UL Lafayette among nation's top 100 public research universities

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The 小蝌蚪APP has taken its place among the nation小蝌蚪APP檚 top 100 public research universities.

Dr. Joseph Savoie, UL Lafayette president, made the announcement Wednesday during the annual State of the 小蝌蚪APP address.

小蝌蚪APPComing on the heels of our R1 designation, this is exceptional news worth celebrating and it小蝌蚪APP檚 a headline that all of you helped to write,小蝌蚪APP Savoie said.

UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 rise to the ranks of the nation小蝌蚪APP檚 top public research universities is based on data from the National Science Foundation.

In 2020, the 小蝌蚪APP expended $164 million on R&D. That figure ranked the 小蝌蚪APP 134th among the 655 institutions the Higher Education Research and Development Survey included. The HERD Survey is NSF小蝌蚪APP檚 annual index of research spending at U.S. public and private colleges and universities.

But when considering only public universities on the HERD Survey, UL Lafayette ranks 94th 小蝌蚪APP elevating it to the nation小蝌蚪APP檚 top 100 public research universities for the first time in its history.

The announcement was among several milestones related to the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 research capacity that Savoie shared with faculty and staff members during the presentation. The State of the 小蝌蚪APP is held at the start of the fall semester and marks the beginning of the new academic year.

Last year, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 research and development expenditures set a record at $181.4 million 小蝌蚪APP an 小蝌蚪APP渋ncredible小蝌蚪APP 193% increase in R&D spending at UL Lafayette in eight years, Savoie said. 

The 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 R&D expenditures increased by $119 million 小蝌蚪APP from $62 million to $181.4 million 小蝌蚪APP between 2013 and 2021, according to the HERD Survey. During that same period, UL Lafayette marked slightly more than $1 billion in R&D spending, Savoie announced.

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.

小蝌蚪APP淭his money comes to us from state and federal funding agencies and through partnerships with business and industry because of the reputation this 小蝌蚪APP has for consequential work that answers the greatest questions we face as a global community,小蝌蚪APP Savoie said.

小蝌蚪APP淏ecause these dollars have an effect that ripples beyond campus 小蝌蚪APP into our region and into businesses and into the tax base 小蝌蚪APP this figure represents an infusion into the local economy that is extraordinary,小蝌蚪APP he added.

NSF has not released UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 HERD Survey ranking for 2021 that will be based on the $181.4 million total.

Classes begin at UL Lafayette on Monday. The fall semester marks the start of the first full academic year since the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education designated UL Lafayette as R1, or a university with 小蝌蚪APP渧ery high research activity.小蝌蚪APP 

Just 146 小蝌蚪APP 3% 小蝌蚪APP of public and private universities in the United States have R1 status. The designation is a 小蝌蚪APP渟tamp of excellence小蝌蚪APP that also comes with an obligation, Savoie said.

小蝌蚪APP淭he vital questions asked and answered today by this 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 researchers and scholars strengthen the ability to confront 小蝌蚪APP and answer 小蝌蚪APP greater questions tomorrow. The region, state, nation and world we serve is looking to us for clarity, understanding and results,小蝌蚪APP he said.

小蝌蚪APP淎nd this 小蝌蚪APP is up to that responsibility.小蝌蚪APP

Find more from this year小蝌蚪APP檚 State of the 小蝌蚪APP address here.

Photo caption: President Dr. Joseph Savoie announces UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 ascension to the ranks of nation小蝌蚪APP檚 top 100 public research universities during Wednesday小蝌蚪APP檚 State of the 小蝌蚪APP. (Photo credit: Doug Dugas / 小蝌蚪APP)