Wayne State started the new year by moving up in the rankings of the nation's leading research universities as compiled by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The foundation released its annual report on research and development in the sciences and engineering at U.S. universities for fiscal 1998. WSU advanced four places in the overall ranking to 64th ($138,486,000 in total research spending) among all U.S. universities; 46th among public universities. Wayne State spent $124,383,000 in fiscal 1997.

Many WSU programs are significantly ranked nationally, including the School of Medicine, which is ranked 22nd, up three positions from the previous year. Wayne State programs rank in the top 100 nationally in eight areas; they improved in rank in seven of those areas including medicine; physics (45th); social sciences (46th); life sciences (51st); psychology (54th); chemistry (58th); and physical sciences (59th).

"Continuing growth in research is a high priority for the university," said George Dambach, WSU's vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School. "We plan to continue expanding our research by substantial annual investments in recruiting new faculty and renovating research facilities."

In an effort to embrace these challenges, Wayne State currently is working with a team of consultants from Harley Ellis of Southfield to prepare a renovation and modernization program for approximately 1.8 million gross square feet of space in 16 campus research buildings. The resulting 10-year capital plan will integrate programming and facility needs with renewal of all laboratory facilities on campus.

Research expenditures at WSU will approximately be $150 million this year with the help of the largest sponsor of research at the university, the federal government.

"Success in winning the highly competitive federal grants and contracts is a tribute to the quality and hard work of our faculty," Dambach said.
In addition to the large influx of funding to support research, he said, WSU faculty also are very active in developing technology that migrates quickly from the university to the local and national marketplace.

"Wayne State continues to fulfill its goals of advancing as a major urban research university by recruiting outstanding scientists and investing in research," Dambach said, adding that the university's goals are consistent with those of the state of Michigan's Life Sciences Corridor initiative.

In conjunction with other businesses in Detroit, WSU is exploring the development of a technology park focused on leading-edge technology and applied research. By focusing on applied research, Dambach said, the university hopes to maximize the benefits of its scientific research for the community by creating a more streamlined flow of innovation from campus laboratories into the regional and state economy.

"WSU aims to foster innovation and assist in developing technology that is beneficial to the continued economic vitality of the state of Michigan," he said.