Washington State University's research enterprise topped $378 million in fiscal year 2023, marking three consecutive years of growth.
Total R&D expenditures - a key metric in evaluating research productivity - are tracked annually as part of the Higher Education Research and Development Survey. The results show how institutions spend research-designated funding across their areas of scientific inquiry.
"Due to the exemplary efforts of WSU faculty, staff and graduate students, we have continued our positive momentum impacting the state, region, nation and world," Provost and Executive Vice President Chris Riley-Tillman said. "Our growth in the research enterprise is invigorating. We anticipate eclipsing $400 million in fiscal year 2024. With a renewed focus on growing our identified strengths and emerging areas of competitiveness, WSU's research enterprise is poised for unprecedented success."
In addition to a $10 million increase compared to fiscal year 2022, WSU became the largest recipient of R&D funding from the United States Department of Agriculture among universities nationwide. Total R&D expenditures financed by USDA eclipsed $61.4 million, beating out FY 2022's total by nearly $10 million.
This year's HERD survey did highlight that WSU researchers outshine many of their peers in research productivity. WSU saw proposals for external funding rise more than 6%, reversing a years-long decline, with the total value of external awards increasing from $283.6 million to $309.8 million, or 9.2%.
"Every single day, our outstanding research faculty and their teams are breaking ground across an impressive range of disciplines," Kim Christen, vice president for research, said. "The passion they have for advancing our understanding of the world around us comes across so vividly, not just in measures like research expenditures, but in conversations with colleagues and students happening across our system."
WSU's growth was propelled by several priority research areas that grew significantly compared to the prior year:
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences - $10.7 million, a 50.1% increase
- Agricultural Sciences - $6.9 million, a 11.6% increase
- Materials Sciences - $6.6 million, a 2.7% increase
- Chemical Engineering - $2 million, a 34% increase
- Mechanical Engineering - $1.8 million, a 46% increase
- Computer and Information Science - $1.9 million, a 20% increase
