Research%20Programs%20In%20the%20College%20of%20Agriculture%20and%20Life%20Sciences

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Research Programs In the College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences
Positioning Ourselves for the Future

• Dr. David Smith, Director
• North Carolina Agricultural Research Service

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We are here to educate students and to create
new knowledge through our research. And, of
course, in Land Grant Universities , a third leg
of that stool is to extend that information and
see that it has value.. What I found that I
enjoyed the most about academic administration
was helping others be successful. You cannot be
fulfilled in an academic administrative role if
you dont enjoy creating an environment where
other people can be successful. Because it cant
be about you. Its got to be about the students
and the faculty. Chancellor Randy
Woodson Spring 2010
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The Knowledge Pipeline
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CALS Research

• Our research is about outcome that enriches the
  lives of our citizens.
• Healthy, safe, and sustainable food.
• Healthy population with access to effective
  therapies.
• Diverse ecosystems and sustainable environment.
• Renewable and affordable energy.
• Economic development

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CALS Research

• Our programs impact every citizen in North
  Carolina
• Our agricultural programs directly support the
  states largest industry and 700,000 jobs
• Our human health, food safety, and wellness
  programs impact everyone.
• Our work in ecosystem diversity, environmental
  protection, and land use impact urban and rural
  citizens.

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NC State

• Is the largest university in the UNC System.
• NCARS has the third largest ARS budget in the
  USA.
• We have both agriculture and life science
  faculty.
• We are positioned to succeed!

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The strength of our program is our people
NCARS is supported by over 1,000 faculty, staff
and graduate students
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Examples of Research Diversity

• Crop and animal production systems
• Applied genomics in plant, animal, and microbial
  systems
• Structural biology, metabolomics, and systems
  biology
• Quantitative, computational biology, and
  bioinformactics
• Plant Breeding
• Aquaculture, fisheries, and livestock biology
• Integrated crop protection systems

• Bioprocessing and value enhancement of food,
  fiber, and bioenergy crops.
• Ornamentals, turfgrasses, small fruits, and
  vegetables
• Food security and safety
• Animal nutrition
• Animal welfare and behavioral biology
• Ecosystem Sciences and climate change
• Human nutrition and health
• Market function and impact of policy on markets

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Balanced Portfolio of Research

• Agricultural programs and life sciences
• Commodity support and competitive grants
• Hypothesis driven research and the generation of
  intellectual property
• Discovery, translational research and service
• Production agriculture and human health

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Success Occurs Through Teamwork
Leadership
Talent
Common Goal
Resources
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NCARS Expenditures127.8 million
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Message

• The ratio of appropriated to external support is
  about 1 to 1.
• External funding doubles our capacity to conduct
  research.
• Appropriated and external support are both
  important.
• Attention to state needs is important in
  maintaining state funding and thus our capacity
  to obtain extramural funding.
• Appropriated support will decline over time and
  external support must increase to maintain
  program.

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Appropriated Support for Agricultural Research
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Competitive Grant Support for Agricultural
Research
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Message

• Our appropriated funding is among the highest in
  the USA.
• Our competitive funding is respectable, but at
  least some of our peer institutions are doing
  better than us.
• The competition is high and success is variable.
• Graduate and technical support on grants will be
  constantly at risk.

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Message

• Our large appropriated budget and our commodity
  support are a strength.
• But, they can become a weakness if we become
  complacent and are not aggressive in the
  competitive arena.
• We are diverse enough that we can do both.

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CALS Research Contracts FY 2009
50,755,662
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Federal Sponsors of CALS Research
FY 2009 23,675,107
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Research Support from Selected Sponsors
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AFRI Priority Science Areas

• Global Food Security and Hunger
• Climate Change
• Sustainable Energy
• Childhood Obesity
• Food Safety

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USDA Competitive Funding
Year Number of Awards Total Funding Funding per Award
2005 155 16,776,679 108,237
2006 181 17,828,093 98,498
2007 152 11,929,904 78,486
2008 167 16,166,647 96,806
2009 182 9,808,242 53,891
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USDA Funding FY 2009
13/18 Dept. 165 faculty
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NSF and NIH Funding FY 2009
10/18 Dept. 87 Faculty
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Message

• In 2009, USDA supported 155 projects involving
  165 faculty in 13 departments.
• Current AFRI priorities may not result in reduced
  funding but it will greatly reduce the number of
  faculty.
• NIH and NSF supported 84 projects involving 74
  faculty in 9 departments.
• Core facility upgrades to compete in human health
  arena.

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Message

• Competition for federal funding is very high.
• Variability among years.
• Opportunities to increase funding in human health
  and environment.
• Some faculty/departments are not competitive in
  current national priorities.

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Opportunities
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Increase Collaborations with Industry When There
is Mutual Benefit

• Universities offer significant intellectual
  capacity and infrastructure which result in lower
  development costs than in-house RD.
• IP and scholarship issues must be addressed.

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Grant Support vs. IP

• In 2009
• CALS faculty generated 50,755,662 in contract
  income which resulted in 6,355,621 in FA to
  NCSU.
• The net return to CALS was 1,251,936 and
  685,655 to departments.
• In 2008
• CALS generated 2,205,920 in royalty income (61
  of NCSU receipts). The net return to CALS was
  626,771 and 313,386 was available for return to
  departments.

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Message

• NCSU is among the best of our peers in IP sharing
  with the inventor.
• There is institutional and personal recognition
  for patents issued.
• But, the total return to the units is low
  compared to grant income and FA.
• Financially, we are better off pursuing grants
  and contracts and being less concerned about
  total ownership of IP.

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Additional Opportunities

• Formalize and expand international programs.
• AFRI shift is positive for some. Build
  multidisciplinary and institutional
  collaborations.
• Increased NC Biotech Center interest in Ag
  Biotech (30 in 10 intiative).
• Human Health and Environment

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Agrosphere Modeling for Producing Large Increases
in Food Yield (AMPLIFY)-An NC State University
initiative for high intensity sustainable
agriculture (led by Payne and Boston)
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Challenges

• Resource allocation
• Commodity support vs. need to grow the life
  sciences
• Startup and matching commitments.
• Investment in research capability rather than
  direct investment in research.
• Core facilities vs. technical support
• One size approach to funding doesnt work.
• Remove silo funding?
• Separate admin/budget for life science vs. ag?

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Talking Points (Internal Priorities)

• Intellectual property and revenue sharing with
  units.
• Source of funding and eligibility for GSSP.
• CALS share of student growth is critical for life
  science growth.
• A great university depends on a great faculty. We
  need to support not hinder faculty productivity.
• University processes, OH on TSA, gift fees.

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Trends in U.S. demographics, farm numbers, farm
size, and land in farms, 18502006
After 10,000 Years of Agriculture, Whither
Agronomy? Previously Published in Agron. J.
1002234 (2008) Fred P. Miller
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Corn and Soybean Yields in the USA
High Yield Potential
Low Yield Potential
Comparison of Corn and Soybean Yields in the
United States Historical Trends and Future
Prospects Published in Agron J 10079-88
(2008)D. B. Egli
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Trends in Irrigation, 1900-2002

• America's irrigated land constitutes one sixth of
  the nation's harvested cropland but accounts for
  one third of the country's agricultural
  productivity and about half of the value of all
  crops.
• But this irrigated land accounts for about 40 of
  America's fresh water withdrawals and more than
  80 of the nation's consumptive fresh water use.
• In 2000, the nation's irrigated agriculture
  withdrew 59 of its water needs from surface
  water sources. Groundwater supplied the remaining
  41, a percentage that has been increasing

After 10,000 Years of Agriculture, Whither
Agronomy? Previously Published in Agron. J.
1002234 (2008) Fred P. Miller
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The Case for Research

• 25,000 people die each day from chronic
  malnutrition and about 3/4 of the deaths are
  children.
• Global population will increase 38 by 2050.
• World food demand will double by 2050 50 from
  population growth and 50 from economic growth.