University of Wisconsin ranks as the fourth highest in research expenditures of all U.S. universities for the second time in a row.
UW falls just behind third place University of Michigan, second place University of Washington and first place Johns Hopkins University, according to a survey from the National Science Foundation.
UW’s repeated ranking can be attributed to the dedication of UW’s faculty, staff and student researchers, Tim McGlone, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education spokesperson said. Their productivity and hard work is what “make the engine work,” he said.
“The large number of federal awards we do receive reflects the quality of the proposal and the ideas and people behind them,” McGlone said.
But reductions to federal funding have made obtaining research grants difficult as the competition for the grants is fierce, McGlone said. This can make trying to start a new research program, especially for new faculty and graduate students, more difficult.
Additionally, reductions to state funding affects campus infrastructure, salaries and the amount of time available to do research. Researchers have to do additional work to compensate for the positions in their departments that no longer exist due to the funding shortages, McGlone said.
New funding initiatives like UW2020 and Bridge to the Future help increase the chances of accessing new grants, McGlone said.
Other donations and campaigns, like the All Ways Forward fundraising campaign, have already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in dedicated research money, he said.
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“Substantial gifts from the Morgridge family — $100 million in matching grants — and the Nicholas family — $50 million — will help attract and retain top research faculty and students,” McGlone said. “Continued support from WARF and the UW Foundation will also keep UW-Madison’s research engine running strong.”
According to a UW statement, UW devotes more than half of its research dollars to first medical research, and then engineering, physical sciences, social sciences, environmental sciences and math and computer sciences.
Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Marsha Mailick said in the statement the report should assure others of UW’s commitment to research and pursuit to improve the lives of Wisconsin residents and increase human knowledge.
