Twenty years ago Arnold and Mabel Beckman made an extraordinary commitment to the University of Illinois. Their gift of $40 million in 1985 was the largest one-time donation ever to a public university and turned the dream of a world-class interdisciplinary research institute on the Urbana-Champaign campus into a reality. Arnold’s death this past year saddened us, but events in 2004 and 2005 showed that the Beckman Institute is as vital today as when Arnold and Mabel dedicated it in 1989.
Periodic reviews by external review committees ensure that the Beckman Institute research programs maintain their leading-edge focus. This year both the Human-Computer Intelligent Interaction (HCII) and the Molecular and Electronic Nanostructures (M&ENS) research initiatives were reviewed. Identified HCII strengths include imaging, human and computer vision, and speech and language research. Identified world-class research in M&ENS includes the study of autonomous materials systems, biomimetic systems, biophotonics, and nanotubes. These reviews are one mechanism by which the Beckman Institute continually adjusts research priorities and directions in order to take advantage of emerging opportunities. Resource reallocations in support of those adjustments are a normal part of the process and they can lead to the discontinuation of some activities.
The third research initiative, Biological Intelligence (BI), has seen strong growth in research on cognitive aging. This is an example of the Beckman Institute’s leadership in promoting research that translates basic discoveries into technological advances and clinical practice.
In May of 2005 I asked for proposals for new research projects to aid in the planning of a fourth research initiative. We have a unique opportunity to grow as more space in the building will open up in the latter part of 2005.
The Beckman Institute continues to be a strong attraction for new faculty being recruited by UIUC. Since our last Annual Report, 11 new faculty have joined the Beckman Institute, adding a host of new competencies and talents. An area of strong activity is the nascent Bioengineering Department. Several of the new faculty in cell and tissue engineering, bioimaging, computational biology, and micro and molecular technologies will also have Beckman Institute faculty appointments.
The Beckman Institute’s Centralized Facilities continue to enhance
their reputations as state-of-the-art resources. In particular, the Biomedical
Imaging Center (BIC) has become a highly productive research facility
and will soon need larger facilities to accommodate new imaging modalities.
The Imaging Technology Group (ITG) and the Integrated Systems Laboratory
(ISL) have added new instruments, software, and other capabilities to
improve data acquisition, visualization, and educational outreach activities.
The Beckman Fellows program continues to produce faculty
for universities around the world, adding five Fellows
in 2004 and four more in 2005 thanks to ongoing generous
support by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation.
Of course, interdisciplinary research remains the heart of the Beckman Institute’s mission, and the increasing number of grants and growing collaborations between various disciplines testify to the vigor and relevancy of our ongoing efforts. This is due to the talents and dedication of our faculty, students, and staff. I would like to thank them for their work, and look forward to broadening our efforts in the future as the Beckman Institute continues to exemplify Arnold Beckman’s ideal of interdisciplinary research.
—Pierre Wiltzius, Director