North Dakota State University reached a new all-time high mark for research, leading all North Dakota higher education institutions in terms of overall research expenditures. According to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey, released Nov. 25, 2024, NDSU reached a new milestone with $190.3 million in research expenditures for the most recent fiscal year (FY23), surpassing previous marks of $174.9 million in FY22 and $164 million in FY21.

This year’s $190.3 million total marks the fifth straight year of record-breaking expenditures for the institution, placing NDSU among the top 100 public research universities in the country. For FY23, NDSU ranks 97 out of 420 public institutions.

NDSU's research success is also reflected in its R1 ranking from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which is conferred only to doctoral universities with very high research activity. NDSU is among only 146 institutions in the country with the prestigious R1 designation, and maintaining this ranking is one of NDSU President David Cook’s key institutional priorities.

NDSU Vice President of Research Colleen Fitzgerald noted that this year's HERD results show the momentum driven by President Cook’s priority and the impact of research initiatives across NDSU.

"Increasing our research expenditures will always be a key priority to remaining an R1 institution,” she said. “But we need to remain intentional and focused with our research initiatives to determine how they can best solve problems that North Dakota is facing. Our researchers continue to grow in how they interweave addressing local challenges with global impact and relevance."

Investing in NDSU faculty’s research has been a key priority for Fitzgerald and the NDSU Office of Research and Creative Activity (RCA). Her strategic priorities are focused on both research and pathways into innovation:

• Increase overall annual rates of growth in research expenditures
• Grow federal funding to closer to one-third of the overall expenditures
• Strategically leverage state funding from federal opportunities to maintain a balanced portfolio across campus
• Leverage federal innovation opportunities from existing assets, including the legislation that became the CHIPS and Science Act

In support of these priorities, Fitzgerald has developed programs that provide researchers with opportunities to compete and win larger federal awards, such as the NSF ENGINES: North Dakota Advanced Agriculture Technology Engine (or FARMS), with the potential of up to $160 million in research funding over the next 10 years.

Fitzgerald has also been instrumental in delivering the Economic Diversity Research Funds (EDRF), established by the North Dakota Legislature in 2023’s House Bill 1003 to ensure that the state economy generates revenue streams that will stimulate economic growth. NDSU received $2.5 million through the EDRF over the current biennium, and while not reflected in the FY23 expenditures amount, the funds are laying the groundwork for NDSU to leverage additional federal and private investments for an even greater return on investment.

"We’re optimistic about the value these investments will help drive," she said. "An important leading indicator of the research strengths of an institution is the amount of funds awarded, which later become research expenditures when used to fund research activities. At $142.5 million, NDSU received a record amount of awards last year. When you pair this with the potential investments we’ll receive from the strategies we’re putting in place to leverage federal initiatives directed at our area of the country, we have laid the groundwork to see good returns on that investment."

About the NSF HERD Survey

The NSF HERD survey is the primary source of information on research and development expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities. The survey collects R&D expenditure information by field of research and source of funds, along with information about the types of research, expenses, and headcounts of R&D personnel from each institution.

The NSF HERD survey is developed and conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES), a principal statistical agency located within the National Science Foundation. NCSES is mandated to collect, interpret, analyze, and disseminate objective data on the science and engineering enterprise.

For more information about NDSU’s HERD results, see: https://www.ndsu.edu/research/about_rca/rca_reports_and_data/#c603381