Typical research projects can vary in scope, duration and cost. One component of our mission is to provide practical education to undergraduate and graduate students. Working on real world problems is essential to that process. Another aspect of our mission is scholarship-- the dissemination of information in theses, dissertations, reports, journals and conference proceedings.

Project scopes can range from simple data analysis, to laboratory bench work, to technology R&D (proof of concept), to technology piloting in the laboratory, to technology piloting in the high bay, to technology field demonstration in both the short and long term.

Projects can range from one month to many years; it depends on the nature of the relationship that is established.

Project costs can range from a few thousands of dollars to many hundreds of thousands of dollars; again dependent upon the scope of the project.

A rule of thumb that may be useful is that to fund one graduate student and faculty member for one year with adequate supplies, instrumentation costs, and overhead is about $60,000 to $100,000. We frequently enter into contracts for much less and much more. Typical Ph.D. students take three to four years, Masters students take two years, and undergraduates take months (usually in the summer) to complete their projects.

Prospective Research Sponsors have a number of options to consider:

• sponsorship of research projects conducted by ERG,
   
• co-sponsorship of research projects (usually done in conjunction with ongoing ERG research projects),
   
• opportunities to provide cost-sharing on projects (in kind services, materials and equipment donations),
   
• access to UNH Office of Sponsored Research Staff about contract development, and
   
• access to the UNH Office of Intellectual Property Management (patents, trademarks, copyrights, technology licensing).

For more information, contact Dr. Kevin Gardner.