Research AdministrationExploring the Past – an Historical Timeline

18th

and

19th

Cen

turie

s

Industrial Revolution brings Westward Expansion Railroads Mechanization Farming Civil War

1862

and

189

0Morrill Land-Grant Acts are passed to fund a system of industrial colleges, one in each state.

1914

WWI conflict erupts, Vannevar Bush (NRC) points out lack of cooperation between civilian scientists and the military

June

194

0 National Defense Research Committee (NDRC) is formed, Dr. Bush appointed Chair

May

194

1 Office of Scientific Research & Development (OSRD) is formed, Dr. Bush appointed Director

Nov

embe

r 194

4

President Roosevelt writes to Dr. Bush and asks – What can Government do now and in the future to aid research activities by public and private organizations?

Early

160

0’s

Colleges (Harvard, Yale, Princeton & William and Mary) are established in the Colonies, modeled after Cambridge and Oxford in England.

July

194

5 Dr. Bush responds withScience: The Endless Frontier

1950

National Science Foundation is established

Oct

ober

195

7 Soviets launch Sputnik I and the Space Race begins causing a rapid influx of federal funding for research at colleges and universities

NCURA is established.19

59

University research offices grow (34 in 1960 to 97 in 1970), recognizing the need for the establishment of policy to manage research

1961

-197

0

1958OMB issues

Circular A-21

1948

Council of Governmental Relations (COGR) is established

1980

s-la

te 1

990s

Compliance and unfunded mandates continue to be the theme,as is electronic research administration

Early 1600s Present Day

1976

OSTP is established & OMB issuesCircular A-110

Evolution of Research AdministrationScience: The Endless Frontier (Dr. Vannevar Bush 1890-1974)

Best known for his work on analog computing, his role in the Manhattan Project, the establishment of Raytheon, and the idea of memex (predecessor of the WWW)

Vice President and Dean of Engineering at MIT (1932-1938)

First presidential science advisor

Dr. Vannevar Bush – an American engineer

Evolution of Research AdministrationScience: The Endless Frontier (Dr. Vannevar Bush 1890-1974)

Concerned about the lack of coordination between civilian scientists and the military, Bush writes to President Roosevelt in Science: The Endless Frontier

Stab

ility

of F

unds There must be

stability of funds over a period of years so that long-range programs may be undertaken.

Unb

iase

d Agency should be composed of citizens selected only on the basis of their interest in and capacity to promote the work of the agency.

Prom

ote

& A

dvan

ce The agency should promote research through contracts/grants to organizations outside the Federal Government.

Inde

pend

ent Internal control

of policy, personnel, and the method and scope of the research must be left to the grantees themselves.

Acco

unta

bilit

y Agency must be responsible to the President and Congress.

Evolution of Research AdministrationScience: The Endless Frontier (Dr. Vannevar Bush 1890-1974)

Mission Statement of the National Science Foundation:

“The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 ‘to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…’ With an annual budget of about $6.9 billion, we are the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing.”

From the About Us section of the National Science Foundation’s website: http://www.nsf.gov/about/glance.jsp

Evolution of Research AdministrationThe Formation of Research Policy in the U.S.

• The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) sets research policy.

Office of Science & Technology Policy3-fold mission

1to provide President and senior staff with accurate, relevant,

and timely scientific and technical advice

on all matters of consequence

2to ensure that the

policies of the Executive Branch are informed by sound

science

3to ensure that the

scientific & technical work of Executive Branch is properly

coordinated to provide greatest benefit to society

Research Administration - PresentMeeting Today’s Challenges

Unfunded MandatesManaging the challenge

Technology EraDoing more with less

Global EconomyFunding priorities and policies

Research Administration - FutureFuture R&D Investments

Natural Resources

Healthcare

Renewable Energy

Global Competition

Population Growth

Global Pandemics

STEM

While it is difficult to speculate what the future holds, there are some economic and social drivers that could impact how the U.S. government invests in research in the coming years.

What are you doing to stay in tune and on top?

Research Administration - FutureLooking Ahead

• Information Technology

• Research Administration around the Globe

• STAR Metrics

Research Administration - FutureSTAR Metrics

Science and Technology for America’s Reinvestment (STAR): measuring the effect of research on Innovation,

Competitiveness and Science.

• STAR METRICS

• Partnership: National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)

• Purpose is to document the outcomes of science investments to the public.

https://www.starmetrics.nih.gov/

Research Administration - FutureSTAR Metrics – 2nd Phase

Scientific Knowledge

Publications and Citations

Economic GrowthPatents and Start-ups Workforce

OutcomesStudent Mobility and Employment Markers

SocialOutcomesLong-term health and Environmental Impact

Research Administration - FutureThe Research Office in the 21st Century

Forty years ago, the membership of NCURA was made up largely of white males. If some of those early members walked into the annual meeting today, they probably would not recognize it as being the same organization. The workforce in research administration has become decidedly more female, and as the Boomer generation bids NCURA adieu, it is a safe prediction that more and more director and manager positions will be filled by women who have grown up in the profession. What other changes might we expect to see in the research administration workforce of the future?

TheResearch

Administration Workforce

of theFuture

NCURA Magazine, September/October 2007 (Volume XXXIX, No. 4)

Research Administration – FutureThe Research Administration Workforce of the Future

NCURA Magazine, September/October 2007 (Volume XXXIX, No. 4)

• Smart managers are diversifying their workforce to provide better support to an increasingly diverse group of researchers. A quick glance down grant titles at one major research university yields projects on everything from Latina literature to the cost of addiction in inner cities to historical studies of the slave trade in North America.

More diverse workforce

• Years ago, Tech Transfer, IRB and IACUC were usually part of the sponsored programs office. That has long since ended at most schools as the need for specialized knowledge of technical issues and concerns over conflict of interest have dictated the need for separate offices. As volume increases, expect jobs to become more narrowly focused.

Increased specialization

• Some universities have already implemented a S2S paperless grant system, and you can “push the button” on grants.gov from any computer with the right software and internet connection. Many already work at off-campus locations with e-mail serving as a primary form of communication. Can telecommuting be far behind?

Telecommuting options

• As the fiscal realities of the early 21st century become apparent, colleges and universities that never paid much attention to extramural funding are opening grants offices and helping their faculty members compete for extramural support. The result will be a larger profession practiced at even more locations.

A growing profession

Research Administration – FutureSuccession Planning: Developing a New Workforce

NCURA Magazine, September/October 2007 (Volume XXXIX, No. 4)

Groom successors for spots that will be vacated

Focus on attracting, retaining and “growing”

experienced staff

Develop processes to retain knowledge and contact

base

Questions or Comments?

Thank You!

Justo Torres, CRAAssistant Director, Award Management

Office Sponsored ResearchUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

(919) [email protected]

Laurianne Torres, MNM, CRADirector, Research Administration

Department of MedicineDuke University919-684-1378

[email protected]

“The scene changes, but the aspirations of men of good will persist.” – Dr. Vannevar Bush

Tony VentimigliaAssociate Director of Education & Communication

Office of Sponsored ProgramsAuburn University

[email protected]