The authors of this chapter of the Engineering Research Centers (ERC) Best Practices Manual adopted the following basic principles: First, the Director is responsible for the vision that determines the direction of each center and inspires loyalty to its objectives. Second, there is clearly no single absolute and "correct" way to direct an ERC. There are, however, a series of choices that must be made as the process is undertaken, and each choice necessarily leads to a set of consequences. Every committee that is set up, and every administrative structure that is developed, will affect the center in ways that can be anticipated, at least in general terms, based on the cumulative experience of the 40-odd people who have directed ERCs for varying lengths of time at various stages in the 11-year life of these unique research centers. There are certainly many research centers in American universities, but the objectives, key features, and funding pattern of the ERC Program make these centers unique in several important ways. The directorship of an individual ERC is, therefore, a unique responsibility in the academic framework of the universities within which these centers are placed. (See Attachment 2-1, "Profile of an 'Ideal' ERC Director.")

Because the success of an ERC must be measured in terms of the extent to which it has fulfilled the mandate set for these centers by NSF at their inception, it is useful to review their stated purposes. In 1985, when the first ERCs were established, the NSF clearly stated that it would allocate a relatively large amount of money outside of its traditional pattern of single-investigator grants to fund innovative, cutting-edge research centers that would enhance the global competitiveness of American industry. Very direct and effective integration with industry was implicit in the charter of the ERCs. These centers were to have a systems focus and to emphasize cross-disciplinary research and education. Consequently, an important change in the education of young scientists and engineers was envisioned and later reinforced as the ERC Program matured. It was clear from the beginning that the ERCs were to act as catalysts in the transformation of academic research in science-based engineering to produce centers that would establish world leadership in important areas of research, in industrial relevance, and in interdisciplinary education.

All the ERCs owe a debt of gratitude to the pioneering directors of the early "classes" of ERCs (1985, 1986, and 1987), who took on the complex challenges of the ERC concept and proved it could be done successfully (see text box). These are the Directors who had the original vision and who saw their centers successfully through at least their first (third-year) renewal reviews. They paved the way for the directors of the later classes who refined the ERC concept (classes of 1988 and 1990). Building on the experience of these first-generation ERC Directors, a second generation of Directors (classes of 1994-95 and 1996) have begun to expand upon the ERC concept to position their centers for success in the next century.

PIONEERING ERC DIRECTORS Class of 1985 John Baras--Systems Research Center (later Institute for Systems Research), University of Maryland and Harvard University Mischa Schwartz--Center for Telecommunications Research, Columbia University James Solberg -- Center for Intelligent Manufacturing Systems, Purdue University Daniel I.C. Wang--Bioprocess Engineering Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Class of 1986 Taylan Altan--ERC for Net Shape Manufacturing, Ohio State University John Fisher--Center for Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems, Lehigh University Douglas Smoot--Advanced Combustion Engineering Research Center, Brigham Young University and the University of Utah Arthur Westerburg--Engineering Design Research Center, Carnegie Mellon University Class of 1987 Thomas Cathey--Center for Optoelectronic Computing Systems, University of Colorado Theo Pilkington--Center for Emerging Cardiovascular Technologies, Duke University

This chapter was prepared by a team of current and former ERC Directors (see Appendix A at the end of the Manual). They compiled a survey of issues in the directorship of ERCs that is appended to this chapter as Attachment 2-2. A large number of current and past Directors of ERCs were surveyed, and their responses form the basis of the chapter. It is hoped that the suggestions made herein--although by no means absolute prescriptions--will provide new or prospective Center Directors with a greater sense of confidence in their decisions. The intent was to provide assurance that, "If you choose the following options in directing an ERC, these consequences will probably follow."

2.1.2 Organization and Objectives

In an attempt to avoid duplication with other chapters (e.g., Chapter 3, "Research Management"), and to provide useful advice to incoming Center Directors, this chapter will address the conception of an ERC, the daunting task of building and directing an ERC, and the set of decisions and actions that a new Director must take, roughly in the sequence that s/he must make them. Early in the life of an ERC the Director must decide to what extent s/he will delegate responsibility for specific aspects of the center's operations and s/he must then hire or assign employees or faculty members to fulfill these functions. The new Director also must work to build harmonious relationships with the university's hierarchy and the relevant departments. This harmony may be jeopardized if, for example, s/he decides to press hard for contiguous space for the nascent center at an early stage in its development. Because not even the most heavily endowed universities can have all of the high-caliber faculty in the right areas that are necessary to execute the strategic plan of a good ERC, faculty recruitment is the most potent weapon that the Director has in hand to shape the center. One of the Director's main contributions to the center will, therefore, often be in the area of faculty recruitment and replacement, both externally and on campus. This contribution will extend throughout the life of the center and will depend heavily on the relationships that s/he has built with contributing departments and with the university administration.

If you have specific comments and questions on the contents of this site and/or its use, please contact webmaster@erc-assoc.org. To report technical problems, contact techhelp@erc-assoc.org.