Gov. Greg Abbott is emphasizing the importance of research in luring academic stars to Texas and elevating the state's universities as well as its economy.
The Governor's University Research Initiative is intended to attract elite researchers to Texas academic and health campuses by offering grants that are matched by schools for establishing labs and other costs.
The top priority goes to recruiting Nobel laureates and members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Prominent researchers can burnish a school's reputation, bring with them millions in federally funded research projects, offer the potential for private-sector startups, and are magnets for top graduate students.
The state Legislature set aside $38 million to fund the initiative for two years.
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Information from: Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com
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