Allocating research funding

• US 8,620,804 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Friedlander, Robert R., Kraemer, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): KANERVO, VIRPI H
• Application Number:
  US13/210,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20130046680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management

Abstract

Allocation of research funding is based on changes to sizes of resource clusters. Each resource cluster is composed of a set of researchers devoted to a single aspect of a research field. A size change to a specific resource cluster indicates a change to a level of activities associated with a corresponding specific aspect of the research field. In response to identifying an under-attended aspect of the research field caused by the change in sizes of the resource clusters, a recommendation is issued to allocate additional funding for research to the under-attended aspect of the research field.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of allocating research funding, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying, by a processor, a change in sizes of resource clusters, wherein each resource cluster is composed of a set of researchers devoted to a single aspect of a research field, wherein each resource cluster represents a quantity and quality of researchers who have worked on the single aspect of the research field, and wherein a size change to a specific resource cluster indicates a change to a level of activities associated with a corresponding specific aspect of the research field; and

issuing, by the processor, a recommendation to allocate additional funding for research to an under-attended aspect of the research field in response to identifying the under-attended aspect of the research field by the change in sizes of the resource clusters, wherein the under-attended aspect of the research field is a research aspect that is not receiving adequate funding and is not a subject of adequate levels of research activities.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, the under-attended aspect of the research field by determining that a size of a particular resource cluster associated with the under-attended aspect of the research field is below a predetermined level.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, an over-attended aspect of the research field based on a funding level, for a specific aspect of the research field, that exceeds a predetermined level; and

in response to identifying the over-attended aspect of the research field, issuing, by the processor, a recommendation to reduce previously allocated funding to the over-attended aspect of the research field.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, a new aspect of the research field by identifying common features of two of the resource clusters; and

issuing, by the processor, a recommendation to allocate funding to the new aspect of the research field.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, a new aspect of the research field by identifying a new feature that is related to a first known feature of an activity of a first resource cluster and to a second known feature of an activity of a second resource cluster; and

issuing, by the processor, a recommendation to allocate funding to the new aspect of the research field.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, a funding level, for a specific aspect of the research field, that exceeds a predetermined level; and

filtering out, by the processor, a specific resource cluster during said identifying the change in sizes of resource clusters, wherein said specific resource cluster is associated with the specific aspect that received the identified funding level.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, technology that has been unused with the under-attended aspect of the research field; and

issuing, by the processor, a recommendation to increase funding to utilize the unused technology with the under-attended aspect of the research field.

8. A computer program product for allocating research funding, the computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

identify a change in sizes of resource clusters, wherein each resource cluster is composed of a set of researchers devoted to a single aspect of a research field, wherein each resource cluster represents a quantity and quality of researchers who have worked on the single aspect of the research field, and wherein a size change to a specific resource cluster indicates a change to a level of activities associated with a corresponding specific aspect of the research field; and

issue a recommendation to allocate additional funding for research to an under-attended aspect of the research field in response to identifying the under-attended aspect of the research field by the change in sizes of the resource clusters, wherein the under-attended aspect of the research field is a research aspect that is not receiving adequate funding and is not a subject of adequate levels of research activities.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product embodied in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, when executed by a processor, further causes the processor to:

identify the under-attended aspect of the research field by determining that a size of a particular resource cluster associated with the under-attended aspect of the research field is below a predetermined level.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product embodied in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, when executed by a processor, further causes the processor to:

identify an over-attended aspect of the research field based on a funding level, for a specific aspect of the research field, that exceeds a predetermined level; and

in response to identifying the over-attended aspect of the research field, issue a recommendation to reduce previously allocated funding to the over-attended aspect of the research field.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product embodied in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, when executed by a processor, further causes the processor to:

identify a new aspect of the research field by identifying common features of two of the resource clusters; and

issue a recommendation to allocate funding to the new aspect of the research field.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product embodied in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, when executed by a processor, further causes the processor to:

identify a new aspect of the research field by identifying a new feature that is related to a first known feature of an activity of a first resource cluster and to a second known feature of an activity of a second resource cluster; and

issue a recommendation to allocate funding to the new aspect of the research field.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product embodied in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, when executed by a processor, further causes the processor to:

identify a funding level, for a specific aspect of the research field, that exceeds a predetermined level; and

filter out a specific resource cluster during said identifying the change in sizes of resource clusters, wherein said specific resource cluster is associated with the specific aspect that received the identified funding level.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer program product embodied in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, when executed by a processor, further causes the processor to:

identify technology that has been unused with the under-attended aspect of the research field; and

issue a recommendation to increase funding to utilize the unused technology with the under-attended aspect of the research field.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable memory; and

a computer readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to;

identify a change in sizes of resource clusters, wherein each resource cluster is composed of a set of researchers devoted to a single aspect of a research field, wherein each resource cluster represents a quantity of researchers who have worked on the single aspect of the research field, and wherein a size change to a specific resource cluster indicates a change to a level of activities associated with a corresponding specific aspect of the research field; and

issue a recommendation to allocate additional funding for research to an under-attended aspect of the research field in response to identifying an under-attended aspect of the research field by the change in sizes of the resource clusters, wherein the under-attended aspect of the research field is a research aspect that is not receiving adequate funding and is not a subject of adequate levels of research activities.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

identify the under-attended aspect of the research field by determining that a size of a particular resource cluster associated with the under-attended aspect of the research field is below a predetermined level.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

identify an over-attended aspect of the research field based on a funding level, for a specific aspect of the research field, that exceeds a predetermined level; and

in response to identifying the over-attended aspect of the research field, issue a recommendation to reduce previously allocated funding to the over-attended aspect of the research field.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

identify a new aspect of the research field by identifying common features of two of the resource clusters; and

issue a recommendation to allocate funding to the new aspect of the research field.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

identify a funding level, for a specific aspect of the research field, that exceeds a predetermined level; and

filter out a specific resource cluster during said identifying the change in sizes of resource clusters, wherein said specific resource cluster is associated with the specific aspect that received the identified funding level.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:

identify technology that has been unused with the under-attended aspect of the research field; and

issue a recommendation to increase funding to utilize the unused technology with the under-attended aspect of the research field.