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Scientists Grapple with Unexpected Riches

Researchers at San Diego universities are struggling to deal with unexpected riches as new grant money comes available from the federal stimulus package. KPBS Reporter Tom Fudge has more.

Scientists Grapple with Unexpected Riches

Researchers at San Diego universities are struggling to deal with unexpected riches as new grant money comes available from the federal stimulus package. KPBS Reporter Tom Fudge has more.

The stimulus package added billions of dollars in new money for research. And that's good news for scientists in San Diego. But the timeline to apply for federal funding is tight. The new money must be spent quickly to provide economic stimulus. Bill Griswold is a professor of computer science at UC San Diego. He gives one example, involving the National Institutes of Health.

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"Last year I had an NIH grant proposal rejected. And they contacted me last week and said, 'We're reconsidering your proposal. But only if you can do the proposed research in two years,'" says Griswold. 

The stimulus package increased  the NIH budget by ten billion dollars over two years. San Diego State is offering seminars to its researchers so they know which institutes have new money, and how to apply for it. Tom Fudge, KPBS News.