Vision and Management of a Research Program at a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

1. Vision and Management of a Research Program at a College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Nancy M. Cox

2. Outline • Academic and Administrative Experience • Research Administration • Responsibilities • Challenges and Opportunities • Principles • Adding Value • Advocacy

3. Some memories from my PhD program

4. Academic Experience • Animal and Dairy Sciences Department, Mississippi State University, 1982-2001; adjunct professor, College of Veterinary Medicine and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology • 1996-2001, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) • 2001 to present; University of Kentucky Associate Dean, College of Agriculture, Director Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station (since 2005)

5. AcademicExperienceResearch Areas • Influence of metabolism on reproductive function in cattle and swine • Neuroendocrine control of reproductive cycles • Influences of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on reproductive development

6. Administrative ExperienceResponsibilities • Stimulation of new funding and multidisciplinary research activities • Research reporting and accountability • Internal grants programs • Commodity partnerships • Partnerships with other land-grant missions • Patenting, licensing, commercialization • Regional economic development activities

7. Administrative ExperienceSelected boards and committees • National Agriculture Research, Economics and Education Advisory Board • Governor’s Biomass Task Force • State Board on Agriculture • Kentucky Cattlemen’s Executive Board • Soybean Promotion Board • County government Equine Task Force • Non-profit community boards

8. Kentucky Ag Experiment Station College Grants Officer Betty Newsom Office of Sponsored Programs Administration Associate Dean for Research Director, Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Nancy Cox Food Systems Innovation Coordinator Research Center for Appalachian Resource Sustainability Assistant Dean/ Associate Director Steve Workman Assistant Director Lesley Oliver Equine Initiative Director Communications Director Western Kentucky Research and Education Center Reference Cigarette Research Program Executive Assistant Carol Cole Accounts Manager Cherryll Duncan Statistics Graduate Assistant Program Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center Experiment Station Director of Environmental Compliance, part time Kentucky Tobacco R&D Center In transition: Central Kentucky Farms Division of Regulatory Services

9. Administrative Leadership: MSU Remote Sensing Technologies Center Life Sciences and Biotechnology Institute Nutrient Management Task Force

10. Administrative Leadership: UKTargets of Opportunity Plant Sciences/Natural Products Animal Health and Agrosecurity Forage-Livestock Systems Food Systems Natural Resources and the Environment Leadership and Community Development Agriculture, Pharmacy, Medicine • USDA-ARS Forage-Animal Production Unit

11. Alltech/UK Nutritional Research Alliance at Coldstream Commercial Partnerships Alltech/UK Nutrigenomics Alliance

12. Challenges and Opportunities for Land-Grant Research Programs • Changing consumer preferences • Globalization of trade and technology • Public skepticism about science and technology • Environmental concerns • Fast pace of information • Universities not functioning in “real time”

13. Future Opportunities • Changes in what we produce from land • Bio-based fuels and industrial products • Nutraceuticals/functional foods/medicinals • Animal and human health and well-being • Social and community issues • Natural resource management • Sustainability of agricultural systems

14. NSCU CALS: challenges and opportunities • State economy: be prepared for when it rebounds • Have key leadership in state’s intellectual landscape • Sustain a more collaborative research environment • Create and sustain partnerships among diverse • disciplines • Work on new federal priorities with the power of the • disciplines in CALS • Support position and growth of NC Agriculture

15. PrinciplesMission for Agricultural Research Administration Support a research portfolio that reflects increased competitiveness of faculty, enhances excellence in science, and positively impacts North Carolina CALS Mission: The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences discovers, teaches and applies knowledge to disciplines that effect safe, affordable supplies of food and fiber, a cleaner environment and better health for people and animals.

16. Principles Role of the Research Administrator • Promote the best science • Encourage new scientific initiatives • Promote relevant research • Encourage transfer of technology • Ensure accountability • Have consistent, open policies • Communicate successes to the public

17. Adding ValueCharacteristics • Listener • Amplifier • Catalyst • Connector • Place where the buck stops

18. Adding ValuePromotion of Quality • Have high standards • Provide feedback • Provide incentives • Provide encouragement • Listen to the experts

19. Adding ValuePriority Setting • Teamwork: iterative process among scientists, department heads, unit heads, and other administrators • Clientele and consumer input • Must combine “needs” with what we are good at • Be as responsive as possible but never short-change the scientific process

20. Planning Reporting Priority SettingApproaches

21. Priority Setting • UK Department Reports • Publications • Patents • Students (grad/undergrad) • External awards • Collaborative awards • Five-year trends

22. Adding ValueResources • Identify new funding sources • Form new partnerships • Provide seed funds to build capacity for external funding in new areas • Encourage multidisciplinary teams • Keep in touch with national trends • Always think about the future

23. AdvocacyCommunicating Success • Producers and stakeholders of all types • Policy-makers at city, county, state and federal level • State and federal agencies • Campus decision-makers; president, provost, Vice President for Research • Alumni and future students

24. Summary • Good science is uppermost • Just doing good science is not enough • The research administrator must merge good science with good accountability, excellent advocacy and increasing resources