News and Events
New Research Type Definitions
Posted: 2009-10-23 00:00:00
Due to changes in the NSF Survey of Research and Development (now known as the Higher Education Research & Development Survey), we are compelled to classify the University's research projects at a more detailed level - into Basic Research, Applied Research and Development (please see attachment for definitions & examples.) This survey of all sponsored and institutional research & development expenditures is a primary source for comparison and ranking of universities.
The Office for Sponsored Programs has released a new version of the Internal Proposal Review form. This form can be downloaded at http://osp.uconn.edu/forms.php. As of Friday November 6th, 2009, all proposals must be submitted using this new form. Proposals received using old versions of the form will be held pending receipt of the current form.
Definitions
- Basic Research: Research undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge without any particular application or use in mind.
- Applied Research: Research conducted to gain the knowledge or understanding to meet a specific, recognized need.
- Development: The systematic use of the knowledge or understanding gained from research directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, systems, or methods, including the design and development of prototypes and processes.
Examples
| Basic research | Applied research | Development |
|---|---|---|
| A researcher is studying the properties of human blood to determine what affects coagulation. | A researcher is conducting research on how a new chicken pox vaccine affects blood coagulation. | A researcher is conducting clinical trials to test a newly developed chicken pox vaccine for young children. |
| A researcher is studying the properties of molecules under various heat and cold conditions. | A researcher is investigating the properties of particular substances under various heat and cold conditions with the objective of finding longer lasting components for highway pavement. | A researcher is working with state transportation officials to conduct tests of a newly developed highway pavement under various types of heat and cold. |
| A researcher is studying the heart chambers of various fish species. | A researcher is examining various levels of a toxic substance to determine the maximum safe level for fish in a stream. | A researcher has a contract with the U.S. government to design a new stream monitoring system that will incorporate the latest research findings on toxicity levels for fish. |