Noted Polar Scientist Named to the National Academy of Sciences
Ellen Moseley-Thompson, a world-class renowned expert in global climate change and its effects leading to the loss of the world's glaciers, has been named to the National Academy of Sciences.
The Office of Research annually honors senior researchers for their exceptional scholarly accomplishments and younger faculty members for their demonstrated scholarly potential. Distinguished Scholars receive a research grant of $20,000 to be used over three years and a $3,000 honorarium.
On February 17th, 2009 President Obama signed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Bill). The bill supports a number of activities of importance to The Ohio State University, including significantly increased support for investigator-initiated research programs, as well as support for major instrumentation and research facilities. While general funding levels have been established, agency specific implementation plans are still in development. This site will provide the research community with additional information as it becomes available.
Centers for Innovation and Innovation Groups (Revised 1/21/2009)
Issues and problems of global dimension are affecting the quality of the human condition as never before. These include poverty, hunger, health and disease, climate change, economic systems, industrial competitiveness, societal dynamics, art and culture, and access to energy.
One characteristic of such problems is that their understanding and resolution do not lie within the neat boundaries of existing scholarly disciplines. Indeed, the complexity and nuances of these problems are such that not only must multiple disciplinary perspectives be brought to focus but, often, totally new paradigms must be evolved. In addition, these issues are of such importance that questions of developing public and private policy approaches to their resolution cannot be ignored.
As a means of encouraging trans-institutional and interdisciplinary scholarship that addresses these global theoretical and applied issues beyond the boundaries of individual disciplines, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Research are creating a program to support the formation of Centers for Innovation and Innovation Groups.
2009 Institute for Energy and the Environment Research and Campus Sustainability Grants Available
The Ohio State Institute for Energy and the Environment (IEE) has released an RFP making available up to $350,000 for multidisciplinary research and campus sustainability project grants. Faculty, staff, and students may apply. The deadline for applications is April 3, 2009. Contact: potter.138@osu.edu. Click here for RFP.
Please visit the IEE website at iee.osu.edu for additional information on funding opportunities, researchers working on energy and environmental issues, campus sustainability, partnerships, and student activities. The website also contains a searchable research database.
Sharell Mikesell to Lead New Industry Liaison Office
In an effort to foster economic development opportunities within Ohio and beyond, the Office of Research is pleased to announce the opening of the Industry Liaison Office (ILO). The ILO will serve as the "gateway" to Ohio State innovation and expertise, connecting business and industry to Ohio State's vast network of resources - locally, nationally and internationally.
Serving as the hub for an exchange of information about new discoveries at the frontiers of science and technology, the ILO will help potential industry partners gain access to Ohio State's emerging technologies and ground-breaking research, state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge equipment and instrumentation, highly-qualified students looking for internship and employment opportunities, and training and education programs.
Sharell Mikesell, PhD has been named associate vice president directing the ILO. Since July 2005, Mikesell has served as the co-director for the Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices (CMPND) centered at Ohio State. CMPND is Ohio's first state-funded multi-university center in nanotechnology funded by the Ohio Department of Development's Third Frontier Program.
Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee announced the appointment of Caroline C. Whitacre as vice president for research.
Whitacre had been serving as interim vice president for research since August. She was formerly associate vice president for Health Sciences research and vice dean for research in the College of Medicine at The Ohio State University Medical Center. From the time of her appointment as vice dean in 2001, OSU Medical Center total research awards increased from $97.3 million to $171.8 million in 2007.
She is a professor and former chair of the Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics and a leading authority on autoimmune disease. Her research focuses on the immunological mechanism and gender differences in multiple sclerosis.
Whitacre has received continuous research support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1982. She currently has five NIH grants as well as several other funding awards from the Health Resources and Services Administration and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Whitacre was selected for the College of Medicine Teaching Award on three occasions. She received her Ph.D. in medical microbiology from Ohio State in 1975 and has been a faculty member in the College of Medicine since 1981. She also is the recipient of a 2008 Ohio State Distinguished Scholar Award.
"Carol is an innovative, highly successful researcher who also brings an exceptional record of administrative leadership. As interim vice president she proved uncommonly effective, and I am excited about the continued research momentum she will help to advance," Gee said.
As vice president for research, Whitacre will oversee the university's efforts to stimulate new research and support ongoing activities, which currently include $720 million in research expenditures. Whitacre replaces Robert McGrath, who left the university in August for a position with Battelle.
Five Ohio State Collaborations Receive Ohio Research Scholars Funding
Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher, Chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission and Eric Fingerhut, Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents announced more than $143 million in Ohio Research Scholars Awards on May 20, 2008. The Ohio Research Scholars Program aggressively invests in the attraction of senior research talent and related facilities and equipment to Ohio universities with the goal of better aligning research investments with economic development in the state.
Twenty-six endowed faculty positions will be funded at universities across the state. Ohio State will receive funding for seven scholars. Attached to each position is a $2.5 million endowment and $300,000 in operating expenses.
Ohio State will:
Lead a partnership with the University of Akron and the University of Dayton to expand an existing research cluster working to accelerate materials science innovation and commercialization (Award: $18,153,846)
Lead a partnership with Ohio University and Case Western Reserve University to establish a cluster in Advanced Energy Systems (Award: $10,476,924)
Lead a partnership with Case Western Reserve University and Wright State University to develop a network of biomedical imaging excellence (Award: $24,867,308)
Collaborate with the University of Cincinnati and the University of Dayton to accelerate the growth of an existing research cluster in power and propulsion (Award: $27,292,308)
Collaborate with the University of Dayton and Wright State University to develop the Ohio Academic Research Cluster for Layered Sensing (Award: $23,448,718)
2009 Institute for Energy and the Environment Research and Campus Sustainability Grants Available
In an effort to foster economic development opportunities within Ohio and beyond, the Office of Research is pleased to announce the opening of the Industry Liaison Office (ILO). The ILO will serve as the "gateway" to Ohio State innovation and expertise, connecting business and industry to Ohio State's vast network of resources - locally, nationally and internationally. 
Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee announced the appointment of Caroline C. Whitacre as vice president for research.