Cuts may drain research funding

North Carolina is renowned for its commitment to scientific research.

The famous Research Triangle Institute’s headquarters, where scientists pursue new advancements in science and technology, is stationed in the state. In addition, the state’s public and private universities collaborate on a regular basis to improve residents’ quality of life.

Such research initiatives now could face drastic reductions as UNC officials review the effects of a proposed 4 percent cut in state-appropriated funding.

H. Shelton Earp, director of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, said that if the budget cuts are approved in August, research at the University will suffer.

“It really will have an effect on filling faculty positions and bringing the kind of researchers in who are able to both teach and create new knowledge,” Earp said.

Still, officials said, groups award a substantial amount of money to institutions like UNC through private grants and funds.

In 2004, UNC’s sponsored research funding reached $577.6 million — an increase of 7.5 percent from the year before.

So even though state funding plays a major role in the University’s ability to probe deeper into the sciences, officials remain optimistic about the future of research at UNC.

Tony Waldrop, vice chancellor for research and economic development, said research faculty at UNC have proven resilient to budget cuts in the past.

“Our faculty are very entrepreneurial and always manage to find additional funding,” Waldrop said.

Today, in an effort to promote campuswide research, the Graduate and Professional Student Federation will sponsor a research symposium and banquet.

Scheduled events include workshops and seminars about funding for research endeavors, grant writing and career development.

The event also will feature poster presentations, the best of which will win cash prizes.

Jen Bushman, Graduate and Professional Student Federation president, said that the symposium wasn’t planned to coincide with the budget cut discussions but that she hopes it draws attention to the cutting-edge research of graduate students across campus.

“The goals of hosting this symposium were to bring a lot of the University’s resources into one clearing house where people could easily access resources at the same time, to bridge the gap across the departments and to draw faculty and undergraduate attention to all of the work that’s being done by graduate students across the campus,” she said.

Earp said it is important to focus on all aspects of the University that could be influenced by budget cuts before lawmakers reach a final decision.

“(The budget cuts) will have an effect on our ability to advance as a research institution, which will affect students, the University’s national reputation and the economy,” he said. “Research has an impact on the whole research triangle and on North Carolina.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.