Neither state budget cuts nor the gulf war will have a substantial impact on funding for University research projects, said Charles Hosler, senior vice president for research.

Hosler said that despite the war, the federal government is unlikely to provide additional funding for University military projects. And though some state-funded projects may fall victim to cuts in the state budget, the effect on University research will probably be minimal: only 4 percent of University research projects are funded directly by the state, said K. Jack Yost, associate vice president for research and technology transfer.

About 72 percent of the research department's budget comes from federal aid, including 20 percent from the Department of Defense, Hosler said. Another 10 percent of the department's funding comes from state aid distributed by the University.

Private industry contributes the remaining 14 percent of the University research budget, Hosler said. This funding has remained constant and has cushioned the blow of the state budget cuts, Hosler said, though he added that the recession may precipitate a decrease in private funding in the future.

Gov. Robert P. Casey announced a $12.6 million cut in funding to the University earlier this month as part of a statewide budget cut.

Until the University budget is straightened out, researchers will not know the full effects of the cuts, Yost said.

Research projects faced budget problems last semester when federal funds were not available until December because of Congress' budget crisis, Hosler said. The government usually distributes aid in monthly installments starting in October, he said. The department should fully recover from the federal aid delay within a month, Hosler said.

Though defense research is not expected to increase, technology used in the gulf war will enable University researchers to see advancements that will help military research, Hosler said. The war will also show the need for a strong technological base in military research during peacetime, he said.