UVM now ranks among the top 100 public research universities in the United States, according to newly released data from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

In the most recent edition of the NSF’s annual Higher Education Research & Development (HERD) survey, UVM moved up a dramatic 16 places, ranking 85th in the nation among 415 public research universities—a clear indicator of the university’s commitment to expand its research portfolio in recent years.

“The quality of the research we do at UVM is second to none,” UVM President Suresh Garimella said. “Our growth in funding and resources over the past few years is a testament to the creativity and hard work of our faculty, staff and students, and translates directly to greater impact in our distinctive research strengths: advancing healthy societies and a healthy environment. This new survey ranking underscores our success and reaffirms our trajectory as a premier research institution.”

This news comes after a momentous year of groundbreaking research at UVM:

• Researchers at UVM, with partners at Tufts and Harvard, built the first living robots—xenobots—that can reproduce, revealing an entirely new form of biological self-replication, potentially opening a new chapter of medical treatment.
• Researchers with UVM’s Gund Institute for Environment finished a comprehensive Vermont climate change assessment that definitively outlines the effects of climate change on the Green Mountain State.
• UVM researchers expect to help eradicate polio from the globe with current work on a new vaccine that’s less likely to pick up mutations.

Thanks to the talented research community at the university—which secured 39 research awards of $1 million or more in 2020, including $10.4 million to study rural addictions, $8.4 million for sustainable agriculture research, and $2.2 million to address global infectious diseases—UVM’s research impact is now visible on a national scale. In total, UVM research expenditures totaled $191 million in 2020, over a 40% increase from the previous record.

“Research is central to what makes UVM a world-class institution. And our new survey ranking reflects that,” said UVM Vice President for Research Kirk Dombrowski. “This growth in research is due to the success of UVM’s exceptional research community—faculty, postdocs, students and staff—in attracting funding, and building partnerships with government, industry and non-profit organizations for the pursuit of leading-edge discoveries and innovation.”

Hands-on involvement in research is also a powerful part of the academic experience for many undergraduates and a key element of advanced graduate studies. As the university’s research enterprise grows, so does its contribution to student success.

“UVM’s growing portfolio nets dividends far beyond the lab bench by enriching the overall UVM experience,” said Dombrowski. “Many of our biggest research projects also benefit the citizens and businesses of the state, either by directly improving the quality of our environment and communities, or by growing Vermont’s innovation economy and workforce.”

The HERD survey is conducted each year by the NSF’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) and is a primary source of information on research and development expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities. The survey examines overall R&D funding and also gathers information on types of research, expenses, and personnel.