Reader's View: University Collaboration, State is benefitting from campuses working together
By Pamela Crowell, Jack McIver & Mark Rudin
First published by the Idaho Statesman on May 6, 2010.
By its nature, research is a collaborative endeavor. Progress and innovation often rely on the expertise and insights of talented researchers from diverse backgrounds who work together to address complex questions.
By pooling resources, sharing ideas and focusing on what matters most, researchers are able to leverage their unique skills to accomplish far more than anyone could do alone.
What's true for individual researchers also is true for the research programs of Idaho's three public universities. Our greatest strength lies in our ability and commitment to work together to address issues of concern and relevance for the citizens of Idaho and the nation. While much attention is given to competition among universities, particularly in the athletic arena, the impact of our collaborations far exceeds that of our contests.
The citizens of Idaho - regardless if they consider themselves Vandals, Broncos, Bengals or any number of other affiliations - are the beneficiaries of our ongoing commitment to working together. Our statewide programs in such areas as biomedicine, hydrology and energy research are helping address issues critical to our state and the nation while also providing opportunities to prepare our students for challenging and rewarding careers.
These research successes, in turn, drive further progress by attracting top students and faculty to Idaho institutions and encouraging businesses and start-up firms to locate here.
One needs to look no further than a map of Idaho to grasp why a statewide approach to research is so important. Our state is vast, sparsely populated and geographically diverse, with more than 600-plus miles separating the main campuses of the University of Idaho, Boise State University and Idaho State University. Our state's population is the 11th smallest in the nation, while our land mass is the 14th largest. Our competition for federal research dollars is not with each other - rather, it is with top research institutions from throughout the United States that are located primarily in more populous states with the infrastructure and political clout to effectively advance their agendas.
By developing collaborative programs that build on the research acumen of Idaho's universities, we are able to maximize our contributions while also strengthening the overall stature and national presence of our universities. In an era characterized both by decreasing state funding for higher education and increasingly fierce competition for federal research dollars, this approach will help ensure that Idaho's universities continue to serve our state in the future with relevant and impactful research programs.
The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) is just one of many examples of how Idaho's universities are working together on world-class research that benefits Idaho.
Boise State, Idaho State, the University of Idaho, the Idaho National Laboratory and industry partners are collaborating on research that is helping move us toward a sustainable energy future based on sound technologies and cost-efficient strategies.
By adopting a broad-based research approach that includes alternative energy sources such as geothermal and wind as well as nuclear energy, CAES is playing a valuable role in providing the science-based information that will help those in both the public and private sector determine how to best meet our energy needs in the years ahead.
It's rewarding to see the researcher-to-researcher collaborations that have developed as part of CAES, the innovative partnerships that have been established with Idaho industries, and the growing ties between our universities that CAES has fostered.
Through an inclusive research culture of innovation and excellence, our talented faculty can tackle the toughest research questions, to build productive collaborations with colleagues across the hall or across the state, and challenge their students to excel in research publications and presentations at statewide, national and international research conferences.
In this spirit, Idaho's universities will continue to play a leading role in the economic development and prosperity of our state both now and in the future.
Pamela Crowell is vice president for research at Idaho State University. Jack McIver is the vice president for research at the University of Idaho and Mark Rudin is vice president for research at Boise State University.
First published by the Idaho Statesman on May 6, 2010.
By its nature, research is a collaborative endeavor. Progress and innovation often rely on the expertise and insights of talented researchers from diverse backgrounds who work together to address complex questions.
By pooling resources, sharing ideas and focusing on what matters most, researchers are able to leverage their unique skills to accomplish far more than anyone could do alone.
What's true for individual researchers also is true for the research programs of Idaho's three public universities. Our greatest strength lies in our ability and commitment to work together to address issues of concern and relevance for the citizens of Idaho and the nation. While much attention is given to competition among universities, particularly in the athletic arena, the impact of our collaborations far exceeds that of our contests.
The citizens of Idaho - regardless if they consider themselves Vandals, Broncos, Bengals or any number of other affiliations - are the beneficiaries of our ongoing commitment to working together. Our statewide programs in such areas as biomedicine, hydrology and energy research are helping address issues critical to our state and the nation while also providing opportunities to prepare our students for challenging and rewarding careers.
These research successes, in turn, drive further progress by attracting top students and faculty to Idaho institutions and encouraging businesses and start-up firms to locate here.
One needs to look no further than a map of Idaho to grasp why a statewide approach to research is so important. Our state is vast, sparsely populated and geographically diverse, with more than 600-plus miles separating the main campuses of the University of Idaho, Boise State University and Idaho State University. Our state's population is the 11th smallest in the nation, while our land mass is the 14th largest. Our competition for federal research dollars is not with each other - rather, it is with top research institutions from throughout the United States that are located primarily in more populous states with the infrastructure and political clout to effectively advance their agendas.
By developing collaborative programs that build on the research acumen of Idaho's universities, we are able to maximize our contributions while also strengthening the overall stature and national presence of our universities. In an era characterized both by decreasing state funding for higher education and increasingly fierce competition for federal research dollars, this approach will help ensure that Idaho's universities continue to serve our state in the future with relevant and impactful research programs.
The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) is just one of many examples of how Idaho's universities are working together on world-class research that benefits Idaho.
Boise State, Idaho State, the University of Idaho, the Idaho National Laboratory and industry partners are collaborating on research that is helping move us toward a sustainable energy future based on sound technologies and cost-efficient strategies.
By adopting a broad-based research approach that includes alternative energy sources such as geothermal and wind as well as nuclear energy, CAES is playing a valuable role in providing the science-based information that will help those in both the public and private sector determine how to best meet our energy needs in the years ahead.
It's rewarding to see the researcher-to-researcher collaborations that have developed as part of CAES, the innovative partnerships that have been established with Idaho industries, and the growing ties between our universities that CAES has fostered.
Through an inclusive research culture of innovation and excellence, our talented faculty can tackle the toughest research questions, to build productive collaborations with colleagues across the hall or across the state, and challenge their students to excel in research publications and presentations at statewide, national and international research conferences.
In this spirit, Idaho's universities will continue to play a leading role in the economic development and prosperity of our state both now and in the future.
Pamela Crowell is vice president for research at Idaho State University. Jack McIver is the vice president for research at the University of Idaho and Mark Rudin is vice president for research at Boise State University.