The Office of University Research-Office of Sponsored Programs at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) has released a report showcasing achievements of the past two years. The document, “The Equity Imperative: Research Accomplishments: Reporting Period: FY2019 – FY2022” was shared in a newsletter by V.R. McCrary, who serves as vice president of research and professor of chemistry at UDC. Read on.
The mission of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) is “….dedicated to serving the needs of the community of the District of Columbia and producing lifelong learners who are transformative leaders in the workforce, government, non-profit sectors and beyond” as stated in The Equity Imperative, 2019-2022, President Ronald Mason’s strategic plan for the University.
In this plan, one stated objective is to ‘Develop Nationally Recognized Urban Research and Scholarship”, and the establishment of an Office of University Research (OUR) by FY 2022. The following is a summary of the accomplishments that have followed since October 1, 2018 (beginning of FY2019):
Research Administration
UDC’s awards, and expenditures are illustrated in the following chart:
Awards to
UDC ($M) |
Submitted Proposals ($M) | NSF R&D Expenditures ($M) | |
FY 2010 | 15.7 | 53.8 | 5 |
FY 2011 | 12.4 | 48.2 | 4.4 |
FY 2012 | 15.1 | 35 | 4 |
FY 2013 | 8.7 | 32.3 | 3.1 |
FY 2014 | 13.4 | 64 | 2.3 |
FY 2015 | 13.9 | 29 | 2 |
FY 2016 | 7.5 | 39 | 3.5 |
FY2017 | 20.4 | 37 | 3.7 |
FY2018 | 14.2 | 24 | 2.96 |
FY2019 | 27.9 | 45.7 | 4.9 |
FY2020 | 43 | 46.5 | 4.6 |
FY2021 | 33 | 54 | 8.1 |
FY2022 | 17.5 | 51 | TBD |
Faculty Awards & Recognition
Since 2018, UDC’s faculty have received national honors and awards for their research efforts. These include the following:
UDC Economic Impact Analysis
In 2020, the Office of University of Research commissioned a study of UDC’s economic impact to the District of Columbia and the Greater Washington Metropolitan Region. The purpose of this study was to provide a quantitative analysis for investment into UDC by the District of Columbia Government (DCG) that couples the qualitative points for DC Government investment stated in The Equity Imperative. The results of the economic impact, conducted by Econsult Solutions, is as follows:
Strategic Partnerships & Agreements
The OUR, the UDC Foundation, and UDC faculty have facilitated key partnerships with industry, government, and academia to provide internships and research opportunities for faculty and students. These include:
UDC Research Week 2021
The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) held its first celebration of student, faculty, and staff research April 19-23, 2021. The week-long event included presentations from UDC’s schools and colleges, under the auspices of the Office of University Research and strong support from the Chief Academic Officer. Planning for the event was executed by the UDC Research Week Planning Team, which included members of the UDC Internal Research Council. Highlights were as follows:
UDC Research Week 2022
It was a meeting of the minds during the second annual UDC Research Week, held virtually April 4-8. This year’s theme, “DIG-IN! Diversity, Innovation, Groundbreaking,” celebrated the diverse contributions of UDC faculty across the research ecosystem at the University. From social robots for learning, chatbots for cyber security to agrivoltaics, students, faculty and staff from every college and school showcased their work through 82 presentations with more than 400 virtual participants. The UDC Research Week 2021 program can be found at UDC Research Week – April 4 – 8, 2022 | University of the District of Columbia
Chief Academic Officer Dr. Lawrence T. Potter Jr. welcomed participants. The keynote address, “The Economic Benefit of Bringing Robot-Assisted Interventions to Underserved Populations,” was presented by Timothy Gifford, founder, president and chief scientist at MOVIA Robotics, Inc., Bristol, Conn. MOVIA is a collaborative robotics company, that builds systems and software to help children on the autism spectrum learn and grow using robotic technology.
The presentations included topics on “How Social Robotics Support Learning Development,” “Family Members Perspectives on COVID-19 and Self-Efficacy,” “Addressing Visual Space Integration Deficits in the Art Room,” “Chatbots for Cyber Security Reducing Threats and Vulnerabilities,” and “Observational Data for Solutions to Gender-Based Violence in Public Spaces.”
UDC academic units providing presentations included the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability & Environmental Sciences (CAUSES), College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), David A. Clarke School of Law, School of Business & Public Administration (SBPA), School of Engineering & Applied Sciences (SEAS), and UDC Community College (UDC-CC).
The Innovators in Urban Education sessions, moderated by Dr. Jillian Wendt of the College of Arts and Sciences, featured presentations from graduate students who are teachers in the DC Public School System. Their research projects provided insight and tools to create the next cadre of students and leaders for the community. Their findings recommend the earlier the student intervention the greater impact on the student’s learning trajectory.
SEAS provided an overview of their research in nanotechnology, materials and biomechanics. In addition, students presented cutting-edge-edge research projects with government sponsors such as NASA, NSF, Dept. of Energy, Dept. of Defense and NIST.
SEAS has systematically worked to create a research portfolio aligned with national priorities for tomorrow’s industry needs. Dr. Pradeep Behera organized the session as part of his role on the UDC Internal Research Council. UDC’s SEAS is one of only 15 HBCU ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering programs in the country.
Researchers also explored the convergence of machine learning and agriculture and how these new digital tools must be incorporated into the curriculum for the next generation of agricultural professionals. iUNU, an industrial computer vision company, donated its AI platforms to UDC. This new technology will be used on UDC’s rooftop garden and eventually throughout the city and the Firebird Farm.
The David A. Clarke School of Law assembled an impressive group of thought leaders who addressed social justice issues through their research and in-depth knowledge. Professor Bruce Ching organized and moderated the session.
CAUSES hosted a one-day National Capital Region Water Resources Workshop, “Data Science Applications in Water Management,” led by Dr. Tolessa Deksissa, president of the National Capital Region Section of the American Water Resources Association, and director of the Water Resources Research Institute.
Tomorrow’s skilled technical workforce is also being prepared at UDC’s Community College. It stands out as the only community college in the nation developing a curriculum for a new generation of workers in quantum information systems. Of the 36 million STEM-based workers in the U.S., about 19 million do not have a four-year degree and are skilled technical workers making vital contributions to the nation’s science and engineering enterprise, according to the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. UDC’s Community College provides opportunities for skill-based job training ranging from healthcare-based research to innovations in roadway safety.
During the five days of research presentations, demonstrations, speakers, and networking opportunities–students, faculty and research sponsors received a broad cross-section of UDC’s research capabilities and projects currently underway, securing its place as a source of knowledge and innovation for the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area.
Technology Commercialization
In FY2021, the Office of University Research (OUR), provided services to our research faculty to capture intellectual property that resulted from UDC faculty research. In summary, the following was accomplished and summarized in the attached table: