The University of Missouri set a record $462 million for research expenditures in fiscal year 2023, as submitted to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development survey. The HERD survey is the primary source of information on research and development expenditures at colleges and universities in the United States.
Feb. 8, 2024
Contact: Christian Basi, 573-882-4430, basic@missouri.edu
The University of Missouri has set a record of more than $462 million in research expenditures in fiscal 2023, marking its 10th consecutive year of increases.
As a leading research university and a proud member of the Association of American Universities, MU is committed to improving the future through innovation in crucial areas such as agricultural efficiency, educational improvements, life-saving medical treatments and much more.
"MU researchers are tackling pressing challenges and providing real-world solutions," said Robin Wenneker, chair of the UM Board of Curators. “Whether they’re saving lives, boosting agricultural production, accelerating the local economy or improving educational outcomes, their work reaches far beyond our walls, making a positive impact in the world.”
MU’s research generates nearly $1 billion a year in economic impact for the state of Missouri, a recent study found, supporting more than 6,800 jobs and producing $55 million in state and local taxes.
“For a decade, Mizzou has grown our research enterprise and delivered more impact as Missouri’s flagship, land-grant university,” University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. “These record expenditures show our commitment to creating breakthroughs that benefit our state while also attracting new research funding and world-class faculty to campus.”
Thomas Spencer, vice chancellor for research at MU, said the university’s research boosts health and well-being worldwide. “The investments we make today in our people will lead to both immediate and long-term benefits for society,” he said. “We will continue our mission to help investigators reach their research goals to generate new knowledge and propel advancements in various fields.”
Highlights of recent awards and research projects across the MU campus include
$25 million grant to help farmers adopt climate-smart practices
Rob Myers, an adjunct professor in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and director of the MU Center for Regenerative Agriculture, earned the grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The award is the largest federal research, education and extension grant ever awarded to an MU faculty member.
MU’s research success is due to a focused strategy that includes:
- MizzouForward: As MU’s boldest investment in its history, MizzouForward is a 10-year, $1.5 billion transformational effort that focuses on faculty excellence, infrastructure growth and student success to ensure the university is providing world-class education and conducting leading-edge research.
- NextGen Precision Health initiative: The NextGen Precision Health initiative brings together innovators from the UM System’s four research universities, MU Health Care, MU Extension and industry partners in pursuit of life-changing precision health advancements. The initiative is anchored at the Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health building in Columbia, a state-of-the-art, $221 million, 265,000-square-foot research facility.
- MURR: The University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) improves and saves lives every day. More than 1.6 million patients last year were diagnosed or treated using radioisotopes produced at MURR, the world’s most important research reactor for fighting cancer. MU plans to build a new, state-of-the art reactor — NextGen MURR — to expand the university's critical cancer-fighting research and production, creating an innovation hub for nuclear medicine and ensuring a reliable domestic source of lifesaving radioisotopes.
