UF research funding at $619 million with IFAS up 25 percent

August 25, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Research awards to University of Florida faculty totaled $619 million in 2011, thanks in part to a banner year for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, which brought in nearly $127 million, a 25 percent increase over 2010.

The total represents an 8.7 percent decrease from 2010, primarily because of a slowing of stimulus funds. The university received about $51 million in stimulus funds under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2011, compared with $77 million in 2010.

“Research funding has shrunk at all levels, from the federal government to private foundations, but our faculty continue to develop strong, multidisciplinary, collaborative projects that appeal to agencies seeking broad-based solutions to problems,” said Win Phillips, UF’s vice president for research. “The research our faculty pursue results in new knowledge, technologies and treatments. And the infrastructure needed to pursue this science contributes millions of dollars and thousands of jobs to Florida’s economy.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture was one of the few federal agencies to increase funding to UF, awarding $64.3 million, primarily to IFAS. This included the first installment of a five-year, $20 million grant to improve pine forest management in the Southeast.

“IFAS scientists had a record-setting year with over $100 million in grants and contracts,” said Jack Payne, UF’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “They are meeting the needs of Florida and the world with research on such things as food security, energy independence and sustainability, with emphasis on healthy people, healthy environments and healthy economies.”

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, or CLAS, also managed to buck national economic trends, receiving $45.9 million, a 9 percent increase over 2010.

“It is especially gratifying to see our faculty winning more research awards when competition is getting more and more intense. This says a lot about the talent and work ethic of our faculty,” said CLAS Dean Paul D’Anieri. “We’re equally pleased to see the results of this research, whether in the form of publications, public service or technology that can be transferred to the private sector.”

The six colleges of the Health Science Center brought in $323.5 million. The College of Engineering received $66 million, and all of the other colleges received a combined $56.1 million.