University of Memphis Faculty Keep Growing Research Awards

Capturing $101 Million for FY24

Memphis, TN – The University of Memphis, led by a diverse community of research leaders, has surpassed a key milestone in research growth. For the first time, the University has received more than $100 million in annual research awards. This progress, combined with a total research expenditure of more than $100 million, is a testament to the vibrant and dynamic capacity of the University and its role as a national research leader.

Under the leadership of President Bill Hardgrave and driven by the "Ascend" strategic plan, the University has more than doubled research awards in the last two fiscal years – from $48M in FY22 to $101M in FY24. This exponential growth is thanks to the University’s role not only as an innovation ecosystem engine for the region, but also, its ability to execute federal and state programs in a compliant, fiscally responsible, and timely way.

President Bill Hardgrave, University of Memphis, noted, “We are proud of our faculty researchers who continue working hard to win nationally competitive research awards with their cutting-edge ideas especially from the federal research agencies.” The University’s award total is comprised of more than 75% from federal agency sources.

In addition to the milestone $101M achievement, other key areas show record growth. A record 14 unique federal agencies contributed more than $1M to the research efforts across campus, showcasing the breadth of the work done by our faculty. From creating healthcare workforce pipelines through the engineering of new sensor-based technologies, developing novel artificial intelligence solutions, pioneering next generation supply chains, and helping create growth for rural communities the University of Memphis is doing research that is contextualized to industry priorities and societal needs for people across Memphis and the wider Delta region.

At an individual level, we have also increased the number of research leaders across our campus, with nearly 40 researchers securing $500K or more in awards in a single year. The average award size has more than tripled in the last five years.  

Other key highlights showing the growth over the last six years:

This success would not have been possible without the wider network of partners, community organizations, state and federal partners, and an ecosystem of stakeholders seeking to make Memphis and our region thrive. The University of Memphis is Carnegie R1 Flagship research institution in this state, and growth here is integral to growth across the state.

For more information on this achievement and/or the research activities at the University, contact Mary Ann Dawson, Director of Operations & Technology Initiatives in the Division of Research & Innovation at mdawson@memphis.edu.