$4 million will fund interdisciplinary research

The university has announced recipients of its Forward Thinking Interdisciplinary Alliance Investment Grants. Twenty-four proposals were received, and $4 million was awarded.

The grants, designed to stimulate the work of the university’s 11 alliances, were awarded after review by deans and alliance working groups. A faculty committee conducted a final evaluation.

Following are descriptions of some of the accepted programs and their awards.

• Creation of the Institute for Advanced Materials at Case Western Reserve University, $700,000; project lead, Stuart Rowan
• Institute for Personalized Medicine and Public Health, $700,000; project lead, Pam Davis
• Building the Energy Alliance, $500,000; project lead, Iwan Alexander
• Building a Distinctive Brand for Case Western Reserve University in Social Justice, $400,000; project lead Rhonda Williams
• Center for Excellence in Immunobiology, $400,000; project leads, Mark Chance and Aaron Weinberg
• Popular Music Studies Institute, $400,000; project lead, Mary Davis
• Creating a Center for Human Origins, $300,000; project lead, Glenn Starkman
• Case Alliance for Global Health, $200,000; project lead, Jim Kazura
• Case Western Reserve University Center for Stem Cell Ethics, $200,000; project lead, Stuart Youngner
• Launch of the iDEA (Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurial Activities) Institute, $35,000; project lead Gary Wnek
• IP Management and Commercialization, $40,000; project lead, Craig Nard
• Center for Art Museum Studies, $35,000; Anne Helmreich and Catherine Scallen

FACULTY GRANTS: A bequest from the family of the late Evan Nord has allowed the University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education to offer new one-year Nord Grants for faculty. The awards will support activities that further the teaching mission of UCITE and the university. See complete details.

CHILD CARE: Benefits-eligible faculty and staff may be able to participate in temporary and back-up child care and child care support during travel initiatives. Learn more.

CASE MOBILE: Information Technology Services has developed Case Mobile, a new way to take Case Western Reserve web-based services to the mobile environment. To access Case Mobile, users should point their mobile web browser to http://m.case.edu.

DEPARTMENT CHAIR TRAINING: The Office of the Provost has partnered with Diana Bilimoria, professor of Organizational Behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management, to develop seminars for academic leaders. The first program begins in February and is specifically for new department chairs. Watch this newsletter and Case Daily for information on future offerings.

STRATEGIC PLAN: The Strategic Planning Leadership Retreat was held in November. Deans, vice presidents, alliance leaders and student government leaders participated in the two-day event designed to help develop the fiscal year 2011 action agenda. Learn more.

BUDGET REVIEW: A Budget System Review Committee has been asked to assess how our budget system supports our strategic plan, aligns resources and improves essential services. The committee will then identify and recommend strategies and tactics for improving the system. The committee’s final report is due in March and will be reviewed by the Faculty Senate Budget Committee, the Deans’ Council, the President’s Council and other groups as needed. Share feedback with the committee.

UNDERGRADUATE ADVISING: In response to recommendations from the Undergraduate Advising Review Committee, funding has been made available for a professional staff position that will assist academic advisers. Improved information about advising resources will be made available to students and advisers, and Faculty Senate has identified as its top funding priority stimulating effective and innovative advising practices.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS: Faculty, staff and students participated in a Jan. 20 workshop to help launch the strategic planning process for the Office of International Affairs. The office expects to have a plan in place within 18 months. The chairs of the planning committee are David Fleshler, associate provost for International Affairs; James Kazura, professor of medicine, director of the Center for Global Health and Diseases and director of International Affairs in Health Sciences; and Janet McGrath, associate professor of anthropology.

PhD PROGRAMS: The university’s doctoral program assessment is ongoing, with a dedicated committee reviewing and proving assessments this February. The committee’s reviews and recommendations complement input from the schools’ deans and faculty representatives. The review committee’s membership includes 11 faculty members and three outside reviewers.