UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s total research expenditures reached a record high of $1.239 billion in fiscal year 2022-23, a 14%* increase from the previous year and driven by a $98 million jump in federal funding for research — by far the largest in the University’s history. This funding enables Penn State faculty, staff and students to conduct cutting-edge research and drive innovation that positively impact people’s lives, both locally and around the globe.
“This achievement is a testament to the dedication and enterprise of our outstanding faculty, students and staff,” said Andrew Read, interim senior vice president for research. “It reflects the ongoing confidence of our sponsors in our ability to successfully address some of the world’s most pressing problems. We are enormously proud of our researchers and our research administration team.”
Funding for research activities is obtained from a variety of sources including federal and state agencies, industry sponsors, private donors, the University and other sources. Projects undergo review through a competitive process and are evaluated by these sources for quality and impact before funds are awarded, which according to Read, reinforces the caliber of Penn State’s research enterprise. In fact, last year alone, Penn State researchers submitted more than 5,000 grant proposals to external funding agencies.
“This tremendous accomplishment is yet another indicator of Penn State’s excellence and far-reaching impact as a research powerhouse,” Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said. “It speaks significantly to the breadth and quality of our research enterprise and to our position as a global leader in innovation that makes a difference in people’s lives.”
The record total of $762 million in federal funding includes $286 million from the Department of the Navy, an increase of 30% over FY22. Funding from the Department of Health and Human Services increased by 5.5%, to $174 million, and funding from the National Science Foundation went up 14.5%, totaling $85.3 million.
Among the individual projects receiving federal funding in FY23 are a study to better understand how anxiety is transmitted from parents to children in early childhood, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health; a study to improve drug design by understanding the molecular basis for unwanted side effects, funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences; an effort to promote sustainable food systems in Africa by linking networks of scientists, communities and policymakers, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF); and a study of how machines perceive and process human body language that could have applications for the design of caregiving robots, also funded by NSF.
Other sources of research funding included $298 million in internal University funds; $123 million from industry, foundations and other sponsors; and $55.7 million from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which includes over $26 million in appropriations for agricultural research.
All of Penn State’s academic units reported increases in research funding during FY23, with the Applied Research Laboratory leading the way with an increase of $73.8 million for a total of $350.5 million, a 26.7% increase over FY22.
“We look forward to continuing to build on this success,” Read said. “As we continue our commitment to addressing the administrative barriers and prioritizing support for our world-class faculty, there is no reason we cannot continue on this trajectory.”
*The FY23 total is $205 million higher than the $1.034 billion total reported for research expenditures for FY22, which would amount to a 20% increase. However, after an annual accounting review of FY22, a total of $48 million of research expenditures were identified that had previously been coded incorrectly as non-research. In terms of real growth, then, the annual increase is $157 million.