KU News Release

LAWRENCE — The economic impact of research spending at the University of Kansas increased significantly last year, with research funds brought into Kansas exceeding $200 million for the first time.

Overall, external funding for research, development and training in fiscal year 2009 totaled a record $207.1 million, a nearly 5 percent increase from the 2008 level. When institutional support is included, KU’s overall research expenditures were a record $308.9 million.

Federally funded science and engineering research, a category used by the National Science Foundation to rank universities, increased by more than 4 percent. For 2008, KU ranked 43rd among national public research universities.

“Research at KU helps create jobs and economic growth and enhances Kansans’ quality of life,” said Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little. “We have highly motivated faculty whose success brings new money into the state. Just as important, the research funded by those grants adds to our understanding of a whole range of subjects: human health, energy, education, communications and much more. Kansans benefit from this work and can be very proud of what our researchers are doing at KU.”

Approximately 83 percent of KU’s external research funding came from the federal government in 2009, much of it from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Education and National Science Foundation. Other funding sources included industry, state and local government and foundations.

“We are in a very competitive environment for research funding, especially at the federal level,” said Steve Warren, vice provost for research and graduate studies. “Even so, some of the largest research grants ever awarded in Kansas came to KU last year. That’s an excellent indicator of the strength of our faculty and programs.”

Federal stimulus funding for research has been a welcome one-time increase, said Warren. None of the more than $40 million in grants awarded so far at the Lawrence and medical center campuses is reflected in the research totals for fiscal year 2009.

“Momentum is building toward designation of the University of Kansas Cancer Center as a National Cancer Institute center,” said Paul Terranova, vice chancellor for research at the KU Medical Center. “Increased research funding at both campuses is one part of that initiative. Sustained support from the state and private donors is also important as we move forward.”