Archived article from January 24, 2007
Furmanski described some of the major challenges and achievements in New Brunswick over the past year. Foremost among the challenges were dealing with severe cuts to funding from the state. "There were many painful cuts that had to be implemented, but we survived," Furmanski said. "Most of our programs are still intact, and we continue to develop and invest in our highest priority initiatives." He expressed appreciation to people in New Brunswick and on all campuses who helped mitigate the effects of the cuts.
Initiatives involving stem cell research got a boost when the governor and the state Legislature allocated $270 million toward the initiative in the state. University officials are working with the state on a new $230 million bond issue that would be used to provide operating support to get the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey up and running.
Furmanski said that many faculty won prestigious awards and honors since his last visit to the University Senate. Among them:
Other prestigious award winners were:
The faculty generated nearly $300 million in external research support, an increase of about 25 percent since 2003, Furmanski said. The university executed 35 licensing options and was awarded 21 new patents.
A group of Rutgers computer science students are on their way to Tokyo in March. A team of students from New Brunswick and Piscataway captured first place in the International Collegiate Programming Contest, beating teams from Cornell, Princeton, Yale, and many other colleges and universities. The Rutgers team also was one of only three teams to have completed eight problems in the competition. The team is going to the world championships in Tokyo in March.
Furmanski highlighted the creation of new centers and institutes, including:
In closing, Furmanski told the senate that one of the highest educational priorities is in the area of International and global studies. Rutgers already leads in many ethnic and geographical area studies. A major goal is to dramatically increase the number of Rutgers students who pursue international study while they are undergraduates.
"We live in a global society, we work in a global economy, and we are deeply affected by global geopolitics. New Jersey itself is among the most global of our states. Our core industries are all global in nature," Furmanski said. "The major companies that are located here are nearly all international in their focus. We are in one of the most ethnically diverse states. And we are a center for global transportation, local communications and global relations. We need to take advantage of these assets and incorporate them into our educational and research programs."
On Campus
State of the New Brunswick Campus
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Philip Furmanski delivered his annual address to the University Senate on the state of the New Brunswick Campus at the January 19 meeting of the senate.
Furmanski described some of the major challenges and achievements in New Brunswick over the past year. Foremost among the challenges were dealing with severe cuts to funding from the state. "There were many painful cuts that had to be implemented, but we survived," Furmanski said. "Most of our programs are still intact, and we continue to develop and invest in our highest priority initiatives." He expressed appreciation to people in New Brunswick and on all campuses who helped mitigate the effects of the cuts. Highlighting achievements in transforming undergraduate education in New Brunswick, Furmanski said the university is well under way to welcome the new class that starts in fall 2007. "There is a lot more that needs to be done, but we are well along in the process. We will be very successful in the transition to this new structure," Furmanski said.
Initiatives involving stem cell research got a boost when the governor and the state Legislature allocated $270 million toward the initiative in the state. University officials are working with the state on a new $230 million bond issue that would be used to provide operating support to get the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey up and running.
Furmanski said that many faculty won prestigious awards and honors since his last visit to the University Senate. Among them:
- Psychology Professor Rochele Gelman and Mathematics Professor Henryk Iwaniec were elected to the National Academy of Sciences
- Gaetano Montelione of molecular biology and biochemistry and Amy Cohen of mathematics were named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Other prestigious award winners were:
- Roger Baum, Geography
- Joan Bennett, Plant Science
- József Böröcz, Sociology
- Susan Carroll, Political Science
- Bernard Coleman, Engineering
- Ahmed Elgammal, Computer Science
- Lloyd Gardner, History
- Charles Gallistel, Psychology
- Conrad Herwig, Music
- Benjamin Hicks, Classics
- Alan Horowitz, Sociology
- Dennis Kent, Geology
- Gabriel Kotliar, Physics and Astronomy
- Joel Leibowitz, Mathematics
- Terry McGuire, Genetics
- Nancy McWilliams, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
- Donna Murch, History
- Thomas Nozkowski, Visual Arts
- Dorothy Strickland, Graduate School of Education
- Dan Tanner, Graduate School of Education
- Keith Wailoo, History
- Laura White, Italian
- John Yau, Visual Arts
The faculty generated nearly $300 million in external research support, an increase of about 25 percent since 2003, Furmanski said. The university executed 35 licensing options and was awarded 21 new patents.
A group of Rutgers computer science students are on their way to Tokyo in March. A team of students from New Brunswick and Piscataway captured first place in the International Collegiate Programming Contest, beating teams from Cornell, Princeton, Yale, and many other colleges and universities. The Rutgers team also was one of only three teams to have completed eight problems in the competition. The team is going to the world championships in Tokyo in March.
Furmanski highlighted the creation of new centers and institutes, including:
- The Rutgers Energy Institute, established to work on alternative energy strategies with the long-term goal of helping reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Rutgers researchers are working with scientists in Maryland, California, and elsewhere to begin to develop major research programs and to acquire major research grants.
- Rutgers' designation by the National Science Foundation as an Engineering Excellence Research Center in the area of pharmaceutical manufacturing. The $15 million grant involves scientists from biomedical engineering, pharmacy, chemistry, manufacturing technology, and other areas within the university. They are working with scientists from Purdue University, NJIT, and the University of Puerto Rico.
- The Center for Race and Ethnicity, designed to facilitate research and enrich education on matters of race and ethnicity in contemporaty life in New Jersey and around the world. The first project is an analysis of Hurricane Katrina and what the disaster revealed about racial and socioeconomic class relations in this nation.
In closing, Furmanski told the senate that one of the highest educational priorities is in the area of International and global studies. Rutgers already leads in many ethnic and geographical area studies. A major goal is to dramatically increase the number of Rutgers students who pursue international study while they are undergraduates.
"We live in a global society, we work in a global economy, and we are deeply affected by global geopolitics. New Jersey itself is among the most global of our states. Our core industries are all global in nature," Furmanski said. "The major companies that are located here are nearly all international in their focus. We are in one of the most ethnically diverse states. And we are a center for global transportation, local communications and global relations. We need to take advantage of these assets and incorporate them into our educational and research programs."