Trustees: Annual Research Report

SPONSORED RESEARCH FUNDING RISES 8.2 PERCENT

     COLUMBUS -- Sponsored funding of research projects at 
The Ohio State University rose 8.2 percent to $180.4 million 
during fiscal 1995.  Meanwhile, spending on research 
activities increased 9.1 percent to $173.6 million during 
the period ending June 30.  Trustee Theodore Celeste 
reported the information to the Board of Trustees Wednesday 
(8/30).

     Total research awards rose from 2,006 to 2,096 
according to a year-end report.

     Total federal support for Ohio State research reached 
$129.7 million, up 16.7 percent from a year ago.  State 
government support was $14.5 million, up 18.16 percent, 
while industrial and other research support dropped 15.7 and 
17.1 percent, respectively.

     The largest increases in federal research funding came 
from the National Science Foundation, up 36.8 percent to 
$21.1 million, and from NASA, up 34.7 percent to 
$5.2 million.

     Ohio State's largest source of federal funds, the 
Department of Health and Human Services, awarded 
$56.2 million for 312 research projects.  The money 
represented a 24.6 percent increase from the previous year, 
when 278 awards were made totaling $45.1 million.

     In terms of research spending, the colleges of Medicine 
and Engineering spent the most, $38.1 million and $31.2 
million, respectively.  Next were the colleges of Education, 
$17.6 million; Mathematical and Physical Sciences, $17.2 
million; and Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, 
$13.2 million.

Research agreements approved

     On Wednesday, trustees approved 401 research contracts, 
totaling $35.5 million, for July and August.  Singled out 
for special mention were:

     -- Establishment of a Center for International Business 
Education, funded with $155,000 from the U.S. Department of 
Education.   The center will help Ohio State enhance 
existing programs, particularly in Japan and Russia, and 
direct future activities in countries that have newly 
emerging and fast-growing markets for U.S. products.  These 
include China, Indonesia, India, South Korea, Turkey, South 
Africa, Poland, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.  Project 
leaders are Joseph L. Cheng of the Department of Management 
and Human Resources, and Joseph A. Alutto, dean of the Max 
M. Fisher College of Business.

     -- Creation of the Accessible Screening Informational 
and Neighborhood Service (ASIANS) for Asian Americans in 
Franklin County.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services is providing $150,000 for the program, which will 
offer screening and educational services, and recruit and 
train ethnic outreach workers to serve as interpreters and 
lay educators.  The program includes a referral network for 
Asian Americans and screening for cancer and cardiovascular 
risks.  Project leaders are Moon S. Chen Jr. and Randall E. 
Harris of the Department of Preventive Medicine.

     -- A study to get a better understanding of the 
pathways by which HIV travels through the placenta to infect 
the fetus.  The research will look at cytomegalovirus 
infections.  The Pediatric AIDS Foundation is providing 
$78,000 for the study, to be conducted by Daniel D. Sedmak 
of the Department of Pathology and Michael D. Lairmore of 
the Department of Veterinary Biosciences.

     -- Research training in neuropharmacology, funded at 
$58,354 by the National Institute of Mental Health.  The 
goal is to enable future scientists to understand the action 
of psychotherapeutic drugs, develop new therapeutic agents, 
and understand the cause of mental illness.  Norton H. Neff 
of the Department of Pharmacology is the project leader.

     -- An event-related brain-potential analysis of affect 
and attitudes, funded with $72,645 from the National Science 
Foundation.  John T. Cacioppo of the Department of 
Psychology is the principal investigator.

     -- Development of a method to promote electronic 
communication among state agencies, local governments, 
private businesses, and Ohio citizens.  Steven I. Gordon of 
Academic Technology Services is leading the $40,000 outreach 
program, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Development.  
According to Gordon, an extension of Free-Net would promote 
connectivity of smaller cities and rural areas so they could 
take advantage of information about state development 
programs.  Mechanisms for connectivity could include 
cooperative agreements with Ohio State University Extension, 
public and private colleges and universities, and commercial 
networks offering Internet Services.  Another mechanism 
could be small-city and rural Free-Nets across the state.

                            #

Contact:  Edward F. Hayes, vice president for research, 
(614) 292-4284.
Written by Tom Spring.


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Thu, 31 Aug 1995 10:36:21 -0400]
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