Purdue sets record with $647m in research awards, more than doubling research funding in last decade

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue University System received more than $647 million in research funding for fiscal year 2023-24. Each year over the past decade, the university has set a new record for research awards. The total represents a 6% increase over FY23 and a 102% increase since FY 2013. This year’s funding will support approximately 3500 research projects that improve the lives of individuals in Indiana and throughout the nation.

“This record level of research awards underscores the strength of Purdue research and, perhaps even more importantly, the impact of the work that our faculty, staff and students conduct,” said Karen Plaut, executive vice president for research. “Such strong support from federal and state funding agencies as well as companies enables Purdue researchers to make breakthroughs that address society’s most pressing needs.”

During the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2024, Purdue and the Purdue Applied Research Institute also signed nine new master research agreements and renewed three others with leading companies in nanoelectronics, aviation, healthcare, agriculture, and other fields.  

Purdue is an R1 university, meaning it is among the top-tier research universities in the United States. It has an overall sponsored program portfolio of $3.1 billion and manages thousands of research projects annually focused on creating innovative solutions that help to improve lives, strengthen national defense, provide a safe and dependable food supply, protect our environment and energy supply, and modernize housing and transportation infrastructure.  

In FY24, Purdue has seen a significant uptick in awards from federal agencies that account for 70% of the research funding at Purdue, with the U.S. Department of Defense topping the list for the first time at $123 million.

Other top sponsors include the National Science Foundation ($104 million), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the National Institute of Health ($95 million), followed by U.S. Department of Agriculture ($41 million), U.S. Department of Energy ($39 million). Meanwhile research funding provided by state and local governments totaled $43 million.

Private industry and nonprofit organizations also contributed nearly $142 million in funding to support Purdue research.

Plaut added, “Purdue is fortunate to have a well-diversified base of funding sources. This helps provide more opportunities for our researchers across all areas of study, to train the next generation of scientific leaders, and to collectively work toward providing a safe and secure livelihood for our fellow citizens.”

More information is available at the Purdue Office of Research website.

Purdue Research: Federal funding highlights

A patent-pending compound to treat drug-resistant cancer (National Institutes of Health)

Finding genetic variation for breeding better soybeans (USDA)

Advancing technologies that can extract ‘forever chemicals’ and other contaminants from the Great Lakes (National Science Foundation)

Expanding a Purdue-led national microelectronics workforce development program (DOD)

Creating patent-pending smart contacts to monitor or treat chronic eye diseases (National Institutes of Health)

Developing wireless charging technology for heavy-duty vehicles (Department of Energy)

Helping to revolutionize mRNA-based vaccine delivery systems  (USDA)