Penn State research spending hits record level

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In fiscal year 2017-2018, Penn State’s research expenditures set a record high for the second consecutive year, according to Vice President for Research Neil Sharkey.

This year’s $927 million in expenditures is $64 million higher than last fiscal year. The expenditures include $562 million in federal funds and $365 million from university sources, private funders and the state. It also includes an 11 percent rise in funding from industry, foundations, and other sponsors and a 14 percent increase in defense-related funding.

“Our defense funding levels demonstrate the continuing confidence the Department of Defense has in our research, a partnership of trust that has been decades in the making,” Sharkey said. “The jump in private funding shows how much effort we’ve been putting into translating our work into real-world impacts and supporting the private sector.”

Defense spending includes a $28 million increase from the Department of the Navy.

Academic research also saw a boost. The Eberly College of Science’s expenditures increased 10 percent, to $129 million, and the College of Agricultural Sciences’ grew 7 percent, to $121 million, and the College of Health and Human Development increased 25 percent to $60 million.

Nearly 21 percent of total expenditures were to include instrumentation and new facilities.