Emily Jackson
Staff Writer
Ever since Governor O’Malley implemented budget cuts, Maryland universities have had to scramble to make some adjustments in utilities, such as classes and awards. Aside from lessening faculty morale, UMBC has not suffered much impact, according to UMBC’s Vice President of Research, Dr. Geoffrey Summers.
The University receives most of its research funding from other sources besides the state. Last year UMBC received approximately 88.8 million in funding, 48.7 million of which was federal funding. 26.5 million, nearly half of the federal funding, comes from NASA. In fact, UMBC remains in the top three universities in the country that receives grants from NASA. The funds support UMBC’s Goddard Earth Science and Technology Center (GEST), Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology (JCET), and Center for Space Science and Technology (CSST). These three centers together brought in more than $31,000,000 in 2009.
After NASA, the second largest sponsor alternates yearly between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Other sponsors include the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Education.
The academic departments that currently receive the most research funding include Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, as well as Biological Sciences and Chemistry. Many other departments also receive substantial external funding.
This alternative funding was not left unscathed. Foundations have been funding less than previously due to the drop in the value of their assets and the resulting loss of income. Many corporations have been hit hard by the recession, affecting their ability to sponsor research. For example, these outside sources put funds toward sponsored activities such as the Hilltop Institute and the Shriver Center Choice program, “a community-based, family-centered case management approach to delinquency prevention and youth development.” The Shriver Center Choice program was dropped last year due to depleted funds caused by the nation-wide economic recession, which Summers believes had a more drastic effect on research funding. “[Although] UMBC received an approximated total of $15,000,000 from Maryland State agencies last year, it has seen a decline in funding from non-Federal sources such as foundations and corporations-many [of which] have seen their funding drastically cut this year,” Summers explains.
The Facilities and Administrative costs on these grants and contracts are used to help further support the research efforts on campus. Last year this amounted to approximately $13,000,000. Half of these funds go to the general fund and are used among other activities to help support the research infrastructure such as the Office of Contract and Grant Accounting and Office of Sponsored Programs. The other half of the indirect costs are called Designated Research Initiative Funds (DRIF). They are used to start up funds for new faculty, support the library, fund undergraduate research, and support departmental research, says Summers.
Despite the economy’s harmful effects on UMBC’s research funding, Summers continues to hold high hopes for the future. “UMBC research funding from Federal sources continues to grow and has compensated for the loss of funding from other sources, so UMBC is expected to increase overall sponsored research funding again this year in spite of the economy,” he concludes.
