University of Iowa faculty achieved all-time record of $429.5 million in external support in 2009, an impressive 10.3 percent increase over 2008.

"This seventh successive record year demonstrates our commitment to discovery and applied research that produces important new knowledge while helping address many important issues facing Iowans and society in general," says Jordan Cohen, interim vice president for research and economic development.

"This remarkable accomplishment by our faculty is even more impressive considering most of these grants were obtained under the relatively flat federal research budgets prior to the recent ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) stimulus and potential increases associated with the fiscal year 2010 presidential budget proposals."

The total for fiscal 2009 exceeded one-third of a billion dollars for the eighth consecutive year. Since 1967, when overall records were first kept, the university has attracted $6.7 billion in total external support. This continues to place the University of Iowa among the nation's elite public research universities.

Ranked 20th

According to the most recent National Science Foundation survey (2007), the UI is ranked 20th among public universities in terms of federally financed expenditures for research and development. In the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2005 report, the UI ranks 13th in NIH awards among all public universities.

The major up-tick in funding includes more than $5 million in ARRA funding. "These funds represent very early stages of ARRA funding. With a large number of grant applications for federal stimulus monies still pending, we anticipate continued success as funding announcements are made in FY 2010," Cohen said.

Derek H. Willard, special assistant to the president for governmental relations and associate vice president for research, noted that both fiscal year 2009 Omnibus appropriations and the ARRA provided a boost to scientific research.

"There is a renewed commitment in Washington to the idea that investments in science and technology positively impact the American economy and the health and well-being of Americans. We credit the leadership of the Iowa delegation not only for its support of federally funded research, but also its steadfast support of critical disaster recovery funding over this past year," he said.

Pursuit of Knowledge

UI President Sally Mason commented, "This outstanding increase in grant productivity once again demonstrates our faculty and staff's passion for the pursuit of knowledge and the swift progress of discovery. They have eagerly watched the federal government's recent movement toward greater investment in science and technology and have enthusiastically responded to new opportunities for extramural funding."

The increases from major funding agencies include:

• Department of Health & Human Services (includes NIH): $216.4 million (up 5.5 percent)
• National Science Foundation: $12.6 million (up 38.4 percent)
• NASA: $9.3 million (up 5.8 percent)
• Department of Education: $18.6 million (up 35.9 percent)
• Department of Defense: $9.1 million (up 14.0 percent)
• States: $48.1 million (up 51.2 percent)
• Industry: $38.7 million (up 5.4 percent)
• Private Organizations: $40.3 million (up 17.6 percent)