Stanford looks to expand onto campus of nearby Catholic university
Stanford University researchers have partnered with a Catholic university to create the largest and fastest-growing program of its kind.
Rutgers will provide the school with at least $80 million in funding over 10 years for a new multidisciplinary institute called Rutgers–Stanford, a deal that includes faculty from both schools who will teach at the new institute. Rutgers will build the center over two years at the intersection of two universities’ campuses in New Brunswick.
It will be the first new institute in the history of research administration at Rutgers-New Brunswick and represents the highest level of collaboration the school has achieved with another institution in its history, said Ron Schlossfeld, vice president of research and academic affairs.
Over the next 10 years, Rutgers-Stanford will create a pool of more than 200 full-time faculty at the institute, according to the university.
Rutgers is also providing about $80 million in support for the project, a university statement said. The university’s gift will be matched by the university’s endowment, further increasing its financial support for the institution.
Stanford researcher John Sulston will serve as the institute’s president for the next two years. Sulston came to Stanford from Rutgers in 2010 and is credited with establishing the nation’s first institute dedicated to building human capital in academia. It currently has 50 full faculty members and about 700 graduate students.
Sulston will be joined by two other Rutgers professors for two-year positions starting this summer: Jennifer L. Moore, professor of chemical, materials and biomolecular engineering; and Stephen P. Smith, professor of biological and environmental engineering.
“The institution of Stanford at Rutgers was something that was not anticipated,” Smith said. “The university president [John L. Schaefer II] said to us, ‘You guys have created a great institution, why don’t we collaborate on something bigger and more grand?’”
Rutgers has long believed it can provide the necessary financial support to support the development of the institute at Stanford in New Brunswick. It is also willing to share resources with the project, according to Stanford officials.
“We welcome these generous gifts and are grateful to Rutgers for demonstrating its deep commitment to
