UT Dallas Magazine - Winter 2012 - (Page 19)

At the University, we have two aims: one is to transfer knowledge, which is to educate; the other is to create new knowledge, and that is to do research. In higher education, as an educator, it is incumbent to do both. Dr. Rod Heelis Dr. Stephen Rabe Professor of historical studies and holder of Arts and Humanities Endowed Chair Holder of the Cecil H. and Ida Green Chair in Systems Biology Science and director of the William B. Hanson Center for Space Sciences Some of the first observations on charged particle motions in the atmosphere were made here at UTD. They showed that particles were moving in the opposite direction of our expectations. Figuring out why that happened and what it told us about the interaction of our planet with the sun was a real buzz. accepted into the 2011 Eugene McDermott Scholars Program, the University’s premier scholarship opportunity aimed at very high-achieving students in all areas of study. “I already knew that UT Dallas allows you to be more directly involved in work and research,” Grunewald said. “Undergraduates are exposed to interconnectedness in all different fields, and it made perfect sense for me to come here.” Now a freshman, Grunewald is weighing his options carefully. His diverse research interests include economic policy, Chinese studies and, of course, renewable energy. universities is to push back the frontiers of knowledge and to train others to join in the process of discovering new knowledge or gaining a greater understanding of the known world. The faculty must itself be actively engaged in this learning process.” A faculty engaged in research creates an entire culture of learning for the university, Berhdal believes. “It defines the culture, which is one of open inquiry, curiosity-driven inquiry, challenging inherited knowledge in an effort to understand more or differently about the human and natural world.” Without this culture, and without the effort to advance understanding, “what we teach stagnates.” As research environments throughout the world become more competitive, Berdahl said, universities are judged by the quality of research being done, which begins with teaching. “We live in a knowledge-based environment, where the level of economic development is based on innovation,” Berdahl added. “Paradigmatic breakthroughs, like the discovery of the structure of DNA or any other such revolution of understanding, require public investment.” Recruiting and cultivating top faculty and students at UT Dallas often begins with grants for top-tier research projects. In only one year, from 2009 to 2010, UT Dallas received 572 new grant awards—more than double the number of the previous year. Funding awarded also increased by more than $20 million. “Funding allows us to improve our infrastructure and equipment,” said Dr. Bruce Gnade, vice president for research. “It also enables us to recruit new students.” Gnade points out that supporting these students with fellowships and research stipends is crucial in providing the best training and programs available. Investing in Research The infrastructure necessary for experiences like Grunewald’s is expensive. And creating a robust university research engine that can power scientific breakthroughs requires a fairly specific set of parts, say those with experience in the field. “Universities are centers for learning—learning for faculty as well as students,” said Dr. Robert Berdahl, interim president of the University of Oregon, past president of the Association of American Universities, former chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, and former president of The University of Texas. In evaluating the quality of a university, “the quality of teaching, how well the findings of research are transmitted to students, is an important component of a successful university, but first and foremost, it is the quality of research that defines the measure of success of a research university.” This does not mean that all institutions of higher education need to be research universities, he said. “But the unique role of The University of Texas at Dallas Winter 2012 19

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of UT Dallas Magazine - Winter 2012

UT Dallas Magazine - Winter 2012
Contents
On Campus
From the Lab
Arts and Culture
Courtside Success
Athletics
Research Is Teaching
Town and Gown
In Your Footsteps: An Alumni Perspective
Alumni Notes
In Memoriam
Hindsight

UT Dallas Magazine - Winter 2012