Advance story gave mistaken impression of a lack of respect between
CSI and IBR
Staten Island Advance
Sunday, December 21, 2003
An Editorial by Fred Naider, Ph.D.,
Distinguished Professor of Chemistry/Biochemistry at the College of
Staten Island and the Graduate Center of The City University of New
York
 Robert Gavin's article
"Does an IBR-CSI marriage make sense?" raised a
number of issues concerning the future of the Institute of Basic
Research and its possible affiliation with the College of Staten
Island, and I was somewhat dismayed and surprised to read that some IBR officials perceive CSI to be a low level institution, and a
high-ranking IBR supervisor sees a possible merger as the
institute's undoing.
My working relationship with officials at IBR dates back to the
1980s when collaboration between IBR and CSI was first envisioned,
critically examined, and formalized in the establishment of the
Center for Developmental Neuroscience and Developmental
Disabilities.
This joint venture, which has CSI science faculty collaborating with
IBR scientists, has led to a mutual appreciation between researchers
at both IBR and CSI. My perception is that many officials at IBR
would concur with this conclusion.
CSI's science faculty have attained both national and international
distinction by publishing in the most prestigious journals and
serving on panels that determine science policy at the national
level.
A majority of CSI faculty in chemistry and biochemistry, as well as
faculty in biology and physics, are also members of the CUNY
doctoral faculty. Additionally, CSI received a total of $8.7 million
in grants in fiscal year 2003. Of this, $2.75 million represents
research grants from institutions such as the National Institutes of
Health and the National Science Foundation. Given the above, it is
difficult to understand the attitude of the unnamed IBR officials in
Mr. Gavin's article, as well as the overall tone of his column.
I have been a CSI faculty member for over 30 years and I served as
the coordinator of its neuroscience program from 1999-2001. I am a
strong supporter of research and scholarly activities at CSI, and am
one of a great majority of CSI professors who are teacher-scholars
that manifest a joint commitment to the education of students as
well as the furtherance of knowledge through scholarly research.
CSI, under the leadership of President Marlene Springer, achieves
excellence in both these areas, and it is insulting to be
categorized by demeaning and inaccurate rhetoric in the pages of
this newspaper.
---Fred Naider, Ph.D.
Reprinted here with permission from the
|
