When the University of Memphis gained R1 status from the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education in December 2021, its leaders rejoiced, proclaiming that the distinction would benefit not just the school, but the wider community.
As they’re well aware, however, U of M’s work is far from done, as the top research designation merely signifies the conclusion of one chapter and the beginning of another — not the completion of an entire book.
Because once R1 status is gained, it must be retained — Carnegie releases new rankings every three years — and a key part of that is research awards and expenditures.
So, rather than rest on their laurels, U of M’s faculty members have remained diligent, submitting research proposals with the hope of scoring funding for major projects. According to U of M’s latest annual research report, 213 principal investigators submitted research proposals in FY 2022, a record for the institution.
These proposals ultimately helped the U of M earn $49.38 million in total research awards in FY 2022, and though this number is down from the record $51.04 million it earned in FY 2021, it’s significantly above the $39.68 million it earned in FY 2020; the $36.24 million it earned in FY 2019; and the $31.86 million it earned in FY 2018.
But just who is bringing in all these awards? U of M has an array of academic colleges, departments, and focuses. So which ones contributed the most to the $49.38 million total?
Per the report, here’s a breakdown of the academic areas that garnered over $1 million in research awards in FY 2022, and how much they earned:
For some of these groups, earning over $1 million in research awards is nothing new. The Department of Computer Science, for example, has brought in more than that amount every fiscal year since at least FY 2019 — it earned $4.55 million that year, $1.67 million in FY 2020, and $4.15 million in FY 2021.
The Department of Psychology has kept up a similar streak, raking in $1.29 million in FY 2019, $2.75 million in FY 2020, and $3.61 million in FY 2021.
For others, however, earning over $1 million in research awards in a fiscal year is new. The electrical and computer engineering area didn’t earn more than this in FY 2019, FY 2020, or FY 2021; nor did the social and behavioral sciences area or the School of Law.
According to MBJ research, the U of M is the third largest research institution in the Memphis area, behind St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
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