The University of Wisconsin and UW-Milwaukee announced a joint grant program this week that would create collaborative research initiatives between the two universities.
Currently, UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee are offering $300,000 in grants through the Intercampus Research Incentive Grants Program, according to UW-Milwaukee spokesperson Tom Luljak. Each university is contributing half of the total with money generated through donations.
Luljak said it has not been determined if it will be an annual grant, but after the first year the program will be reevaluated and retailored.
One of the goals of the program, aside from providing faculty collaboration through research opportunities, is to create initiatives that would draw additional funding, said UW-Madison Vice Chancellor for Community Relations, Vince Sweeney.
Sweeney said in a perfect world, the investment in funds and the research resulting from the program would draw additional funding from other public and private sources.
All research funded through the joint grant program must be coordinated between the two campuses, although this does not mean that researchers from UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee must be on the same premises to work together, Luljak said.
Luljak said technology would remove barriers between the universities, allowing an easy flow of information.
The proximity of the universities also makes on-campus research possible, Luljak added. The 80-mile drive also allows for researchers to switch off visiting campuses to work.
“Our chancellors believe that we have something wonderful. We want to bring together the best minds and ensure proposals have most promise and greatest outcome,” Luljak said. “While it is not uncommon for faculty on different campuses to collaborate — and the universities have collaborated before — they have not on a scale like the joint grant program. The grants do not only go to scientific research, but also reach out broadly to all areas of academia.”
The types of projects that have the potential to be selected for funding range from biomedical engineering to humanities. The research would incorporate undergraduate research along with faculty driven projects. Research collaboration between the universities also aims to benefit the state of Wisconsin.
“Faculty lives are dedicated to research and discovery. [The Intercampus Research Incentive Grants Program] is one more faculty avenue to expand their work. It really can extend scholarly research and bring it to the classroom,” Luljak said.
The Board of Regents funded three research projects for UW-Milwaukee during the Board of Regents Jan. 8 meeting. The projects includedde replacing a research vessel, building a research complex and expanding the campus to Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital.
UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Carlos Santiago hoped for UW-Milwaukee to build credibility as a research university.
“These ambitions will be a compliment to the partnership between UW-Milwaukee and UW, not a conflict.” Sweeney said. “I think anytime is a good time when it comes to partnership. There is room for both institutions to challenge research and there is research to be done.”
Luljak said a committee comprised of representatives from the two universities will decide on the first research project to receive funding in spring 2010.