Sloan funds new master's programs

By ELLEN GOLDBAUM
Contributing Editor

In recognition of its strengths in bioinformatics and related areas, UB has been awarded a major grant to develop professional master's degrees in disciplines closely related to bioinformatics by the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The $225,000 award underscores the high level of expertise among UB faculty in these burgeoning areas and the university's commitment to respond quickly to the changing employment landscape that its students face upon graduation.

"This funding is recognition of our existing strength in these new interdisciplinary fields and is welcome for the assistance it provides in growing master's programs in the new areas demanded by industry as part of our Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics," said Provost Elizabeth D. Capaldi.

UB was one of only a handful of institutions selected for funding from the Sloan Foundation for the development of new professional master's degrees, and follows schools like the University of Wisconsin, Georgia Tech and Michigan State University in pioneering the new degree. The foundation is promoting the professional master's degree to better address the needs of both students and industry.

Professional master's degree programs are designed to provide students with proficiency in fields poised to experience dramatic growth over the next few decades, but that are not well-served by currently available academic programs.

Developed by UB faculty and administrators working with scientists and managers in industry, the new UB programs will educate students in their chosen field of study and also provide them with exposure and training in business, communication and ethics. This broad training will better position students as they enter the job market. Businesses, in turn, will be able to hire employees with both a strong education in science and experience in how industry operates.

The funding provides for development of professional master's degree programs in the following high-growth, interdisciplinary fields:

• Molecular chemical biology, the so-called "bench lab behind bioinformatics" that combines computational training with extensive laboratory experience
• Computational chemistry, the study of atomic and molecular structure, which can speed drug design through the use of automated libraries of chemical compounds
• Environmental geographic information systems, which applies geographic information systems to the study of environmental and epidemiological issues, many of which are related to health and medicine