Research is - and always has been - central to Indiana University's mission in Indianapolis. Working with community and industry partners, faculty and student researchers have left their mark on Indiana and its capital city, making innovative discoveries, expanding knowledge and pursuing creative endeavors with tremendous economic and societal impact.
Russell J. Mumper is the vice president for research at IU. Photo by Haley Sinn Photography
With IU President Pamela Whitten's bold vision and the IU 2030 strategic plan guiding the way, IU Indianapolis is embarking on a new era. Building on the campus's long history of innovation - from curing testicular cancer and anemia in children to driving advancements in bioinformatics and environmental science - the impact of its transformative research and creative activity will continue to grow as IU Indianapolis becomes one of the nation's premier urban research universities.
"Researchers in Indianapolis have been at the forefront of innovation and discovery in central Indiana for decades, but there is so much more we can do to improve the lives of Hoosiers everywhere," IU Vice President for Research Russell J. Mumper said. "Through strategic investments and collaborative partnerships, we will increase the high-impact research taking place at IU Indianapolis, while offering highly differentiated learning opportunities for students and contributing to the growth of Indiana's research and development ecosystem."
Pursuing high-impact, interdisciplinary research
IU Indianapolis researchers are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing our city, state and world, with interdisciplinary research centers and institutes bringing together the campus's most innovative thinkers.
Researchers at the Luddy Artificial Intelligence Center are advancing AI knowledge and using it to solve real-world issues in industry, while building interdisciplinary teams that will attract major external funding. At the Polis Center, researchers work with community partners to develop place-based policies and practices that improve the health and resiliency of communities, and the Center for Health Policy is generating evidence that informs health decisions in Indiana and beyond. In the School of Science, researchers aim to discover solutions to hydrocephalus, a condition commonly associated with complications from traumatic brain injury, through the Hydrocephalus Research Center.
From growing our understanding of neuroscience to advancing cancer research and improving global health, IU School of Medicine researchers are making lifechanging discoveries. School of Medicine researchers received over $243 million in total funding from the National Institutes of Health in fiscal year 2023, ranking it 13th in NIH funding among all public medical schools in the country.
Researchers are also advancing knowledge in the humanities. The IU Indianapolis Arts and Humanities Institute supports research and creative activity across campus, fostering ongoing partnerships and ventures that advance arts and humanities endeavors across central Indiana and beyond. And the Center for the Study of Religion & American Culture, known as a global leader in its field, aims to increase understanding of the influence of religion on American lives.
"From artificial intelligence to the arts and humanities, IU Indianapolis researchers are making significant strides to positively impact our society and the Hoosier economy," said Phaedra Corso, associate vice president and vice chancellor for research in Indianapolis. "We are building on a long history of innovation to propel our campus forward, including significant investments in new research institutes that align with our existing strengths."
The Convergent Bioscience and Technology Institute and the Institute for Human Health and Wellbeing - announced as part of a more than $250 million investment to strengthen its leadership in life sciences and biotechnology - will operate at the intersection of health, medicine, life sciences and technology. The institutes will be housed in the a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research facility to be built within the IU Indianapolis Science and Technology Corridor.
The new institutes will work in collaboration with the Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute - which recently expanded its presence at IU Indianapolis - to engage industry and community partners to transform the health and wellbeing of Hoosier communities, while increasing competitiveness in key industries across Indianapolis and the state.
Engaging students for academic success
Students play a critical role in research at IU Indianapolis, working with faculty, communities and industry partners to solve problems, expand knowledge and pursue creative endeavors across the city and state.
Programs through the Center for Research and Learning, part of the Institute for Engaged Learning, provide undergraduate students with opportunities to engage with faculty mentors, expand their professional networks and develop skills that will make them highly sought-after employees.
The 1st Year Research Immersion Program, launched in fall 2023, engages first-year Indianapolis students in interdisciplinary research experiences at the beginning of their academic journey. In its first year, 174 students were paired with faculty mentors to work on a team project, including the creation of a new podcast and genetics and pharmacotherapy research of Down syndrome.
"Engaging in undergraduate research and creative activity increases confidence, promotes the ability to work independently and overcome obstacles, and fosters the development of communication skills, critical thinking and technical skills, all of which will make them more prepared for graduate school and their future careers," said Caleb J. Keith, director of research strategy and initiatives at IU Indianapolis. "We are thrilled to embark on our second year of the 1st Year Research Immersion Program, introducing even more students to IU's research enterprise and helping them become engaged in research from the very start of their undergraduate careers."
Looking ahead
Transformative research and creative activity will play an important role in growing IU Indianapolis' national reputation.
As IU Indianapolis aims to become one of the nation's premier urban research universities, there is also a hope of achieving Research 1 status, or R1, an elite classification from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Though IU Indianapolis is current ranked R2, the Carnegie Classification is updating its benchmark in 2025, simplifying the way it ranks universities, which may expedite the attainment of this goal. In fact, the Chronicle of Higher Education recently projected that IU Indianapolis will become an R1 university with this change in classification.
An R1 designation would put IU Indianapolis among the nation's top research universities, recognizing the impactful work of faculty and students, who will benefit from access to even more opportunities to pursue cutting-edge research, receive significant funding and more.
"As we embark on this new chapter at IU Indianapolis, our researchers will play a central role in expanding IU's impact across our state and beyond," Corso said. "I am excited to work alongside our faculty and students as they discover innovative solutions to address Hoosiers' most critical needs."
