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Federal agencies call for greater engagement among universities
Dr. James H. Ryan Vice President for Outreach and Cooperative Extension	Major federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration are calling for significant attention to be paid to the broad impacts of funded research beyond the traditional advance of knowledge and understanding by colleagues in their respective fields. These agencies are explicitly concerned with the extent to which the research activity will (1) develop new networks and partnerships beyond the university, (2) involve the dissemination of results broadly to the general public, including a precollege audience, and (3) demonstrate the value of the research activity to society at large.   The National Science Foundation, for example, last fall instituted new merit criteria that give equal weight to the quality of the outreach and the merits of the research. It has also initiated Supplemental Outreach Grants to existing research awards and has begun enhancing and initiating new program areas to emphasize outreach through informal science education, rural systemic initiatives in outreach education, K-12 teacher enhancement and parent involvement, and advanced technological education and instructional materials development.   Neal Lane, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and assistant to the president for science and technology policy and former director of the National Science Foundation, reflects on the importance of accountability and the need to disseminate research findings in a manner understood by the public at large: “Even NSF is changing, realizing a new responsibility as an advocate for the cause of science and engineering to the public... We’re not properly serving the research community or the public if we don’t help make the case about why science and technology matter in people’s lives. Given today’s budgetary climate, neitherthe federal agencies nor the research community can afford to appear isolated from the taxpayers who pay the bills... [We must realize] how important it is for the research community, the universities and the scientific and engineering societies to actively get the message out about science and technology and its critical connection to this country’s social and economic welfare.”
“Because of these external forces, we now find ourselves faced with a major and timely opportunity at Penn State—and few universities are better positioned than Penn State to respond to the increased faculty emphasis on high-quality and effective outreach activities to enhance research in service to society.”	Anne Petersen, senior vice president for programs at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, notes, “When research is conducted with public funds, it is essential to share the results with those who supported it. If this were done consistently, we would have much more public understanding of science, as well as more rapid use of research results. But it’s not easy to disseminate research results to the public. Results need to be in a form that the public will understand and can use.”   Peter Magrath, president of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, adds, “Put another way, American higher education must unashamedly and unselfconsciously continue down a path of attracting the social investment (the resources) we need by engaging in confidence-building methods. These include our ability to demonstrate that we use the resources available to us efficiently; that our faculty are indeed productive, recognizing how difficult it is to measure productivity within universities; and demonstrating—as free from academic jargon as possible—the value of what we do, particularly in research, whether labeled basic or applied. There is a compelling case for investment in research that serves fundamental social interests, both short and long term, but we must do a better job of explaining its value through tangible demonstrations and examples that can be understood by influential opinion leaders in our society.”   Because of these external forces, we now find ourselves faced with a major and timely opportunity at Penn State—and few universities are better positioned than Penn State to respond to the increased faculty emphasis on high-quality and effective outreach activities to enhance research in service to society.   We have created an organizational structure in Outreach and Cooperative Extension to help faculty and staff at Penn State’s 24 campuses and in 67 Cooperative Extension offices in each county develop and deliver outreach programming to Pennsylvanians through activities such as credit and noncredit courses, applied research, technical assistance, demonstration projects, evaluation studies and policy analysis.   Among the services our outreach program planners and their colleagues in outreach delivery units can provide are: Extraordinary conference facilities and support. Distance learning opportunities for people anywhere in the world through the Penn State World Campus. Public radio and television media resources. Evaluation services for proposed outreach activities (i.e., assess viability of program ideas and link programs with target audiences). Instructional design (e.g., explore various approaches to dissemination and learning; assist faculty with appropriate media and technology selection). Resource acquisition (e.g., connect faculty with other outreach resources and services needed to deliver on-site conferences or distance education programs, prepare multiple media and help faculty navigate the outreach system). Marketing research assistance. Marketing communication plans to inform potential audiences of dissemination activities. Identification of potential external partners with whom faculty might collaborate and/or additional funding sources. Written materials communicating the strengths and resources that Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension can contribute to the outreach component of the proposal. Budget preparation for the outreach components of the proposal.
	With the largest outreach program in American higher education reaching more than 5 million people annually, Penn State is well-positioned to respond to external funding agencies and to address this new emphasis on outreach as an integral form of research dissemination. I encourage all faculty to learn more about our unique outreach strengths University-wide and to use these resources to increase their competitiveness on grant applications. My Outreach and Cooperative Extension colleagues are well-positioned to assist.