Minutes - Sep 17, 2013

Date of Meeting: 

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Research Council

September 17, 2013; 9:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.

Members present:  Carolyn Colvin, Robert Kirby, Alberto Segre, Patricia Gillette, Scott Bounds, Johna Leddy, Michael Crawford, George Hospodarsky, Barbara Eckstein, William Haynes, Neil Segal, Alek Durumeric, Peterson Maina, Ed Gillan, Gary Gussin,  Daniel Reed, Vice President for Research, and Cheryl Reardon, Senior Assistant Vice President
 
Others in Attendance: Faculty Fellows Tom Scholz and Gigi Durham
 

Item 1:  Approval of Minutes

Minutes from the May 7, 2013 RC meeting were reviewed and approved.  
 

Item 2: Approval of the Research Council 2012-2013 report for submission to Faculty Senate

Carolyn Colvin, Research Council Chair, Associate Professor, Teaching and Learning introduced the report.  RC reviewed and approved the annual report with no changes.
 

Item 3: Comments & Announcements from VPR Reed

Daniel Reed, Vice President for Research and Economic Development
 
Introduction of Faculty Fellows:  VPR Reed introduced Meenakshi (Gigi) Durham, PhD, Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and Thomas Scholz, MD, Professor of Pediatrics as the first two of OVPR’s Faculty Fellows.  The goal of bringing in Faculty Fellows is to create a broader pipeline and to further engagement with the University of Iowa’s faculty, ultimately creating a broader connection to campus.  OVPR will issue another solicitation for Faculty Fellows later this year.
 
Gigi Durham introduced herself and spoke about her goals as a Faculty Fellow, specifically the desire to develop a strategic communication plan for research working closely with Assistant Vice President Ann Rickets.
 
Tom Scholz introduced himself and spoke about his goals as a Faculty Fellow, specifically to learn more about what goes on around the university, its core facilities, and the Institute for Clinical and Translational Science.
 
Strategic Funding Initiatives:  
  • UI will analyze its intellectual property portfolio and its process for tech transfer.  
  • Internal Funding Initiatives:  Look to increase internal funding and encourage multiple domains to come together with proposals.  There will be a response to proposals three times annually.
  • Lewis and Burke:  OVPR has retained Lewis and Burke (LB) to help UI increase its profile in Washington, D.C.  This will foment new opportunities on campus.  Lewis & Burke was chosen for this role, after an open solicitation for the contract, because they are the best known group and specialize in issues relating to large research institutions.  Specifically UI looks to increase its research portfolio with NSF, DOE, DOD, etc… 
  1. LB will be on campus October 2 to October 4 to help them understand campus and to help UI faculty and staff to understand their role
  2. Research Council members will have an opportunity to sit down with representatives from LB during this visit.
  3. LB will return in November where UI will host a kick-off event or Ideation Summit; an energizing event to get people thinking about different ways to utilize LB, how to get different areas on campus working together, and to create an ongoing mechanism for collaboration
  • Rewards and Recognition: this program is designed as an incentive for researchers and a way to recognize the excellence in research at UI.  The council was asked for input regarding the awards in general as well as the value of the awards:
  1. The amount of the award is less important than the award itself but should be large enough to show regard for the accomplishment, but not so large that it isn’t affordable
  2. It was suggested that the award(s) not necessarily be given annually, but only in cases where it is truly merited.
  3. It was suggested that the awards could be combined with undergraduate and mentor awards (same Awards and Recognition Ceremony)
  4. Awards program is targeted to be announced in November with a recognition event in April
  5. Initiation is nomination based through a “Call for Nominations” where peers and DEO’s make nominations.  Nomination process should be broad-based
  • Broader Engagement: 
  1. UI will look at the future of the Pentacrest Museums hoping to project a greater presence for their exhibits, possibly taking some ‘on the road’ around Iowa.  
  2. UI will look to hire staff for more practical engagement with the state to promote economic development (how to help startups, existing companies, and make a difference around the state).  Want to look at state-wide perspectives of UI.  There is a desire around the state for UI to increase engagement and outreach to local economic development groups, rotary clubs, community colleges, etc…  UI needs to do a more coordinated job of telling ‘our story’.  Researchers need to focus on communicating their ideas and work to a broader group of ‘non-experts’.
  3. Gigi Durham will work to create faculty media training programs to help researchers/staff to with communication, i.e. ‘create a sound bite’ for their work
  4. There will be an OVPR open house on October 11 to kickoff/highlight the “Dare to Discover” branding campaign

 

Item 4: Publication Waiver Subcommittee updates

Johna Leddy, Associate Professor, Chemistry
The Publications Waiver Subcommittee would like to recruit new members (the subcommittee reviews waiver applications and decides whether or not waivers will be granted on a case-by-case basis).  The committee meets on an ad hoc basis, expecting between two and six cases to be reviewed each year.  Research council members volunteering to serve on the Publications Waiver Subcommittee are Carolyn Colvin, Patricia Gillette, Scott Bounds, William Haynes, and Alek Durumeric.
 

Item 5: Preview of Fall Research Council Agenda/Other Items 

  • Bill Haynes asked that the Research Council take up a discussion of bridge funding and specifically wondered who is eligible for lab space?  Are labs designated for only faculty?  How can bridge funding support partnerships between staff and faculty?
  • Members suggested a future discussion of the ways to effectively form partnerships across campus including a discussion of how to bridge the differing cultures that exist on campus?  How can we introduce people and ideation and engage the social imagination?  
  • A Tour of the West side of campus is planned for members of the Research Council.  Details will be announced.
  • In light of the connections between public engagement and economic development, there was a suggestion to continue the discussion on engagement launched during meetings of last year’s Research Council.