Pentagon Research Doubles at Harvard

Defense Department research grants to Harvard more than doubled this year, soaring from $5 million to $11 million, according to University figures released last week.

These gains far outpaced the overall increase in federal research at Harvard from $132 million to $156 million--a gain of 18 percent, according to the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR). Defense research remained roughly constant between 1985 and 1986.

Harvard officials said they were not concerned about the boost in Defense Department grants because these grants account for only 7 percent of overall Harvard research. But the officials cautioned that reliance on Pentagon money could threaten academic freedom if it assumed a larger role.

"The Defense Department isn't a large part of sponsored research here," said Vice President for Government and Community Affairs John Shattuck. "And we make sure that the contracts adhere to University rules on academic freedom."

The Defense Department's enhanced role in university research could give the Pentagon more leverage over faculty work in the long run, officials and scientists said. According to Director of Governmental Affairs Parker Coddington, between 1981 and 1986 overall federal research money doubled, with 90 percent of the increase came from Defense.

More Pentagon money would influence the investigations of professors, warned Robert L. Park, executive director of the American Physical Society. Scientists who want Defense Department support must work on specific problems the Pentagon wants solved instead of basic scientific research of their own choosing, he said.

Defense Department money also emphasizes large projects involving several teams of scientists over projects with individual researchers, said Paul C. Martin '52, dean of the division of applied sciences. Martin cited the example of a $2 million Harvard center on surface materials sponsored by the Pentagon.

"We need to worry that individual researchers don't get cut out," Martin said.

But the problem is still in the future. "I see no problem with the Pentagon unless the funding rises above 10 percent [of overall research]," said Lewis M. Branscomb, professor at the Kennedy School of Government and former head scientist at IBM. "The DOD is capable of funding research in ways that are acceptable to the university."

Of the 11 Harvard schools, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences posted the largest gain in federally sponsoredwork--from $35 million to $48 million, accordingto the figures which cover the fiscal year endingJune 30, 1987. The Medical School remainedWashington's largest beneficiary, receiving $60million this year in contracts from federalagencies.

Harvard officials were pleased with the overallincrease in federal research, saying that itshowed the government's "cotinuing commitment" touniversity work. But they emphasized that themoney still was not enough.

"There are real problems in [federalresearch]," said Martin. "There are people doinggood work who still can't get money."

The National Institutes of Health--the federalagency responsible for biomedical research--wasfar and away Harvard's largest source of funds,funneling $88 million to University scientists.The National Science Foundation came in second at $19 million up $2 million from last year.

The Defense Department this year was theUniversity's third most generous federal sponsor,with the Navy and the Army sending the mostPentagon funds to Harvard. Navy contracts doubledfrom $3.8 million to $7.6 million, while the Armyincreased its funding from $1 million to $3.2million