The Kentucky General Assembly on Thursday began pushing an ambitious policy aimed at fostering cutting-edge research while fostering teamwork among the state’s public universities.
The Senate Education Committee quickly advanced a bill that would create a framework for cross-campus projects that would pair researchers from different schools. The bill is sponsored by Republican Senate President Robert Stivers and has been designated Senate Bill 1, indicating it is a top priority. The proposal will next go to the full Senate, but it still needs approval from the House.
The legislation is intended to be a catalyst for broader research that can attract lucrative federal grants and other support, while raising the profile of Kentucky research. Projects can focus on breakthroughs in medicine, but can also build on the school’s existing strengths in other types of research.
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“You’re not going to catch fish unless you throw something in the water,” Stivers told the commission. “I’ve never seen them jump into my boat, so this is an attempt to go fishing.”
The goal is to spark research projects that can improve lives across the Bluegrass State.
By providing state-backed seed funding, the goal is to help incubate research projects in the hope that they become successful enough to attract external funding.
Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers attends the opening ceremony of the state Legislature on January 7, 2020 in Frankfort, Kentucky. On February 22, 2024, Kentucky lawmakers began pushing a measure aimed at stimulating cutting-edge research and teamwork among lawmakers. State public university. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)
This bill would establish an endowed research fund to be administered by the State Council on Postsecondary Education. The council will solicit and review joint funding applications submitted by two or more public universities. It is intended to increase cooperation between Kentucky schools that are often seen as competitors.
The council will select five research consortia to receive funding over the first five years. Interest earned from research funds will be transferred to accounts that support each project.
“This is exactly what Kentucky needs right now to mobilize our resources and advance the development of a premier research consortium to chart a path to success in Kentucky’s future.” Stivers said in a news release after the committee hearing.
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The council will review each research team’s performance and decide whether funding should be renewed for up to another five years. If funding for the research team is cut off, the council will review other applications to fill the vacancies.
Details regarding state funding for this effort are expected to be determined in the coming weeks. The Senate is currently working on the state’s budget for the next two years. The final version is expected to be finalized by Senate and House negotiators next month. Mr. Stivers will be a key participant in these negotiations.
Last year, the state’s research reputation further strengthened when the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center received the highest rating from the National Cancer Institute. Its elevated status among dozens of cancer centers nationwide to earn the designation will strengthen research and patient care in a state plagued by some of the highest cancer rates in the country.
