NSF's Support for University Research: Prof. Sirimali Fernando Shares Insights
National Science Foundation (NSF) supports research in universities through grants, scholarships, international collaborations, and promoting scientific publications. This support fosters innovation, social and economic development, and benefits society. Research at universities generates valuable outputs, patents, and revenue, contributing to knowledge creation and commercialization. The worth of patents and research investments is evident, with successful examples like SLINTEC's Nano fertilizer patent sale. Additionally, the impact of research in fields like medicine, as seen from the discoveries leading to drugs like Enbrel and Humira, highlights the importance of university research and its contributions to humanity.
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Presentation Transcript
Why and How NSF supports Research in Universities? Prof. Sirimali Fernando Chairperson, NSF
S & T Development Act 1994 Make research grants Grants schemes Award scholarships and fellowships International Liaison Sri Lankan scientists to participate in meetings and short term research work outside Sri Lanka Promote return of Sri Lankan scientists Popularization of science amongst the people Publication of one or more journals at the national level
Lab/ field level Research Product or process Development Policy direction/ guidelines Beyond Research Large scale production/ use Commercialization INNOVATION Welfare of the people Social Development Economic development
Research and University Development Research Output Papers Visibility Evidence based policies or Generate Revenue Attract Funding Best Faculty Patents Best Students Credibility Attract industry Products
Research into Rupees ? Opportunities R&D Services Create / value addition to products/ processes upscale and commercialize sold in the market with revenue generation Knowledge through R&D generates Intellectual property (IP) which is a traded Contract R&D Consultancies Testing services
What are patents actually worth? The median value of the European patents (1993- 1997) was 300,000, with 10% of patent owners reporting values of 10 million or more. Study on Evaluation of the Knowledge Economy What are Patents Actually Worth (A survey of 9000 (of 20,000 ) patent owners who filed EPO patents between 1993 and 1997. ) Published by EU, 2005 SLINTEC sold one of its patents on Nano fertilizer for US $ 3 million 26/09/2011 Sirimali Fernando 7
The Pay Back Enbrel $5.867 X 108 Rituxan $3.88 X 106 Prof. Bruce Beutler Soluble TNF receptor Immune cell inhibitors Discovery of TNF In 1986 TNF Research IL-1 inhibitors Targeting TNF Cancer therapeutics? Anti-TNF monoclonal antibodies Kineret 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Remicade $5.46 X 108 Humira $5.04X108 Cimzia $7.94X108 2009 global pharmaceutical revenue in US $ based on TNF Julia Lane and Stefano Bertuzzi , Science vol 331:11 February 2011
The $3.8 billion spent on the HGP may well represent the best single investment ever made in science Battelle, 2011 Every $1 of HGP investment has helped to generate $141 in the US economy (2011)
Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2013-2014 Based on 13 performance indicators - grouped into five areas: Teaching: the learning environment (30 %) Research: volume, income and reputation (30 %) Citations: research influence (30 %) Industry income: innovation (2.5 %) International outlook: staff, students and research (7.5 %).
13 Indicators used for World University Ranking % Perceived prestige of University in both research and teaching 15% Staff-to-student ratio 9 out of 13 based on Research 4.5% Ratio of doctoral to bachelor's degrees awarded 2.25% No of doctorates awarded by an university compared to no of academics 6% University income scaled against academic staff numbers, adjusted ppp 2.25% University's reputation for research excellence among its peers 18% University research income, scaled against staff numbers and PPP normalised 6% Number of papers published in the indexed academic journals 6% No. of times a university's published work is cited 30% Research income a university earns from industry (scaled to no of academics) 2.5% The ratio of international to domestic students 2.5% The ratio of international to domestic staff 2.5% The proportion of a university's total research journal publications that have at least one international co-author 2.5% 100%
Award of Doctoral Degrees from Sri Lankan Universities - 2014 Proportion of Postgraduate degrees in 2014 No of Research Degrees awarded in 2014 67, 1% 129, 2% Only 50% (33 of 67) in science related areas 48 13 16 17 21 5 8 13 9 7 6 5 3 3 3 2 1 CMB PDN USJP KLN MTW JFN RHN WMB PGIS PGIA 5518, 97% Other Postgraduate degrees PhDs Mphils PhDs Mphils Source: Sri Lanka University Statistics 2014, UGC
NSF support for research Grants to support research and development Research personnel (Res Scientists, Res. Assistants, Technical Assistants) Equipment and repair Consumables and Field visits Overseas Training and collaborations (esp. in high tech areas) OSTP and IPSAT Support for patents and publications Support for Scientific Literature NSF research databases, Sri Lanka Journals online Document delivery facility/ inter-library loans - research literature Award schemes for postgraduate research degrees For research students NSF Scholarships For Supervisors SUSRED Support for research output NSF merit awards for research Support for Publications JNSF, payments to indexed/ high impact journal Support for Patenting searches, documentation, application, fees Support for research communication locally/abroad (Travel grants) Technology grants
Other NSF Grants Technology Grants Schemes at NSF 1. Support for Technology Development 2. Support for Start up Businesses based on new technologies Grants to support International Liaison 1. Travel Grants 2. Overseas Science and technology Programme (OSTP) 3. International Science and Technology Partnerships (IPSAT) 4. Grants to support international research projects (scheme being developed) Grants to support dissemination of knowledge and skills 1. Support for conferences , seminars and workshops 2. Support for scientific publications (including monographs) 3. Payments to publish in indexed/ high impact journal
Institutional set up to make University Research more meaningful patents End user demand up- scaling Dedicated Institutional Set-up Collabo rators busin dev Spin- offs start ups Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have It s not about money Its about the people you have and how you are led and how much you get it - Steve Jobs (1998)
