For the first month of 2021, our overall research performance was mixed.

Expenditures:  Rolling 12-month totals for January 2021, $58.3M, were down slightly from those in December 2020, but still the second highest total in the last six months. In January 2020, rolling expenditures were $65.7M.  BENG, CEIE, LAC, ME, SEOR, and the Dean’s Office all had higher expenditures than a year ago. BENG, CEIE, and the Dean’s Office set records.

Awards:  Rolling 12-month totals for January 2021, $68.1M, were down from those in December 2020, reflecting two things:

1. a delay setting up a $3.4M RPRC award that actually arrived last month. This will show up in the February totals instead. If that award had been set up, January’s totals would have actually been higher than December’s.
2. the departure last summer of a couple of faculty. It is customary for Mason to let faculty take the unexpended portion of their existing awards to their new institutions. The amount of the awards which has not yet been expended is then subtracted from VSE’s award totals. It takes a while for grant transfers to become effective and be reflected on our books. Hence, we are now seeing the effects of departures several months ago. Similarly, when faculty come from other institutions to Mason and bring their existing awards, the unexpended amount is added to VSE’s award totals. Sometimes we gain and sometimes we lose with faculty arrivals and departures.

Proposals: Rolling 12-month totals for January 2021, $142.8M, are the highest since last August. CS, LAC, and ME set records.

Indirect Recovery:  Rolling 12-month totals for January 2021, $6.6M, are down from last month. This figure has fluctuated up and down between $6.5M and $6.9M over the last 5 months.

Regards.

Dr. Art Pyster

Associate Dean for Research and Professor

Volgenau School of Engineering

George Mason University

703-717-8110

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