The 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 research and development expenditures last year set a record at $164 million.
The total marks an 杏吧专区渋ncredible杏吧专区 165% increase in R&D spending at UL Lafayette in seven years, Dr. Joseph Savoie announced Wednesday during the annual State of the 杏吧专区 address.
杏吧专区淲e杏吧专区檝e had banner years throughout the past decade 杏吧专区 and it looks like we杏吧专区檒l need to invest in bigger banners, because we杏吧专区檝e done it again,杏吧专区 the 杏吧专区 president said.
The State of the 杏吧专区 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杏吧专区 Cajuns Athletics; and
- the leadership UL Lafayette provides to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the state and national levels.
UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 R&D expenditures increased by $102 million 杏吧专区 from $62 million to $164 million 杏吧专区 between 2013 and 2020, according to the Higher Education Research and Development Survey. The HERD Survey is the National Science Foundation杏吧专区檚 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 杏吧专区 acts as a steward for the funds awarded to faculty and staff researchers.
NSF has not yet released UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 ranking for 2020 that will be based on the $164 million figure.
In 2019, when UL Lafayette expended $144.2 million, NSF ranked the 杏吧专区 143rd 杏吧专区揳mong the top 22% 杏吧专区 of the 647 institutions the survey included.
The 2019 survey also placed the 杏吧专区 among the top 10 in the nation for research that杏吧专区檚 funded through partnerships with business and industry.
As an example of how such partnerships can have global implications, Savoie cited the role UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 New Iberia Research Center played in the creation of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the world杏吧专区檚 first widely available coronavirus vaccine and the first to secure full FDA approval.
杏吧专区淭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,杏吧专区 Savoie said.
The New Iberia Research Center 杏吧专区渉as built a strong reputation,杏吧专区 he continued. 杏吧专区淏iomedical and biopharmaceutical partners know instinctively who to call when lives are at stake.杏吧专区
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, 杏吧专区渉ave remained steady.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淵our perseverance, determination, ingenuity, and dedication to our students and to our wider community 杏吧专区 and to the success and advancement of both 杏吧专区 enable me to report today that the state of our 杏吧专区 is strong,杏吧专区 he said.
Dr. Jaimie Hebert, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, followed Savoie杏吧专区檚 speech with a presentation that outlined the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 ongoing strategic planning process.
He urged faculty, staff members, alumni, students and community members to help the 杏吧专区 杏吧专区渄efine what success . . . looks like.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淭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 杏吧专区 we must take the opportunity 杏吧专区 to align our priorities,杏吧专区 Hebert said.
杏吧专区淲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.杏吧专区
View materials related to the State of the 杏吧专区 here.
