Vice President Moore to Step Down
Dear Colleague,
I am writing to let you know that C. Bradley Moore has notified me of his intention to return to California and thus to step down as Vice President for Research no later than the end of the 2007-08 academic year, and earlier if a successor can be identified before then.
A distinguished physical chemist, Moore has served as Vice President for Research since May 1, 2003 . During his tenure here research activity has increased at Northwestern, and the University’s research infrastructure has been greatly strengthened, not least by the recruitment to Northwestern of a number of new key staff members. In addition, he has assisted materially in nurturing the faculty who are at the heart of the research enterprise.
The enormous enhancement of Northwestern’s research infrastructure during his time at Northwestern will have a long and positive influence on the University. Detailed strategic planning was initiated. Various existing units have been restructured, and new staff members have been added in key areas. Greatly improved information technologies have been deployed in the Office for Research to assist researchers in monitoring various administrative issues related to their work. An Office for Research Development was established to help faculty prepare major research proposals. Not least, recognizing the enormous importance of Northwestern’s compliance with a host of laws and regulations relating to research, Moore worked collaboratively with colleagues in other areas of the University on this matter; an Office for Research Integrity was established to oversee compliance matters and to deal with issues related to alleged research misconduct. In cooperation with the Office of General Counsel, the Controller’s Office, and the Office of Accounting Services for Research and Sponsored Programs, a strengthened effort reporting system was designed to accommodate both faculty and regulatory needs.
The increase in sponsored research during Moore’s tenure as Vice President is particularly notable given the constraints on the budgets of the Federal funding agencies which have traditionally provided the largest portion of research support to Northwestern faculty. Annual sponsored project expenditures grew from $260 million to $350 million, as awards grew to $384 million. Northwestern’s rank among institutions receiving funding from the National Institutes of Health (the largest single provider of external funding) rose from 41st to 32nd; the ranking for funding from the National Science Foundation rose from 37th to 35th. Particularly notable has been the significant recent increase in research support from industry, which more than doubled from some $20 million annually to over $40 million in just the first ten months of the current fiscal year.
Having distinguished himself through his own research as a faculty member at the University of California , Berkeley , Moore endeavored to bring faculty to the work of his office. Senior faculty members were appointed as Associate Vice Presidents to work with him in strategic planning and special projects, in setting priorities for investments in seed projects and Office for Research services, in assisting Office for Research unit heads in meeting faculty needs, and in overseeing University research centers. Moore also appointed a Faculty Advisory Committee of active researchers to advise him on issues related to research at the University. Responding to the interests (often interdisciplinary in nature) of members of the faculty, he assisted in the creation of a number of new research centers.
One of his outstanding legacies is Moore ’s work to ensure that Northwestern took the fullest possible advantage of its proximity to the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the Argonne National Laboratory. Moore identified the opportunity for Northwestern to compete for and win a role in the management these two important national resources. As a board member and Science Policy Council member with both Fermi and Argonne , he worked to develop strong research collaborations and joint appointments between Northwestern and these laboratories. In particular, Moore helped build joint programs to address national energy challenges.
In a similar vein, Moore worked to enhance the vitality of research activity and the appreciation of such research in Evanston , the Chicago area, and the Midwest generally. Illinois Technology Enterprise Center (ITEC) funded by the State of Illinois and the University provided services relevant to the formation, growth and retention of early-stage technology companies in Illinois . The Chicago Biomedical Consortium, whose work moved forward substantially during Moore ’s tenure, seeks to ensure that the Chicago area remains an important national center for research in the biological sciences. Moore was instrumental in the formation of the Chicago Council for Science and Technology which has its office on Northwestern’s Chicago campus.
Brad Moore made numerous contributions to the research community at Northwestern – and in the Midwest more generally. Thanks in significant part to his work, the research environment at Northwestern – and especially the infrastructure which supports the University’s research enterprise– is significantly stronger now than it was when he arrived. His legacy will remain long after his departure. We gratefully acknowledge our debt to him and wish him and his wife, Penny, the very best as they return to California.
Sincerely,
Henry S. Bienen
President