A UVM researcher studies the effects of climate change in Vermont. Photo credit: Joshua Defibaugh.
Vermont Business Magazine For the fifth consecutive year, the University of Vermont (UVM) has achieved a new record for research funding: attracting $266 million in extramural support for the 2023 fiscal year. More than doubling the university’s annual research funding of five years ago, UVM faculty members garnered nearly 700 research awards to launch over 1,000 new projects confronting head-on some of society’s most pressing issues, from climate change to public health, supported by government agencies, corporate partners, foundations and donors.
“The talent, motivation, and commitment of our faculty and staff are the key to this outstanding achievement,” UVM President Suresh Garimella said. “Their groundbreaking work not only advances discovery and creates knowledge but also provides UVM students with expansive opportunities for hands-on, innovative research here in Vermont, throughout the region, and across the globe. All of this work reflects UVM’s exceptional commitment to people and planet.”
This historic level of funding underscores UVM’s rapid ascent as a leader in research and innovation and the remarkable growth of the university’s research enterprise, said Kirk Dombrowski, UVM Vice President for Research and Economic Development. As the state’s only research university and only medical college, UVM aims to fulfill its mission as a land grant university, prioritizing nationally distinctive research that is broadly impactful and closely connected to the state's communities, businesses, organizations, and government.
Researchers at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine — traditionally a top-performing pillar of UVM’s research enterprise — were awarded over $100 million in support, a 7.6% increase over last fiscal year. UVM’s College of Education of Social Services, meanwhile, showed an impressive 59.5% growth, fueled by several multi-million-dollar awards like the Building Effective Supports for Teaching (BEST) program, led by UVM’s Cassandra Townshend.
In this fiscal year, UVM researchers successfully won over 50 grants of $1 million or more, another university record. Other highlights include:
-
Teresa Leslie of UVM Extension received one the year’s largest awards— over $10 million—for the Northeast Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.
-
Stacey Sigmon, a professor of psychology and psychiatry, received over $5 million to launch an opioid response program for rural communities.
-
Heather Darby, Extension professor and agronomy specialist, was awarded $2.4 million for enhancing the viability of U.S. grass-fed dairy production.
-
Bryn Loftness, a complex systems graduate student, won the $15,000 Lake Champlain Chamber Award for BioBe, her childhood mental health startup company, at LaunchVT’s Demo Night.
“The research funding totals are a great indication of our research growth,” UVM Vice President for Research and Economic Development Kirk Dombrowski said. “But it is the myriad efforts across hundreds of new projects that impresses me every year. The university has developed tremendous energy and focus on critical areas of concern for our time—including water resources, environmental sustainability, vaccine development and infectious disease, community schools, cancer research, and so many other areas. And as importantly, nearly all of our work involves advancing knowledge across disciplines and pushing the boundaries of innovation and research development in transdisciplinary spaces.”
Over the last several years, the Office of Research has significantly expanded and invested in its administrative and support capabilities. The office now employs nearly 200 people who support all aspects of the research enterprise. For example, the Office of Research Development – which offers a suite of services to assist researchers and investigators in their pursuit of extramural funding – was once just a team of two people in 2020. Now, 11 people work full time on project proposals and connect scholars to partnerships and programs.
University of Vermont: For people and planet
Founded in 1791, UVM is the leading public research university where discovery, creativity, community, and action coalesce to secure a thriving future for people and planet. Vermont’s state flagship and land-grant university attracts $260 million annually in groundbreaking research and enrolls approximately 14,000 students from 50 states and 75 countries. At UVM, students, faculty, and staff work together in pursuit of a healthier, greener future. Learn more at uvm.edu.
To support vital journalism, access our archives and get unique features like our award-winning profiles, Book of Lists & Business-to-Business Directory, subscribe HERE!
