With State Support Sagging, Strong Research Funding Proves Vital

Paul K. Mueller | August 22, 2011

UC San Diego

With the campus facing a $70.5-million cut this year – a 25.8 percent reduction in state funding for 2011-2012 – funding for research is more vital than ever.

As state support continues to decline, therefore, it’s good news that campus research teams competed for and received more than $960 million dollars for research in fiscal year 2011.

The campus surpassed the billion-dollar research funding milestone last year, helped by more than $160 million in federal stimulus funds.

“This year, without that stimulus funding, and in very tough economic times, we brought in more than $960 million – our second-best year for funding,” said Vice Chancellor for Research Sandra Brown. 

“That level of funding will enable key projects in medicine, science, oceanography, engineering, social sciences and the arts to progress, and to keep our talented people engaged in their work.

“The funding numbers are a testament to the extraordinary efforts of research teams across campus – faculty, postdoctoral scholars, students and staff – and the active support of Research Affairs.”

The total of $960,241,532 in awards came from agencies including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and the State of California, among other sources.

Of that total, Health Sciences accounted for $517,951,223, or 53.9 percent; the general campus accounted for $313,198,317, or 32.6 percent; and Scripps Institution of Oceanography accounted for $129,091,992, or 13.4 percent.

UC San Diego drew in a record $1,059,326,359 in fiscal year 2010, thanks partly to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds of more than $160 million.

“While the 2011 research funds fall short of that milestone, by $99,084,827, or 9.4 percent,” Brown said, “our scholars and scientists worked very hard to contend for the available research funding, with very impressive results in a challenging economic climate. I think that strong level of support shows that funding agencies recognize the importance of the kinds of research we do here.”