Image: Penn State/PATRICK MANSELL
Penn State takes another top spot in the research world, with the new National Science Foundation rankings of Higher Education Research and Development research expenditures putting Penn State in first place, tied with Johns Hopkins University. Both universities can boast 16 research fields within the top 10 for expenditures in their respective groups. Competing universities followed in the rankings, including MIT, University of Michigan and University of California at San Diego.
The fields for which Penn State ranked so highly span a breadth of disciplines and study areas, including materials science, materials engineering, mechanical engineering, statistics, psychology, sociology, industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, anthropology, aeronautical engineering, meteorology, astronomy and more.
In 2020, Penn State’s total research expenditures rose to a record $1.01 billion. Overall, Penn State ranks 23rd nationally for total research expenditures, as of 2019, at which point expenditures were approximately $968 million.
In a Penn State release, Lora Weiss, senior vice president for research for the university said, “These rankings are a reflection not only of the excellence of our research, but also of how our innovations are impacting all research domains. They are a testament to the exceptional creativity, ingenuity, and scholarly accomplishments of our faculty, staff and students.”
