UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s total research expenditures reached a record high of $1.337 billion in fiscal year 2023-24, an 8% increase or $99 million jump from the previous year, bringing the research expenditures of external and internal funding to the largest total in the University’s history. For the first time in Penn State’s history, external funding from sponsored grants and contracts surpassed $1 billion — a nearly 11% increase over the last fiscal year.  

This funding enables Penn State faculty, staff and students to push the boundaries of discovery, conduct cutting-edge research and drive innovation that positively impacts society, both locally and around the globe, while continuing to offer a world-class education to undergraduate and graduate students.  

“As a land-grant institution, we are not only solving some of the world’s biggest problems; we are also cultivating the next generation of researchers to ensure that today's discoveries drive progress and ignite the imagination of tomorrow's pioneers,” Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi said. “I am deeply grateful for the incredible dedication and achievements of our faculty, students and staff, whose research advances our mission, empowers communities, and shapes the future of our shared global society.” 

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. These expenditures can cover a wide range of costs associated with conducting research, such as salaries and wages for research personnel, research facilities, infrastructure and materials, and technology and software. Research expenditures are commonly understood as indicators of a university’s commitment to innovation and knowledge creation, and its ability to compete nationally and internationally for resources to support discoveries and translational science.  

“This year’s expenditure record is truly a testament to our researchers, who are the driving force behind breakthroughs that are solving problems, improving lives and fueling innovation,” said Andrew Read, Penn State’s senior vice president for research. “This reflects our sponsors’ confidence in the expertise of our researchers. It is also a testament to the dedication of our staff who support our researchers.” 

Each sponsored project undergoes extensive review and is evaluated for quality and impact before funds are awarded, which, according to Read, reinforces the caliber of Penn State’s research enterprise. He added that research funding included $300 million in internal University funds this year. 

The record total of $838 million in federal funding includes $200 million from the Department of Health and Human Services and $30 million from the Department of Agriculture. In addition, the Applied Research Laboratory reported $388 million in total research expenditures, primarily from the Department of the Navy. The College of Engineering and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences saw significant percent increases in research expenditures greater than the overall Penn State average.  

Among the individual projects receiving federal funding in fiscal year 2023-24 are: 

• A five-year, $20 million federal grant to the College of Medicine to investigate the harmful effects of alternative tobacco products, research that will help with better regulation and improve public health. 

• A $20 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to support the establishment and operation of the National Synthesis Center for Emergence in the Molecular and Cellular Sciences at Penn State. 

• A grant for more than $7 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to fund an upcoming project led by Penn State researchers, who aim to develop new pest management tools for mushroom crops. They also plan to create new outreach opportunities to growers, farm owners, residents and policymakers. 

• A $5 million grant to an international team of scientists led by Penn State researchers to engage Indigenous communities in climate change research. 

• A five-year, $4 million grant from the NSF to make robotic prostheses more useful for people living with amputations. 

• A $3 million grant from the NSF to spearhead a new initiative to create novel monitoring systems for insect populations, many of which are experiencing dramatic changes across the globe due to changes in land use, pollution and climate change. 

In addition, Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory began a multiyear contract to design and integrate low-band and mid-band synthetic aperture SONAR capability into the U.S. Navy’s planned Integrated Search and Survey sensor suite. 

Penn State also received gifts, grants and contracts from nearly 500 private companies in the last year, supporting $38 million in research expenditures. These industry partnerships help drive economic development, train the workforce of the future, and facilitate the transfer of technology from the lab into applications.  

Other sources of research funding included $95 million from foundations and other sponsors, and $57 million from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which includes more than $26 million in appropriations for agricultural research.