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UConn\u2019s research enterprise<\/a> has grown consistently over the last several years as measured by many metrics, including garnering a record-setting $375 million<\/a> in sponsored-program grant awards in the most recent fiscal year.<\/p>\n Support from the NSF was a critical part of that total, including a $40 million grant<\/a> \u2013 the University\u2019s highest yet \u2013 to advance molecular research nationally for chemistry, materials science, and bioscience.<\/p>\n Among the 26 federal grant-making agencies, the NSF is consistently one of the top funders of UConn research each year along with the National Institutes of Health. The projects that the NSF supports at UConn span multiple disciplines, including some that Maric described during Friday\u2019s panel discussion as she invited NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan to visit UConn\u2019s campuses to see the work in action.<\/p>\n Maric and Panchanathan were joined at the forum Friday along with roundtable leader U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and representatives from Yale, the City of New Haven, and private industry. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy also welcomed and thanked the participants remotely via a recorded video and UConn Interim President Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of UConn Health, followed the discussion via its webcast.<\/p>\n Maric made a particularly well-received point to emphasize that research for the sake of knowledge, while interesting, can be most impactful when universities and other agencies intentionally spread the word to help people understand how those innovations improve their lives and that of their families and friends.<\/p>\n \u201cScience goes into communities. It helps us as a society, and this is the message we have to all bring to the street and to the public, and to say in simple language,\u201d Maric said.<\/p>\n Panchanathan, Blumenthal, and the other participants praised Maric\u2019s point, with Blumenthal saying he and others want the world to know what UConn and Yale are accomplishing and how it makes a difference in the lives of everyday people.<\/p>\n \u201cThey should know how exciting and important this curiosity-driven research is in developing cures and treatments, and equally importantly in prevention,\u201d Blumenthal said.<\/p>\n In his recorded greetings, Sen. Murphy also emphasized the role that Connecticut-based educational institutions and others play in economic development and innovation, and the state\u2019s gratitude for the NSF\u2019s investments in its researchers\u2019 brainpower.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know the economic salvation of this nation and indeed the economic salvation of our state of Connecticut runs through the development of a science- and technology-based economy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Economic development is one of UConn\u2019s core research principles, which include many initiatives to support existing industries and create new fields with licenses, patents, and technology transfer.<\/p>\n UConn\u2019s core research priorities<\/a> also complement national topics of importance such as genomics and neuroscience, climate studies, cybersecurity, energy, personalized medicine, cancer detection and care, manufacturing innovations, and other areas.<\/p>\n Panchanathan was particularly complimentary of UConn\u2019s dedication to emerging fields in climate and green studies and medical areas, saying those are likely to be \u201cblockbusters\u201d in terms of innovation and that UConn is smart to create its niche of expertise in those areas.<\/p>\n UConn has more than 2,000 active researchers across its campuses and partners with about 150 institutions worldwide, according to information compiled by OVPR<\/a>. It is also one of only three U.S. members of the Universitas 21<\/a> network, the leading global network of research universities for the 21st century.<\/p>\n It also is excelling in other ways both institutionally and in terms of the achievements of individual researchers and teams, with multiple researchers selected<\/a> under the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program.<\/p>\n