The Office for Research and Innovation (OR&I) at Stony Brook University recently acknowledged the efforts of faculty members who have contributed to the peer review process for seed grant programs and limited competitions. Over 250 individuals have participated as reviewers in the past five years, playing a crucial role in supporting research growth at the university.
Kevin Gardner, Vice President for Research and Innovation, emphasized the importance of service in academia. "Service is one of the three primary roles of a faculty member, along with scholarship and teaching," he stated. He highlighted that peer reviews are essential for advancing science and making informed decisions on research investments.
Gardner outlined two key contributions made by OR&I: mentoring through critical reviews to enhance ideas and ensuring wise investment of limited funds. "We don’t have as much money as we would like to give out for seed opportunities, so we need to make sure we use that money in the best way that we can," he explained.
Interim President Richard McCormick praised the distinguished scientists at Stony Brook for their achievements and contributions to reviewing seed grants. "It’s so important that we make some internal decisions about where opportunity lies," he said, emphasizing the role of these reviews in identifying potential funding sources and scientific breakthroughs.
Stella Tsirka, a SUNY distinguished professor honored at the event, shared her perspective on participating as a reviewer. She values reading about faculty research and fostering connections among researchers. "It’s great to see new collaborations and interactions between faculty," she noted.
McCormick also reaffirmed Stony Brook's commitment to doubling research expenditures by 2030, a goal set by former president Maurie McInnis. He stressed that achieving this target requires significant investments in facilities and interdisciplinary research initiatives.
Nina Maung, Senior Associate Vice President for Research, reported an impressive return on investment (ROI) of 9:1 from Stony Brook's Seed Grant Program. This ROI reflects substantial gains from external awards received by seed grant recipients compared to OR&I's program investments.
Alfredo Fontanini, professor and chair of the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at Stony Brook, underscored the significance of early-stage funding mechanisms like those provided by OR&I. He praised the rigorous review process established by OR&I's Office of Proposal Development (OPD), which facilitates high-level collaboration among faculty members.
For more information on becoming a faculty reviewer for future programs, interested parties are encouraged to visit OR&I's Call for Reviewers page.