As for energy, only those who have never tried it for a week or two can suppose that the pursuit of knowledge does not demand a strength and determination, a resolve not to be beaten, that is a special kind of energy, and those who lack it or have it only in small store will never be scholars or teachers, because real teaching demands energy as well. My philosophy as Dean is that a College should attract and support leading faculty who do quality teaching and research. The most fundamental research has always been done at universities and we honor that tradition, but, the world has changed and universities must change as well. The lines have become blurred between fundamental and applied research and, in fact, I was never that much interested in the difference anyway. What interests me is the difference between good and bad research.
Good research answers questions, solves problems and adds to knowledge.
The fact that it contributes to our society through commercialization or in some other manner does not make academic research somehow tainted. Applied research can be important also. Furthermore, I do not accept the common criticism that research interferes with teaching. To start with, all research is teaching. Research is the acquisition of new knowledge and the articulation of that knowledge to all the world through publication and presentati on whether it be in a classroom or in a journal.