Committed and Growinig

Undergraduate biotechnology student Ashley Sansing retrieves frozen cell cultures from liquid nitrogen storage. Upon her graduation, Ashley was hired by a local biotechnology company as a laboratory researcher.

Research has played a critical role in the growth and development of Florida’s youngest and fastest-growing state university, Florida Gulf Coast University.

Wilson G. Bradshaw President, FGCU

Today at FGCU, awards for research and sponsored programs have increased nearly 500% since FGCU’s first year in 1997—98. In fact, many decades-old, comprehensive universities across the country have not achieved the same level of success that FGCU has in terms of annual funding in research and sponsored programs.

Dr. Wilson G. Bradshaw, President of FGCU, says the University embraces its future research opportunities with optimism and enthusiasm. “While we are proud of our accomplishments to date, we are not content to maintain the status quo.”

“It is our strong desire to continue to grow, to engage in a diverse array of research and sponsored programs that benefit our community, and to generate intellectual property that will have significant impact on the economic growth of our community.”

FGCU at a Glance: » Founded: 1991 » Opened: 1997—98 » Type: Comprehensive University » 2008—09 Projected Enrollment: 10,000 +, a 400% increase since 1997—98 » 2008—09 Degree Programs: 82; 51 Undergraduateand 31 Graduate » Endowment: $50 million » Annual Research Awards: $14 million average,last three fiscalyears » Alumni: 8,670 » Campus: 760 pristine and preserved acres; 71 buildings

FGCU’s steadfast commitment to support and encourage research is reflected in the number of funding proposal submissions that have increased by nearly 325%, up from 54 in 1997—98 to an average of 170 in the last three fiscal years.

FGCU anticipates numerous invention disclosures and patent applications in the years to come, with intellectual property being the impetus for emerging technologies to be commercialized. In January 2007, the University filed its first U.S. patent application pertaining to “A Method for Delivering Materials into Biological Systems Using Sonic Energy.” The technology uses focused acoustic energy to introduce materials into cells, tissues and multi-cellular organisms.

» For More Information

Dr. Thomas Roberts Associate Vice President for Research troberts@fgcu.edu www.fgcu.edu/orsp (239) 590-7020

Since this initial patent filing, several FGCU scientists have submitted other invention disclosures, and many have resulted in provisional patent applications in such general topical areas as analytical chemistry, molecular biology, computer science and engineering, and more.

FGCU is currently considering partners with an interest in licensing available technologies and is seeking early stage investors to assist in developing and exploiting new intellectual property developed by FGCU scientists.