Science Alliance Annual Report

Profile

Twenty-five years ago, in July 1984, the State of Tennessee pledged support to the Science Alliance as part of a new Centers of Excellence program. Centers of Excellence build upon and expand the research strengths of The University of Tennessee and other campuses across the state. The total budget of Tennessee’s Centers of Excellence—$17.7 million—serves as “seed” money to attract external funding to the state. Selected in 1984 through a statewide competition, the Science Alliance is one of 26 Centers of Excellence in the state. The center’s programs follow a two-fold directive: to improve science and engineering research at UT Knoxville and to expand joint research ventures with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Research and educational outreach at the center focus on areas of strategic interest to The University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. ORNL, the largest Department of Energy multi-purpose national laboratory, is managed by UT-Battelle, a 50-50 limited liability partnership between The University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute.

Spotlight on Science

In the midst of concern about economic stability, stewardship of public funds for science and engineering calls for new initiatives in healthcare, sustainable energy, environmental protection, agricultural stability, homeland security, and many other areas of vital concern. Science Alliance programs help ensure the public’s investment is well spent, building cross-disciplinary teams of chemists, physicists, biologists, mathematicians, computer scientists, and engineers addressing the most significant challenges of our time in a trio of converging fields: nanotechnology, information technology, and biotechnology.

This annual report highlights research sponsored by the Science Alliance during the fiscal year 2008–2009. In these pages we offer evidence of how to maximize the benefits of research funding by supporting the ideas and talents of our best scientists at the right time and in the right way. It is our pleasure to share this year of success and accomplishments with you.

Programmatic Report

Featured Topics

Joint Directed Research and Development Projects

Joint Directed Research and Development (JDRD) projects establish and build complementary areas of UT-ORNL research. Relatively small, JDRD grants concentrate on problems at critical developmental stages, where research results can provide strong arguments for increased awards and fruitful UT-ORNL connections.

UT-ORNL Governor's Chairs

The Governor’s Chair Program offers jointly appointed scientists and engineers competitive salaries, annual research funds, and start-up support for additional resources, such as related faculty appointments, research staff, and instrumentation.

UT-ORNL Distinguished Scientists

The Distinguished Scientist Program backs high-profile leadership appointments in science and engineering; all are internationally recognized leaders in their respective fields.

UT-ORNL Joint Institutes

Joint UT-ORNL institutes link distinct, complementary resources in select, high-priority scientific and engineering fields at UTK and ORNL. The institutes open the doors to leadership-class research instrumentation and computing facilities for university faculty world-wide. Equally important, joint institutes bring laboratory scientists within reach of rewarding teaching and mentoring experiences, less available at a national laboratory.

Other Ventures

Each year the Science Alliance contributes seed and matching funds to new research ideas and instrumentation, annual programs for students, and conferences that fall within the scope of its mission.

Plans for Fiscal Years 2010—2012

In Transition

In 2005, Tennessee’s new Governor’s Chair Program began to change the course of the Science Alliance UT-ORNL partnership-building agenda. Following a transformational strategy, the Governor’s Chair Program, under the guidance of the UT Office of the Executive Vice President, was charged with recruiting high-profile appointments to joint UT-ORNL appointments; this gave the Science Alliance the opportunity to explore other avenues for UT-ORNL support.

What’s next?

The Science Alliance will take advantage of the opportunity to refocus—to apply our resources to help the university crest the next hill. The center will focus on current needs, most especially 1) expanding the UTK-ORNL research base by increasing competitive external grants and contracts; and 2) stimulating the growth of jointly operated UTK-ORNL graduate education programs.

Funding the Future

A proven Tennessee investment, the Science Alliance should be funded to the greatest extent possible.