Boston University Arts & Sciences

In 2012/2013 Boston University was welcomed into the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization of the 62 leading research universities in the United States and Canada. This induction into the ranks of elite research universities acknowledges what anyone familiar with the BU has long known: after years of diligently increasing our research profile, BU ranks among the top research institutions in North America and, indeed, the world. The College of Arts & Sciences, with its portfolio of basic natural and social sciences and humanities, forms a crucial part of the platform on which this change and success rests.

Research universities across the country face the challenge of declining federal support for research, but CAS faculty have continued to win precious dollars to support their own research and graduate and undergraduate education. During FY 2013, CAS faculty spent $72.2 million in research funding. These efforts help expand the frontiers of human knowledge, and many make an immediate and visible difference in the world.

Applications and Awards for Sponsored Research at CAS

One of this year’s great research successes at CAS was made by Professor of Psychology Helen Tager-Flusberg who, with her colleagues, wrote the proposal that led to the establishment of the new Boston University Autism Center of Excellence (ACE). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) approved a five-year, $10 million grant to establish the center and will fund research focused on the least-probed aspects of this baffling, yet increasingly common, disorder. Professor Tager-Flusberg, a pioneer in the study of human cognition, will serve as the director of the new center.

Research highlights

Annual Report 2012/2013

• From the Dean
  From recruiting ever-better faculty and students to engaging in path-breaking research, academic year 2012/2013 was a year of great accomplishments.
• Recruiting Excellent Undergraduates
  CAS again attracted excellent students who bring with them a wealth of interesting experiences and who are eager to pursue their education in a large and exciting university in one of the major cities of the world.
• Strengthening Graduate Education
  BU and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences laid the groundwork for a tremendous strengthening of the quality of doctoral programs by developing a new budget model.
• Strengthening the Quality of the Faculty
  In 2012/2013, CAS recruited an exemplary cohort of 16 new assistant professors in fields across the humanities and social and natural sciences.
• Enhancing the Research Mission
  This year, Boston University was welcomed into the Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization of leading North American research universities—an accomplishment to which CAS, with its portfolio of research in the natural and social sciences and the humanities, was a key contributor.
• Strengthening Connections to the Community and the World
  The College’s commitment to make the world a better—and better-understood—place contributes to BU’s growing reputation as a leading, global university.
• Managing Our Financial Resources
  Despite the challenges facing all of higher education in recent years, careful fiscal management has allowed the College to again make progress toward achieving its long-term goals.
• Nurturing Connections with Alumni and Friends
  The College continues to develop new opportunities for continuing education, networking, and socializing to help alumni and friends stay connected.
• A Community in Mourning
  The BU community and CAS came together in many ways in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings.
• Our Impact, Your Impact: The Campaign for CAS
  In 2012/2013, BU entered the public phase of its first capital campaign, inspiring many alumni, parents and other friends of CAS to step up support for our annual fund and critical projects.
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