The State of Research Funding and Support University of Minnesota

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FINDING 2: RESEARCH IS SUFFERING AS A RESULT OF FEDERAL FUNDING CHALLENGES This difficult funding environment has a direct impact on the type of research that is conducted and limits the value of a research project’s impact. Fifty-one percent of survey respondents responsible for applying for research funding reported that their ability to secure research funding has changed the direction or specialization of their research, and an additional 23 percent indicated that it was possible that the direction or specialization of their research had changed as a result of their ability to secure research funding. Fifty-five percent of respondents responsible for applying for research funding also reported that their ability or inability to secure funding has limited their research’s impact in their broader field and society. Another 18 percent said that it was possible that their research’s impact had been diminished by a lack of secure funding. As one respondent said, “There have been good projects that I have been unable to pursue due to a lack of funding. On different occasions, I have either needed to reduce the scope of the project to fit with the limited resources I have, or change my research direction to match already-funded projects so that I could continue to do research.” The challenges in securing adequate funding have had ripple effects that are felt by the broader research community. Approximately 1 in 3 respondents who are not responsible for research funding said that the ability to secure funding has or maybe has changed the direction or specialization of research (33%) and limited their research’s impact in their broader field/society (31%). Chart two below illustrates how both those responsible for securing research funding and those who are not are impacted. FIGURE 2: IMPACTS OF INSECURE RESEARCH FUNDING Has your ability to secure research funding changed your research direction or specialization? Do you feel your ability or inability to secure research funding has limited your impact on society or on your field through research? Yes Maybe a Little Responsible for Funding Not Responsible Responsible for Funding Not Responsible 6
When asked if their experience matched their expectations of what a career as an academic researcher and/or professor would be like, survey respondents gave a variety of answers. One thing that stood out was the fact that whether or not their experience matched their expectations, many respondents indicated that they had not been prepared for the amount of time that they would be required to spend chasing grants instead of conducting research. When asked if their experience matched their expectations, one respondent simply responded, “No, there’s less time to do my own research than I would have hoped.” Another respondent stated, “Yes, for the most part. I never imagined how much work went into just attempting to get funding. Sometimes I feel like it is almost considered extra-curricular for postdocs like me, which makes it even more difficult to balance work and family.” One respondent even stated that only 20 percent of their time was dedicated to the academic side of their position and the other 80 percent was focused on tasks like grant writing and accounting. FINDING 3: THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME COMPETING FOR LIMITED FEDERAL FUNDS IS DRIVING SOME ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS FROM THE FIELD The stress and uncertainty surrounding the grant application process takes away from the actual work academic researchers were hired to do. It is also enough to make at least some academic researchers consider moving out of the research field altogether. As another survey respondent pointed out, “We spend significantly more time now chasing grant money and less time doing actual research. At times I’ve thought about finding a teaching job instead. At least then I would feel that my work was making a difference in people’s lives.” Indeed, other respondents commented that they had already left research, largely due to the funding situation. One respondent indicated, “I wrote proposals in my spare time, often working 60-70 hours a week to meet my director’s funding goals and to ensure the quality of my research. In the end, I felt a complete lack of support from the department where I worked as a Research Fellow.” We spend significantly more time now chasing grant money and less time doing actual research. At times I've thought about finding a teaching job instead. At least then I would feel that my work was making a difference in people's lives. “ ” 7
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The State of Research Funding and Support University of Minnesota

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