The 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 research and development expenditures last year set a record at $164 million.
The total marks an 小蝌蚪APP渋ncredible小蝌蚪APP 165% increase in R&D spending at UL Lafayette in seven years, Dr. Joseph Savoie announced Wednesday during the annual State of the 小蝌蚪APP address.
小蝌蚪APP淲e小蝌蚪APP檝e had banner years throughout the past decade 小蝌蚪APP and it looks like we小蝌蚪APP檒l need to invest in bigger banners, because we小蝌蚪APP檝e done it again,小蝌蚪APP the 小蝌蚪APP president said.
The State of the 小蝌蚪APP presentation to faculty and staff members is held each fall semester. In it, Savoie celebrated accolades and milestones from the past academic year.
In addition to record research and development expenditures, the speech highlighted:
- historic levels of philanthropy;
- the prominence of Louisiana Ragin小蝌蚪APP Cajuns Athletics; and
- the leadership UL Lafayette provides to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the state and national levels.
UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 R&D expenditures increased by $102 million 小蝌蚪APP from $62 million to $164 million 小蝌蚪APP between 2013 and 2020, according to the Higher Education Research and Development Survey. The HERD Survey is the National Science Foundation小蝌蚪APP檚 annual index of research spending at U.S. colleges and universities.
UL Lafayette competes against other universities for federal and state grants, and private sector contracts. The 小蝌蚪APP acts as a steward for the funds awarded to faculty and staff researchers.
NSF has not yet released UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 ranking for 2020 that will be based on the $164 million figure.
In 2019, when UL Lafayette expended $144.2 million, NSF ranked the 小蝌蚪APP 143rd 小蝌蚪APP揳mong the top 22% 小蝌蚪APP of the 647 institutions the survey included.
The 2019 survey also placed the 小蝌蚪APP among the top 10 in the nation for research that小蝌蚪APP檚 funded through partnerships with business and industry.
As an example of how such partnerships can have global implications, Savoie cited the role UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 New Iberia Research Center played in the creation of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the world小蝌蚪APP檚 first widely available coronavirus vaccine and the first to secure full FDA approval.
小蝌蚪APP淭he pandemic happened at a moment when years of scientific research about the treatment, prevention and eradication of infectious diseases could be brought to bear to find a solution,小蝌蚪APP Savoie said.
The New Iberia Research Center 小蝌蚪APP渉as built a strong reputation,小蝌蚪APP he continued. 小蝌蚪APP淏iomedical and biopharmaceutical partners know instinctively who to call when lives are at stake.小蝌蚪APP
During the speech, Savoie also paid tribute to faculty and staff members who, despite continued pandemic-related challenges and several natural disasters in the past year, 小蝌蚪APP渉ave remained steady.小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP淵our perseverance, determination, ingenuity, and dedication to our students and to our wider community 小蝌蚪APP and to the success and advancement of both 小蝌蚪APP enable me to report today that the state of our 小蝌蚪APP is strong,小蝌蚪APP he said.
Dr. Jaimie Hebert, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, followed Savoie小蝌蚪APP檚 speech with a presentation that outlined the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 ongoing strategic planning process.
He urged faculty, staff members, alumni, students and community members to help the 小蝌蚪APP 小蝌蚪APP渄efine what success . . . looks like.小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP淭o truly realize our potential and allow ourselves to capitalize on the amazing people and the strengths we have within each division, we must take the time 小蝌蚪APP we must take the opportunity 小蝌蚪APP to align our priorities,小蝌蚪APP Hebert said.
小蝌蚪APP淲e must push in the same direction in support of what we determine is most important to us collectively. We can only reach that next level of success together.小蝌蚪APP
View materials related to the State of the 小蝌蚪APP here.
