NIU’s research, service and engagement enterprises are on a serious roll, as external funding in Fiscal Year 2023 surged.
During that fiscal year, faculty and staff secured about 400 awards totaling $57 million in funding from outside sources, an increase of 34% over the previous year and a 60% increase since FY 2019. That FY23 figure does not include another $4 million in awards for COVID-19 relief funding.
“This is an outstanding record of achievement that speaks to a lot of hard work and the high level of expertise among our faculty and staff,” said Yvonne Harris, NIU vice president of the Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships.
NIU is recognized nationally as a leading Emerging Research Institution and among Carnegie-classified R2 universities for “high research activity.” More than 50% of the external funding in FY23 came from federal agencies, while another 40% came from the State of Illinois.
“External funding is at a 10-year high or better,” said Dara Little, associate vice president for research and executive director of NIU Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA). Little’s office provides FY23 details in its Annual Report.
“Included in this year’s funding are federal investments in university infrastructure to enable cutting-edge research and education, public programming to deliver social and educational services across the region, and a highly competitive research CAREER award,” Little said.
The National Science Foundation CAREER award went to Biology Professor Jennifer Koop. Koop is receiving $1.2 million over five years to advance her studies into why some species, particularly parasites, are successful at invading new habitats. NSF’s CAREER program provides support to early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.
“NIU faculty members have a strong tradition of competing for and winning these prestigious awards,” Little said.
Funding specifically for NIU research reached $16.2 million, also a 10-year-high or better. Among the other NIU research projects funded in FY23:
- Development of new energy technologies.
- Modernization of the Microelectronic Research and Development Lab.
- Establishment of NIU’s Edible Campus.
- Using hemp to make greener plastics.
- Development of the first biomass pipeline.
- Helping farmers adapt to extreme weather events.
- Illinois Innovation Network-supported initiatives of the Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability.
Additionally, NIU received $7 million in outside funding for instructional programs, including a $5.1 million award over five years to train school psychologists and funding for NIU’s Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Program. University faculty and staff also attracted $37 million in funding for public service projects. “We’ve seen growth in this area, mostly from partnerships with the State of Illinois,” Little said. Among the public service projects:
- Funding of an Integrated Assessment Program for the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services.
- An effort that employed NIU students to serve as grant reviewers for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
- Funding for the DCFS Child Protection Training Academy at NIU.
- Illinois State Board of Education funding for the Pre-school For All Expansion program.
“All of these programs and more advance the academic and research mission of the university,” Harris said. “They provide opportunities for our students to work alongside faculty in the lab, field and classroom as we train the next generation of leaders.”
