Building Research Infrastructure in Social Work: A Whole-University Perspective Lynn Videka Vice President for Research and Distinguished Service Professor, Ualbany James A. Blackburn Professor, Hunter College, CUNY James R. Moran Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research and Professor, University of Denver Presentation to the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work March 13, 2008

Carnegie Research Extensive Institution Carnegie Research Extensive Institution No Medical or Engineering Schools No Medical or Engineering Schools 17,000 Students; 5,000 graduate students 17,000 Students; 5,000 graduate students Location in NYS Capital City Location in NYS Capital City $240M in Research expenditures, 2007 $240M in Research expenditures, 2007 Ranks sixth in NY in research expenditures (public and private) Ranks sixth in NY in research expenditures (public and private) Ranks second in NY public university research expenditures Ranks second in NY public university research expenditures

Research Priorities Research Priorities UAlbany Research Priorities Atmospheric Science Social Science/ Public Policy* Life Sciences Nanoscale Sciences Established Areas of Excellence *Includes social work Emerging Research Areas

My Role as VPR Chief Research Officer Chief Research Officer University’s federal Research Integrity Officer University’s federal Research Integrity Officer –All research compliance activities and research misconduct report to VPR Sponsored Programs Office Reports to VPR Sponsored Programs Office Reports to VPR Technology transfer and development reports to VPR Technology transfer and development reports to VPR Eight Research Centers of strategic importance (and investment) report to VPR Eight Research Centers of strategic importance (and investment) report to VPR Research Development reports to VPR Research Development reports to VPR The effect of the role on me as a social work researcher: EYE-OPENING The effect of the role on me as a social work researcher: EYE-OPENING

A Brief History of the Development of the Modern American Research University Birth of the modern research university-post WWII Birth of the modern research university-post WWII 1940’s-60’s 1940’s-60’s –Founding of federal research agencies –Dramatic increases in public support for research –Science supported to achieve national goals Efficiency in food production Efficiency in food production Race to the moon Race to the moon Reduce effects of disease, especially cancer and cardiovascular Reduce effects of disease, especially cancer and cardiovascular –Reflect American values of optimism and rational decision- making as the best route to public policy and solving human problems American research universities set the world standard American research universities set the world standard

Social work, Development as a profession Development as a profession –Establishment of CSWE-1952 –Establishment of NASW-1955 Many MSW and Ph.D. social work programs created Many MSW and Ph.D. social work programs created Comparatively less emphasis on research infrastructure Comparatively less emphasis on research infrastructure Therefore lagged behind the rapidly expanding areas of science and science-oriented professions, especially engineering and medicine Therefore lagged behind the rapidly expanding areas of science and science-oriented professions, especially engineering and medicine

Definition of Research Infrastructure RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE The physical and human resources for research within the business, research, and academic environment of the university program

University Strategies for Building Research Infrastructure in Post WWII America – Physical Facilities Laboratories Laboratories Rapid advances in equipment and laboratory tools New generations of equipment every few years Rapid advances in equipment and laboratory tools New generations of equipment every few years Current start-up packages for new faculty = $500,000 to $2,000,000 Current start-up packages for new faculty = $500,000 to $2,000,000

Research Infrastructure: Human Capital Educational Preparation Based on the country’s science and economic dominance goals Based on the country’s science and economic dominance goals Recruitment into ug science and graduate degrees Recruitment into ug science and graduate degrees EXTENSIVE POST-DOCTORAL EDUCATION EXTENSIVE POST-DOCTORAL EDUCATION Ready for independent investigator status as an assistant professor Funding required for promotion and tenure Cultural identity with research groups

 Cluster hiring  Today’s knowledge is produced by collectives rather than individuals (Wuchty, Jones and Uzzi, 2007)  Federal research support has been targeted to centers rather than to individuals  University creation of centers  Interdisciplinary study groups  Links with industry  Intellectual property  Role of science in the regional and national economy Research Infrastructure: Human Capital

Research Infrastructure: Core Facilities Core facilities definition: constellations of equipment, personnel, and operating costs associated with the equipment, that are shared among a group of investigators Core facilities definition: constellations of equipment, personnel, and operating costs associated with the equipment, that are shared among a group of investigators Driven by the exorbitant cost of scientific instrumentation Driven by the exorbitant cost of scientific instrumentation Cost efficient strategy for access to state of the art tools and equipment and personnel Cost efficient strategy for access to state of the art tools and equipment and personnel

Intellectual Property Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 –Gave universities control of the inventions resulting from federal funding support –Includes patents, copyright, licensing technology –What is the intellectual property and economic contributions of social work research?

The Position of Social Science and Social Work in Science 44% of the federal research budget supports health research (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2007). 44% of the federal research budget supports health research (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2007). –Only a small fraction of those funds support social and behavioral research. 4% of the federal research budget supports non-health related and social science research, and social work is a small fraction of that amount 4% of the federal research budget supports non-health related and social science research, and social work is a small fraction of that amount Most social work research does not require traditional specialized laboratories or equipment. Most social work research does not require traditional specialized laboratories or equipment. –Therefore, the need to develop social work research infrastructure is typically less apparent to university administrators. –This position of scientific invisibility represents a significant challenge for social work programs to develop their research infrastructures.

Social Work Infrastructure Today Social work education began to focus on research infrastructure in the 1970’s (Fanshel, 1978) Social work education began to focus on research infrastructure in the 1970’s (Fanshel, 1978) National Institute of Mental Health Task Force on Social Work Research (Task Force on Social Work Research, 1991) brought dramatically increased attention to infrastructure for social work National Institute of Mental Health Task Force on Social Work Research (Task Force on Social Work Research, 1991) brought dramatically increased attention to infrastructure for social work The last two decades have brought strong increases to the engagement of social workers in the research enterprise, yet, when compared to the research activity in medicine or psychology, the profession still represents a small minority among the researchers with federal or foundation funding (Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research, 2005) The last two decades have brought strong increases to the engagement of social workers in the research enterprise, yet, when compared to the research activity in medicine or psychology, the profession still represents a small minority among the researchers with federal or foundation funding (Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research, 2005)

Common Infrastructure Models in Social Work Today Single Project Model Single Project Model –resources such as secretarial staff, graduate assistants, space and other features, in a single project or a single faculty member Single Research Theme Center Model Single Research Theme Center Model –Advanced in the 1990s and early twenty first century –Through special National Institutes of Health (NIH) or foundation initiatives designed to target infrastructure development in certain topics of interest to the funder, including mental health, and substance abuse, and aging advanced social work research infrastructure in selected social work programs and dramatically increased social work research on selected substantive topics advanced social work research infrastructure in selected social work programs and dramatically increased social work research on selected substantive topics sometimes caused conflicts within schools by creating the “haves” and the “have-nots” depending on the historical research tradition of the time, topics of research, and all to often, exclusion of faculty whose interests did not fit the substantive research priority sometimes caused conflicts within schools by creating the “haves” and the “have-nots” depending on the historical research tradition of the time, topics of research, and all to often, exclusion of faculty whose interests did not fit the substantive research priority

Principles for Building Research Infrastructure in Social Work Define the program’s research mission with respect to the institution's research mission Define the program’s research mission with respect to the institution's research mission Invest in human capital Invest in human capital Invest in scientific and administrative facilities, including “core facilities” Invest in scientific and administrative facilities, including “core facilities” Create incentives for performance Create incentives for performance Identify and develop intellectual property Identify and develop intellectual property Review outcomes and readjust strategy Review outcomes and readjust strategy