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 WorkMarch 13, 2008

Carnegie Research Extensive InstitutionCarnegie Research Extensive Institution No Medical or Engineering SchoolsNo Medical or Engineering Schools 17,000 Students; 5,000 graduate students17,000 Students; 5,000 graduate students Location in NYS Capital CityLocation in NYS Capital City $240M in Research expenditures, 2007 $240M in Research expenditures, 2007 Ranks sixth in NY in research expenditures Ranks sixth in NY in research expenditures

(public and private) (public and private) Ranks second in NY public university Ranks second in NY public university

research expendituresresearch expenditures

Research PrioritiesResearch Priorities

NanoscaleSciences

Life Sciences

Social Science/ Public Policy*

Atmospheric Science

UAlbany Research Priorities

Established Areas of Excellence

*Includes social workEmerging Research Areas

My Role as VPRMy Role as VPR

Chief Research OfficerChief Research Officer University’s federal Research Integrity University’s federal Research Integrity

OfficerOfficer– All research compliance activities and research All research compliance activities and research

misconduct report to VPR misconduct report to VPR Sponsored Programs Office Reports to VPRSponsored Programs Office Reports to VPR Technology transfer and development Technology transfer and development

reports to VPRreports to VPR Eight Research Centers of strategic Eight Research Centers of strategic

importance (and investment) report to VPRimportance (and investment) report to VPR Research Development reports to VPRResearch Development reports to VPR The effect of the role on me as a social The effect of the role on me as a social

work researcher: EYE-OPENINGwork researcher: EYE-OPENING

A Brief History of the Development of the A Brief History of the Development of the Modern American Research UniversityModern American Research University

Birth of the modern research university-post WWIIBirth of the modern research university-post WWII 1940’s-60’s1940’s-60’s

– Founding of federal research agenciesFounding of federal research agencies– Dramatic increases in public support for researchDramatic increases in public support for research– Science supported to achieve national goalsScience supported to achieve national goals

Efficiency in food productionEfficiency in food production Race to the moonRace to the moon Reduce effects of disease, especially cancer and Reduce effects of disease, especially cancer and

cardiovascularcardiovascular– Reflect American values of optimism and rational Reflect American values of optimism and rational

decision-making as the best route to public policy and decision-making as the best route to public policy and solving human problems solving human problems

American research universities set the world American research universities set the world standardstandard

Social work, 1940-1970Social work, 1940-1970

Development as a professionDevelopment as a profession– Establishment of CSWE-1952Establishment of CSWE-1952– Establishment of NASW-1955Establishment of NASW-1955

Many MSW and Ph.D. social work Many MSW and Ph.D. social work programs created programs created

Comparatively less emphasis on research Comparatively less emphasis on research infrastructureinfrastructure

Therefore lagged behind the rapidly Therefore lagged behind the rapidly expanding areas of science and science-expanding areas of science and science-oriented professions, especially oriented professions, especially engineering and medicineengineering and medicine

Definition of Research InfrastructureDefinition 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 University Strategies for Building Research Infrastructure in Post WWII America – Physical Facilitiesin Post WWII America – Physical Facilities

LaboratoriesLaboratories Rapid advances in equipment and Rapid advances in equipment and

laboratory tools New generations laboratory tools New generations of equipment every few yearsof equipment every few years

Current start-up packages for new Current start-up packages for new faculty = $500,000 to $2,000,000faculty = $500,000 to $2,000,000

Research Infrastructure: Human CapitalResearch Infrastructure: Human CapitalEducational PreparationEducational Preparation

Based on the country’s science and Based on the country’s science and economic dominance goalseconomic dominance goals

Recruitment into ug science and graduate Recruitment into ug science and graduate degreesdegrees

EXTENSIVE POST-DOCTORAL EXTENSIVE POST-DOCTORAL EDUCATIONEDUCATION

Ready for independent investigator status as an assistant professor

Funding required for promotion and tenure Cultural identity with research groups

Cluster hiringCluster hiring Today’s knowledge is produced by collectives rather than Today’s knowledge is produced by collectives rather than

individualsindividuals (Wuchty, Jones and Uzzi, 2007)(Wuchty, Jones and Uzzi, 2007)

Federal research support has been targeted Federal research support has been targeted to centers rather than to individualsto centers rather than to individuals

University creation of centersUniversity creation of centers Interdisciplinary study groupsInterdisciplinary study groups Links with industryLinks with industry

Intellectual propertyIntellectual property

Role of science in the regional and national Role of science in the regional and national economyeconomy

Research Infrastructure: Human CapitalResearch Infrastructure: Human Capital

Research Infrastructure: Core Research Infrastructure: Core FacilitiesFacilities Core facilities definition: constellations Core facilities definition: constellations

of equipment, personnel, and of equipment, personnel, and operating costs associated with the operating costs associated with the equipment, that are shared among a equipment, that are shared among a group of investigators group of investigators

Driven by the exorbitant cost of Driven by the exorbitant cost of scientific instrumentationscientific instrumentation

Cost efficient strategy for access to Cost efficient strategy for access to state of the art tools and equipment state of the art tools and equipment and personneland personnel

Intellectual PropertyIntellectual Property Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 Bayh-Dole Act of 1980

– Gave universities control of the Gave universities control of the inventions resulting from federal funding inventions resulting from federal funding support support

– Includes patents, copyright, licensing Includes patents, copyright, licensing technologytechnology

– What is the intellectual property and What is the intellectual property and economic contributions of social work economic contributions of social work research?research?

The Position of Social Science and Social Work in The Position of Social Science and Social Work in ScienceScience

44% of the federal research budget supports health 44% of the federal research budget supports health research (American Association for the Advancement of research (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2007). Science, 2007). – Only a small fraction of those funds support social and Only a small fraction of those funds support social and

behavioral research. behavioral research. 4% of the federal research budget supports non-health 4% of the federal research budget supports non-health

related and social science research, and social work is a related and social science research, and social work is a small fraction of that amount small fraction of that amount

Most social work research does not require traditional Most social work research does not require traditional specialized laboratories or equipment.specialized laboratories or equipment.– Therefore, the need to develop social work research Therefore, the need to develop social work research

infrastructure is typically less apparent to university infrastructure is typically less apparent to university administrators. administrators.

– This position of scientific invisibility represents a significant This position of scientific invisibility represents a significant challenge for social work programs to develop their research challenge for social work programs to develop their research infrastructures.infrastructures.

Social Work Infrastructure TodaySocial Work Infrastructure Today Social work education began to focus on research Social work education began to focus on research

infrastructure in the 1970’s (Fanshel, 1978)infrastructure in the 1970’s (Fanshel, 1978) National Institute of Mental Health Task Force on National Institute of Mental Health Task Force on

Social Work Research (Task Force on Social Work Social Work Research (Task Force on Social Work Research, 1991) brought dramatically increased Research, 1991) brought dramatically increased attention to infrastructure for social work attention to infrastructure for social work

The last two decades have brought strong The last two decades have brought strong increases to the engagement of social workers in increases to the engagement of social workers in the research enterprise, yet, when compared to the the research enterprise, yet, when compared to the research activity in medicine or psychology, the research activity in medicine or psychology, the profession still represents a small minority among profession still represents a small minority among the researchers with federal or foundation funding the researchers with federal or foundation funding (Institute for the Advancement of Social Work (Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research, 2005) Research, 2005)

Common Infrastructure Models in Social Work Common Infrastructure Models in Social Work TodayToday Single Project ModelSingle Project Model

– resources such as secretarial staff, graduate assistants, resources such as secretarial staff, graduate assistants, space and other features, in a single project or a single space and other features, in a single project or a single faculty member faculty member

Single Research Theme Center Model Single Research Theme Center Model – Advanced in the 1990s and early twenty first century Advanced in the 1990s and early twenty first century – Through special National Institutes of Health (NIH) or Through special National Institutes of Health (NIH) or

foundation initiatives designed to target infrastructure foundation initiatives designed to target infrastructure development in certain topics of interest to the funder, development in certain topics of interest to the funder, including mental health, and substance abuse, and agingincluding mental health, and substance abuse, and aging

advanced social work research infrastructure in selected social advanced social work research infrastructure in selected social work programs and dramatically increased social work research work programs and dramatically increased social work research on selected substantive topics on selected substantive topics

sometimes caused conflicts within schools by creating the sometimes caused conflicts within schools by creating the “haves” and the “have-nots” depending on the historical “haves” and the “have-nots” depending on the historical research tradition of the time, topics of research, and all to research tradition of the time, topics of research, and all to often, exclusion of faculty whose interests did not fit the often, exclusion of faculty whose interests did not fit the substantive research priority substantive research priority

Principles for Building Research Infrastructure Principles for Building Research Infrastructure in Social Workin Social Work Define the program’s research mission Define the program’s research mission

with respect to the institution's research with respect to the institution's research missionmission

Invest in human capitalInvest in human capital Invest in scientific and administrative Invest in scientific and administrative

facilities, including “core facilities”facilities, including “core facilities” Create incentives for performanceCreate incentives for performance Identify and develop intellectual Identify and develop intellectual

propertyproperty Review outcomes and readjust strategyReview outcomes and readjust strategy