Questions for Harris Pastides, USC’s vice president for research and the Division of Health Sciences

TIMES: After serving as dean of the Arnold School of Public Health for several years, you were named vice president for research and the Division of Health Sciences last semester. What is the strategic purpose of this new division? Pastides: USC is strategically poised to capitalize on the vast opportunities for funding biomedical research from the federal government (especially the National Institutes of Health), foundations, and the private sector. By becoming more closely integrated, faculty in our five health science colleges will be able to apply interdisciplinary approaches to solving the major research questions of the day and to garner bigger grants and contracts. Also, I hope that we can add value to some of our educational and outreach programs by learning and applying the “best practices” that might exist throughout our departments and colleges. TIMES: What kinds of projects and joint research do you see the health sciences division pursuing in the coming year? Pastides: We have created a faculty-led Biomedical Research Initiative to help us decide our priorities; John Baynes (chemistry and biochemistry) and Russ Pate (exercise science) co-chair the steering committee. It appears that the priority areas they are designating include research on cancer, neural science, health disparities, and biomedical engineering, among others. TIMES: USC’s research funding hit an all-time high in fiscal year 2003. What are the prospects for further growth of the University's research enterprise? What are the chief limiting factors? Pastides: Indeed, my expectations are high, and I expect our faculty to surpass last year’s all-time high in sponsored programs, including federally funded research. Nevertheless, we must expand our faculty base and also invest in new facilities and equipment if we hope to continue to expand much beyond what we are experiencing today. We are already performing at high levels, and at some point our ability to grow will reach a saturation point if we don’t recruit in selected, opportunity areas. TIMES: What can we expect to see over the next couple of years in terms of changes in the way the University pursues research opportunities? Pastides: Faculty can expect to see continued focus on priority areas with strategic investments targeted at growth. Yet, we will never lose sight of the excellent research and scholarship throughout the University, including in the liberal arts and the several professional schools where large awards are not the ultimate arbiter of quality. TIMES: The proposed research campus on Blossom Street likely will take many years to develop fully; is there a timetable for constructing the initial building? Pastides: Few universities have as ambitious an agenda as we have with our planned research campus. We are still in a deliberative phase of planning but, soon, there should be tangible signs of growth. With it will come improvement in the aesthetics and the quality of life in our border neighborhoods. This will benefit USC and non-USC citizens alike. TIMES: In the midst of all of the change that is facing the University, what qualities or characteristics about USC do you hope will remain the same? Pastides: I am committed to being the research leader for the entire campus, regardless of the academic discipline. The beauty of USC and its flagship mission is that we aspire to be a major factor in the social, economic, and educational development of every community of our great state. As we increase our research productivity we must be equally mindful of our role in educating our youth and working to improve the lives of our citizens. As opposed to a research institute that might have more limited goals, USC must remain directly relevant to our state. This is a responsibility I willingly accept with confidence in our ability. 01/04