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Thanks to
all who came to our open house on November 5th. It was a great success and we
plan to do it again each fall. Please continue to call or stop by anytime.
As always,
please contact us with your questions,
article suggestions and feedback.
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NSF
Eliminates University Cost-Share
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Capping
years of discussion, the Board of the National Science Foundation approved
the elimination of most of the cost sharing requirements for NSF funded
projects on October 15th,
2004. The change, which overturns about 60 years of cost-sharing
practice, will affect most new NSF program solicitations issued after
October 14th. The change does not affect current awards or program
solicitations printed prior to October 14th.
The
campus' Office of Grant and Contract Administration has posted information
on the specifics of this change on their
website. If you need additional assistance, contact Marcia Day for proposal related
questions or Theresa Girardi
for award related questions at 413.545.0698.
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Research
Reputation Spurs World Ranking
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The level
and quality of research at the University of Massachusetts was a key
contributing factor to its ranking as one of the best universities in the world
by the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES)* published November 5th in
London. UMass, whose five campuses are evaluated as one entity, is ranked
45th in the world and 22nd in North America.
The
survey's methodology includes five indicators: a reputational survey of
1,300 academics in 88 countries (50 percent); ranking of research impact
(20 percent); faculty-to-student ratio (20 percent); percentage of
international undergraduate students (5 percent); percentage of
international faculty (5 percent). On the basis of reputation alone, UMass
ranked as the 22nd most well-regarded university in North America and 15th based on
the level of research impact (i.e. number of citations per faculty member).
Research activity at the Amherst campus accounted
for slightly more than one third of the $300 million in research awards won
by the 5-campus system last year.
"The
five indicators have been chosen to reflect strength in teaching, research
and international reputation with the greatest influence exerted by those
in the best position to judge: the academics," says THES Editor Jon
O'Leary.
The
scores used in the final World's-Best-Universities ranking were normalized
against a score of 1,000 for top-ranked Harvard University. With an overall
score of 236, UMass was ranked 20th in the U.S. immediately above
Duke, Purdue, Brown and Georgia Tech.
Download
complete rankings here.
*The
Times Higher Education Supplement is published by TSL Education Ltd of
London, a leading educational publisher in the United Kingdom. The company
is a subsidiary of News International Publishers Limited, which prints The
Times and The Sunday Times.
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UMass-Baystate
Economic Impact Recognized
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The UMass Amherst-Baystate Medical Center partnership was
recognized by the Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development (MAED) as
one of the "many examples of UMass' considerable contributions to the
growth of the state's economy." On November 23rd, MAED honored the
UMass system with a Statewide Strategic Asset award for its contributions
throughout each region of the Commonwealth. MAED acknowledged the
interdisciplinary partnership formed between the Amherst campus and Bay State Medical Center in Springfield, applauding
progress made in promoting the life sciences cluster of Western
Massachusetts through efforts like the Pioneer
Valley Life Sciences Institute (PVLSI). Read
more....
ILED is
working with the PVLSI to further enhance its impact on the life sciences
cluster of Western Massachusetts. Give Marla Michel or Karen Hayes a call
(413.545.2706) to explore ways of expanding your research to the
Commonwealth and industry.
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Kodak
Scopes Research Partners
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Eastman
Kodak's John Spoonhower, Director of Strategic Technology Initiatives
R&D and John Pochan, Technology Director of the Growth Initiative
Division for Global Manufacturing Technology, visited campus December 2nd
to unveil their new model for engaging university, government, and small
business partners in R&D and innovation initiatives. ILED is encouraged
by this model because contrary to previous corporate trends, Kodak sees
university research collaborations as key to furthering the company's business
objectives.
Dr.
Spoonhower is part of Kodak's "Foundation Science and Technology Center" which
encourages fundamental research collaborations that support the company's
core competencies of materials science, image science, user interfaces and
advanced manufacturing. He's the Amherst campus' key
liaison into Kodak research. Dr. Spoonhower would like to meet faculty who
are active researchers in Kodak's core competency areas and who are
interested in direct collaboration with the company or collaboration on
large federal research grants in areas that impact Kodak's core
competencies.
The
Eastman Kodak Company has been a loyal supporter of research on the UMass
Amherst campus, particularly in polymer science and computer science.
Contact Karen Hayes, ILED,
(413.545.2706) to learn how you can connect with Eastman Kodak's university
research initiatives.
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Call for
Conti Nominations
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Nominations
are now being accepted (through February 4th) for the 2005-2006 Samuel F.
Conti Faculty Fellowship Awards. The Conti Awards consist of a cash award
and a year's leave of absence to encourage recipients to concentrate on
activities related to graduate education, research, creative work and
scholarly attainment. Selection of awardees is based on demonstrably
outstanding accomplishment and potential for continued excellence in
research and scholarly or creative activity. Details about the award and
nomination process can be found on the Research
website or contact Bev
Strakose, Research Affairs (413.545.5283).
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Deans
Talk Research Matters
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A meeting
bringing all the deans together to talk matters related to research was
convened by Vice Provost for Research Paul Kostecki on Dec 2. A host of
items were discussed ranging from how the new NSF policy of not requiring
institutional matches on proposals will impact our campus to an update on
the current CVIP director's position search to recent science and
technology funding opportunities from the state and UMass President's
Office. The group agreed that this forum was complementary to that of the
Research Council. The next Deans' Meeting is tentatively scheduled for
January 27th.
Full
meeting minutes will be distributed to the deans. For further information
or suggestions for future topics, contact Marla Michel, ILED,
(413.545.2706).
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When
Research Reaches Communities
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Since
2003, several Nutrition Department faculty have been awarded more than $1
million in USDA grants for their work on two of the nation's top public
health priorities: obesity and food safety. The results of their research
will have implications for communities both regionally and nationally
In April,
associate professor Jean Anliker and assistant professor Elena Carbone
received a four- year, $800,000
grant to study obesity in "tween-aged" children (11 to
14-year-olds), which will be used to develop a curriculum that promotes
wiser food choices for tweens. In 2003, Carbone and Rita Brennan Olsen of
the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program were awarded $500,000 to
study food handler education and training programs in order to devise
improved and more effective teaching materials and examination
methodologies for food service personnel.
Their
work on food-borne illness contributes to the national Healthy People 2010
initiative, which is used by states, communities, professional organizations,
and others throughout the country in order to develop health-improvement
programs. Carbone, Olsen and Nutrition Department Head, Nancy Cohen, are
the designated Massachusetts contacts for the National Integrated Food
Safety Initiative administered through USDA's Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service.
The
intersection of research and outreach is an area where UMass Amherst can
have a significant impact in the community. Vice Provost for Research Paul
Kostecki will be working with Vice Provost for Outreach and Continuing
Education Sharon Fross to further actuate the community outreach potential
of the campus' research excellence.
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Press
Publishes Bay State Guide
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How much
do you know about Massachusetts, the Bay State? For those of us with great
interest but limited time, a new book published by the University of
Massachusetts Press, Massachusetts
at a Glance: A User's Guide to the Bay State, is an easy-to-use, A-Z
guide to the rich heritage and current attractions of the Commonwealth.
Reviewers
have called the book by Jack Tager, UMass Amherst professor emeritus of
history, "A valuable source of information about the state that will
be used and enjoyed by general readers and scholars alike." A
professional historian with a long-standing interest in the history of
Massachusetts, Tager has organized the book to allow readers to find
answers to questions in an efficient and reliable manner. Are you a Bay
State scholar? Take Professor Tager's Massachusetts Trivia
Quiz to find out.
The
University of Massachusetts Press supports and enhances the University's
stature as a major research institution by publishing outstanding books by
UMass faculty and by scholars and writers throughout the world. Press books
can be purchased most places books are sold, as well as the Press
website, or by calling Hopkins Fulfillment Services, at 1.800.537.5487.
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Grant and
Contract Snapshot
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Each
month ACCESS includes a selection of grants and contracts awarded to faculty
from across campus in order to give you a sense of what's going on in
research at UMass Amherst. The following are a sample from
September/November.
Daniel H.
Schaubert
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sponsor: Air Force
Title: "Techniques for Advanced Antenna Systems"
Total Award: $1,200,000
Sharon C.
Long
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Sponsor: MA Dept of Conservation and Recreation
Title: "Water Quality in Massachusetts Reservoirs: July 2004 to June
2006"
Total Award: $230,652
Andrew
Effrat
School of Education
Sponsor: MA Board of Higher Education
Title: "Commonwealth Information Technology Initiative Phase 2"
Total Award: $250,000
Baoshan
Xing
Plant, Soil and Insect Sciences
Sponsor: Coop State Research, Education and Extension Service
Title: "Quantification and Meso-Structural Dynamics of Soil Organic
Matter as Determined by Advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Methods"
Total Award: $395,000
R. Thomas
Zoeller
Biology
Sponsor: Environmental Protection Agency
Title: "Low-Dose Effects of Thyroid Toxicants on
Neurodevelopment"
Total Award: $738,971
Lisa
Sullivan-Werner
Nutrition
Sponsor: MA Dept of Transitional Assistance
Title: "UMass Extension Family Nutrition Program"
Total Award: $2,155,932
Mitchell
T. Mulholland
Anthropology - Archaeological Services
Sponsor: AGS Development
Title: "Archaeological Site Examination Survey of the
Muttock-Pauwating Site, Middleboro, MA"
Total Award: $55,531
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Research Offices & Services
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