Research Productivity Grows

FAU’s research enterprise continued its upward trajectory during the last fiscal year — even as a pandemic shut down the country for part of it.

Taking into account projects funded by external organizations and internal funds, FAU spent and invested $67 million on research for the 2020 fiscal year, July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020.

As the pandemic hit, researchers faced travel restrictions. Labs, equipment and supplies became scarcer or harder to access. And fewer students could work in research labs. Despite those obstacles, they kept their projects moving forward.

Across the board, metrics show a rise in research productivity. Sponsors funded 476 projects, up about 14% from the previous fiscal year. Faculty submitted 655 proposals, seeking nearly $300 million in funding. The number of submissions is about 6% more than the previous year and up nearly 21% from five years ago. Since 2018, sponsored research expenditures have risen at a rate of 9% each year.

Instead of the pandemic slowing FAU researchers, they got busy studying it. Federal agencies awarded the university $1.5 million for COVID-19 research-related projects — in a period of less than six months.

While it’s impressive that university scientists, engineers and scholars dug in and worked harder during the lockdown, the growth of the research enterprise stems from a strategic approach and programs put in place over the last five years, research administrators said.

They point to President John Kelly’s Strategic Plan for the Race to Excellence 2015-2025, which outlined four focus areas of research strength called pillars. Those pillars turned into university-wide research institutes. The university invested in hiring and building up the infrastructure to attract top-tier researchers. That investment in the institutes has paid off at a rate of $2.8 to every $1 invested, according to Daniel Flynn, Ph.D., vice president for research.

In addition, the Division of Research has created a slew of new initiatives to support FAU researchers. It established the Office of Research Development, which focuses on helping faculty write proposals and strengthen larger, institution-wide grant applications. Before the pandemic shutdown, the division also created a number of new events designed to spur collaboration and showcase FAU research. They include a public lecture series at the Boca Raton Public Library called Research in Action; the Research Café, which brings faculty from disparate backgrounds together for short talks; and the Research Showcase, which drew hundreds both internal and external to the university to hear about FAU research. Some of these programs have now gone online and are growing on virtual platforms like Zoom. Many of them are seeing record participation.

Last year, the division launched an initiative called “We Are Your Team,” targeting new faculty hires. It introduces them to the many research support services provided at the university. The research development office also started the Early Career Academy, a program focused on new faculty talent, providing in-depth support for establishing a research career. It’s already had an impact. Several faculty members in the inaugural class garnered early career and first-time federal grants such as the prestigious National Science Foundation’s Early Career Award and the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

“Our team is providing support to faculty who are on fire to do their research,” said Jeanne Viviani, director of the research development office. “We are excited to help them achieve their goals.”

The numbers show it.