Mississippi State again among research top 100
MSU third-year graduate student Marta Amirsadeghi of Starkville performs a lipid extraction, part of her research into oleaginous microbes and their ability to grow on various lignocellulosic waste carbon sources, such as glucose, xylose or glycerol. Amirsadeghi's work is carried out in MSU Associate Professor Todd French's laboratory in the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering. PHOTO: Megan Bean | Public Affairs
A new report from the National Science Foundation affirms Mississippi State as the Magnolia State's flagship research university.
The recently released NSF Higher Education Research and Development Survey for Fiscal Year 2013 places the university at 96th overall among public and private institutions in the country, based on $206 million in total research and development expenditures.
MSU research accounts for nearly half the total $416 million expenditures reported by all Mississippi institutions, the survey found.
"The environment for sponsored-funding research has never been more competitive, and it is a testament to the excellence and dedication of our faculty and staff, as well as the work of our graduate and undergraduate student researchers, that we are ranked again with the nation's premier universities," said David Shaw, vice president for research and economic development.
The survey is the primary source of information about research and development expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities, according to the NSF.
The latest report also lists the 137-year-old land-grant institution at ninth in the nation for research and development expenditures in agricultural sciences among public and private institutions. MSU has ranked among the Top 10 in this category for 16 consecutive years, spending $98 million in agriculture-related research in FY 2013.
Other inclusions in the NSF survey included:
-- Three Bagley College of Engineering disciplines were rated in the Top 50 for R&D expenditures, including electrical, aerospace and astronautical, and mechanical.
-- MSU was ranked No. 22 in the social sciences with $23 million in expenditures.
-- Though frequently recognized in science and engineering categories, MSU was also rated as a top 50 institution for the humanities.
The complete NSF report may be read at http://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2013.
In addition to its high NSF status, Mississippi State holds the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching designation as a "Very High Research Activity University" -- the highest level of research activity for doctoral-granting universities. MSU remains the only Mississippi institution of higher learning with that Carnegie Foundation distinction.
Discover more about Mississippi's flagship research university at www.msstate.edu or www.meridian.msstate.edu, facebook.com/msstate, pinterest.com/msstate, instagram.com/msstate and twitter.com/msstate.
Jim Laird | Public Affairs
