Transform the World

Elevate our top-tier research and contributions

Strategy 1

Progress toward becoming a top 100 R1 institution and a top 50 NSF public research and development university

A. Establish a multi-disciplinary task force to identify gaps and associated investments needed in programmatic, physical and technological requirements; utilize findings to expand and modernize core research facilities and infrastructure, and achieve research objectives

B. Leverage partnerships with Renown, VA and other community health partners to increase opportunities for clinical and translational research, residency programs, internships and fellowships

C. Expand external partnerships to increase research, creative and innovation opportunities, including driving research efforts within ��ϱ�� and the southwest region

D. Establish a centralized focus group that promotes interdisciplinary research and scholarship

Pie chart showing research expenditures for fall 2021

[Figure 1 - Pie Chart] Research expenditures for 2021. U.S. Federal Government, $77,245,870 (44% of total); All other sources, $98,140,597 (56% of total). Total research expenditures, $175,386,467.

Benchmark data from 2021 for reference

Strategy 2

Move toward achieving American Association of Universities’ membership indicators

A. Launch a working group to identify actions required to mitigate gaps to and guide the University's progress towards demonstrating achievement of current AAU indicators

B. Assess the existing policies, processes and systems to identify priorities for optimizing growth across research and creative activities

C. Establish a framework to objectively allocate resources to research programs

D. Formalize a process for providing faculty the world-class infrastructure, resources, mentorship and support needed to receive honorific awards, fellowships and membership in national academies

E. Develop a prioritization plan for hiring graduate research assistants and graduate teaching assistants that identifies existing, future and target candidate programs

Directional outcomes and metrics

❑ Maintain Carnegie “very high research activity” classification

❑ Increase federally funded research grant applications and awards annually

❑ Increase applications for and awards of federal grants specific to the National Science Foundation’s public research rankings

❑ Increase number of faculty honorific awards, fellowships and memberships

❑ Increase the number of faculty invited to membership into the national academies

❑ Increase the number of graduate research assistants and teaching assistants annually

❑ Increase the number of non-tenure track research faculty and post-docs each year to achieve a minimum of 250

❑ Increase the number of tenure / tenure-track faculty positions each year to achieve a minimum of 900 by 2027

❑ Increase the number of journal citations from University faculty each year

❑ Increase research expenditures to $250M in total and $18M total outside of science and engineering

❑ Increase Ph.D. graduates to 200, including 115 STEM; 20 Humanities; 22 Social Sciences; and 45 Others (Professional Degrees)

❑ Achieve ranking as one of the top 50 NSF public research and development universities

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