UC, GE Aviation launch research institute
Written by
Cliff Peale
The University of Cincinnati will spend $5 million during the next five years, along with millions of dollars from GE Aviation, to start a venture aimed at getting new technologies to market faster.
Details of the UC Research Institute emerged today as UC’s Board of Trustees, including Enquirer President and Publisher Margaret Buchanan, approved the business plan of the new group.
Start-up funds will include the contribution from UC, at least $2 million a year from GE and a $5 million Ohio Third Frontier grant.
UC hopes the institute generates profits that can be poured back into its own research budget and offset cuts in taxpayer-financed government research programs. A preliminary business plan calls for the group to support itself on annual revenue of $8.6 million within five years.
That would solve a major weakness for UC’s research program, which generates only $18.9 million from private companies out of more than $400 million in total research grants.
Those programs generated only about $500,000 in royalties last year.
GE has three ideas ready to contribute. Those include a composite material that can operate at very high temperatures, advanced combustion technologies and heat transfer technologies that help control heat in all of the electronics on an airplane, for example.
Mark Pearson, general manager of advanced technologies and preliminary design at GE, said the aviation giant eventuallly could contribute $40 million or more to the institute.
“Anything done in collaboration is jointly owned,” he said. “We have a long-term vision that’s much larger than their initial step.”
UC’s Criminal Justice program also will participate. It generates about $1.5 million a year now, helping police departments analyze crime statistics.
UC Provost Santa Ono called the research institute “one very tangible way in which we can accelerate UC’s transformation, especially in research.”
“It holds the power and promise to drive innovation, technology and work force development,” Ono told trustees.
Operating details include:
• The research institute will buy services of UC professors and research space in UC labs.
• It will be governed by a nine-member board, with four members appointed by UC.
• Offices will initially be housed at UC and the group will search for an outside chief executive officer.
Quote:UC trustees like academic plan
• University of Cincinnati trustees applauded a new Academic Master Plan, calling it a blueprint for upgrading UC’s scholarly programs.
• The plan calls for investing $10 million next year and $100 million during the next seven years.
• Programs include expanding the University Honors program, sending more students for international study and increasing start-up packages to hire professors and researchers.
• Trustees, including Enquirer President and Publisher Margaret Buchanan, will consider the funding requests at their June meeting when they approve next year’s budget.
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UC, GE Aviation launch research institute
