UNI was awarded $40 million in competitive research grants during the 2019 fiscal year, the highest in five years and an affirmation of the institution’s strength in scholarship. It will support 210 projects, the most since 2010.
Many of the projects being funded have practical applications in public service, such as studying air and water quality in Iowa as well as training to help local school officials address students’ mental-health needs. Public service has long been a signature of UNI’s portfolio, with an emphasis on transforming on-campus scholarship and research into real-world benefits for local and regional communities.
“At UNI, as is the case with many public comprehensive universities, the role of seeking and obtaining external grants and contracts to support research and scholarship is becoming more important every year.” said Tolif Hunt, director of research and sponsored programs at UNI. “External funding for research and scholarship plays a major role in helping position and distinguish UNI and its faculty as leaders in education, research, and scholarship.”