Contact: Maridith Geuder
Major projects in areas ranging from remote sensing to biotechnology are bringing Mississippi State University's research funding to $123 million for the fiscal year ending June 30.
A 10 percent increase over the previous year, the record-setting contract and grant amounts reflect the university's commitment to developing and disseminating technologies to benefit Mississippi, said Jonathan W. Pote, interim vice president for research.
The funding included 1,576 sponsored projects, up from 1,468 the previous year.
"In addition to remote sensing and biotechnology, research areas with direct economic benefits to the state include electronics, computational engineering, and automotive design," Pote said.
MSU currently ranks 57th among public universities in total research and development expenditures, which include all funds used in the operation of a research project. It ranks fifth in agricultural expenditures and 34th in engineering expenditures.
Major funding sources are the Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Department of Energy.
In addition to research funds, MSU was awarded $17.2 million for student support, bringing total awards to $140.4 million, Pote said.