Tennessee Tech has set a new university record by recording some $48 million in research funding for fiscal year 2025.
Tennessee Tech Public Relations Director Jonathan Frank said this is the fifth year in a row that the university has set a new record in research funding. While many universities are facing headwinds with obtaining research funding, Frank said setting a record once again is quite the accomplishment.
“It shows that our researchers here at Tennessee Tech are nimble, they are adaptable, they are engaged in meaningful non-partisan research that is solving real-world problems and bringing meaningful help to our fellow Tennesseeans,” Frank said.
The university received research funding from an estimated 193 partners. Frank said research funding continues to climb as their partners know they will receive a good return on their investment when they award research grants to Tennessee Tech.
“I think our state and federal partners know that Tennessee Tech is a very good steward of these research dollars,” Frank said. “A dollar invested in research at Tennessee Tech is taken and multiplied in the form of meaningful research that solves real problems, provides hands-on opportunities to students, and helps real people.”
Tennessee Tech has used research funding to improve pathways to higher education for K-12 students in the Upper Cumberland. Another purpose is efforts to boost tourism and economic development in distressed and at-risk counties through the Tennessee Center for Rural Innovation and the Rural Reimagine Program. Frank said research funding enhances the university’s reputation and national profile.
“I think it’s part of why our enrollment continues to grow,” Frank said. “Because students know that when they choose a college experience with Tennessee Tech, they are getting an institution that takes research seriously and extends those opportunities to them beginning at the undergraduate level. We have many students who engage in research starting in their freshman year, and you just don’t find that everywhere.”
Frank said Interim Provost Dr. John Liu and Vice President for Research Dr. Michael Aikens have been a big part of the university’s success story. Frank also said the faculty has done the heavy lifting in getting the grant dollars, performing the research, and sharing their findings.