Penn State research expenditures for 2017-18 totaled $927 million, setting a record high for the second consecutive year.
With an increase of $64 million over the previous year, Penn State research included $562 million in federal funds and $365 million combined from private funds, state government and university resources, according to a news release.
“Our record funding level reflects the hard work and ingenuity of our world-class faculty, students, staff as well as a renewed enthusiasm in Washington for federally supported research and development,” said Neil Sharkey, vice president for research.
Federal research funding grew from $532 million in 2016-17, with increases from the Department of Navy, National Institutes of Health, NASA and the Department of Energy.
Defense-related research funding increased by 14 percent and funding from industry, foundations and other sponsors grew by 11 percent from $91 million to $101 million.
“Our defense funding levels demonstrate the continuing confidence the Department of Defense has in our research, a partnership of trust that has been decades in the making,” Sharkey said. “The jump in private funding shows how much effort we’ve been putting into translating our work into real-world impacts and supporting the private sector.”
Nearly 21 percent of total research expenditures, or $191 million, came from the university’s own investments in research for the public good as part of its land-grant mission.
Penn State saw a slight decrease in research funding from the Commonwealth, from $75 million to $73 million.
Image: Kevin Carlini
