Cookin' With MJ - Return to Faculty Edition - June, 2016

In a column printed in the Office of Research & Commercialization's 2002 annual report, I spelled out a recipe for developing a strong research culture at our university.

1. The key ingredient is a skilled faculty of scientists and engineers internationally respected as leaders in their field.
2. Add a strong pro-partnership mentality.
3. Take care of sensitive issues (like intellectual property) up front with an eye to enlightened self-interest and fairness.
4. Add a company partner that embraces items two and three above and is willing to invest in the university.
5. Listen to what the community needs.
6. Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

In 2016 I feel compelled to add a step:

5.5 - Celebrate achievements by our faculty and students as recognized by their peers worldwide.

As I prepare to return to the faculty of CREOL - The College of Optics & Photonics after 18 years of leading UCF's research enterprise I want to share some final thoughts with my fellow faculty, with the staff that have so ably served in our office, and with my successor.

We have grown comfortable with the notion that the primary reason a university exists is to educate students and equip them to succeed in life.  We have accepted the additional mission of helping to grow our regional and state economy to help create good jobs for graduates.  Let's make sure this remains true.

Faculty members are the workhorses of the institution.  As we have grown into the nation's second largest university, despite some lean years of budget shortfalls, hiring freezes, and travel restrictions, our faculty have stood on the front lines adapting to increasing workloads and the shared responsibilities of conducting research and disseminating results.  Collectively they secure financial support for our students, as well as funds for the research portion of their education (equipment, materials, travel, etc.)  Of course they provide the formal instruction of the students, one-on-one mentoring in subject matter and professionalism, and help them secure employment. During the period of 2007 to 2012 UCF's state base budget was reduced by 49 percent, or $144M.  In the same period UCF's enrollment increased by 22 percent (over 10,000 additional students).  This was followed by gridlock in Washington DC and budget sequestration that resulted in fewer dollars available for research.  Our faculty soldiered on and during this period UCF advanced to Carnegie I status (Very High Research Activity).  Let's look out for our faculty.

We have worked hard to change the culture of the sponsored research office at UCF to one with a primary mission of service.  While we have made great inroads on that front, a relentless wave of compliance and legal requirements stand poised to once again detract from our need to serve.  We must re-double our efforts to insure that legal and compliance are services we provide to the faculty . . . not policy.  Be vigilant!

Since I started in this role in 1998 research funding has increased 260 percent.    We can call that an average of 14 percent a year although of course the living nature of extramural funding rarely falls into such clean categories.  Our largest funding increase in a single year, from 1999 to 2000, is 41 percent.  Of course the raw numbers were smaller - $37.5M to $52.8M, accounting for an impressive percentage.

I offer my deepest appreciation to our faculty and staff for their creativity and accomplishments during my term as vice president.  You made great strides in advancing the research mission of UCF.  Thank you!

The goal for the university is to achieve $250M in extramural funding by 2020 and bring us to the new plateau in funding and in growth of graduate programs.   Please give Dr. Elizabeth Klonoff ("Liz") the utmost respect and the support she will need to continue the work we have begun here.

If anyone would like to meet for a person-to-person chat you can find me in the CREOL building.

Liz, I invite you for a cup of coffee or an adult beverage - your choice.   Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Cheers!   MJ

Contact:  mj@mail.ucf.edu