The Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and The Science Coalition (TSC) today released highlighted examples of the important scientific work happening across the country as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The brief report summarizes just a handful of the thousands of projects benefiting from stimulus dollars.
Stimulus funding is fueling research projects at universities across America, and the United States will reap the benefits for decades to come. The investment in science and engineering provided by the ARRA is adding to the nation's collective body of knowledge and helping to fuel discovery and innovation in critical areas like biomedical research and alternative energy. It is also supporting employment and contributing to training our next generation of scientists, engineers, doctors and researchers.
The bulk of funding for research under the ARRA is being provided through the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Science Foundation (NSF), although many other federal agencies also are providing stimulus funds for research.
Examples include the University of Washington's research into the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems. A University of Nevada, Reno biochemist is working to understand how plants adapt and thrive in warm, dry climates - knowledge that will be important as global warming may make such climates more widespread. ARRA-funded research at the University of Illinois at Chicago aims to help elderly and disabled people remain independent with robots that can comprehend speech altered by impairments. Stimulus grants to UCLA and Vanderbilt University will help develop future leaders in clean technology and global health research, respectively. Researchers at Emory University are taking a new approach to understanding the genes behind schizophrenia, while stimulus-funded research at Stanford University is studying the roots of pain in the brain - work relevant to pain management, addiction, cognitive development, depression and brain injury.
The attached summary is meant to be illustrative, not exhaustive. ARRA-funded research is happening in every state in the country. For more information, contact one of the people listed above or [email protected].
AAU, APLU, and TSC collectively represent more than 200 of the nation's leading academic research institutions. The associations advocated for inclusion of research funding in the ARRA because basic research produces both immediate and long-term economic impact, and will lead to solutions to many of the greatest challenges facing our country. Basic research is the foundation on which the U.S. will improve energy efficiency, reduce dependence on foreign oil, deploy 21st century technologies, save lives, and help bring down the cost of health care. In many communities, research universities are the largest employers and a vital component of the local economy.
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