At $349M, research expenditures grew by 12.3% in FY 2024
‘These numbers are exciting, but at the end of the day, it’s all about impact.’
Michigan Engineering News
In the largest annual jump in the past decade, the University of Michigan College of Engineering increased research expenditures by 12.3% to $349 million in fiscal year 2024, reflecting an upward trend that has continued for more than a decade.
The federal government contributed the largest portion of funding at 69%, followed by 17% from state, local, and foreign governments, 8% from corporations and foundations and 6% from other sources like the endowment and gifts.
The Department of Defense, the U-M College of Engineering’s largest federal funder, increased 15.1% from last year with the largest boost coming from the Army. Driven in part by the renewal of the Automotive Research Center, a U.S. Army Center of Excellence for modeling and simulation of ground vehicle systems, Army funding went up by 40.7% to $23.1 million.
Other contributing large grants from federal sources include the Center for Complex Particle Systems and Center for Materials Innovation funded by the National Science Foundation and Mechano-Chemical Understanding of Solid Ion Conductors funded by the Department of Energy.
“While large centers and institutes contribute significantly to the College’s research expenditures, the lion’s share of our $349 million in research funding comes from individual investigator grants earned by our faculty members,” said Eric Michielssen, associate dean for research at Michigan Engineering and the Louise Ganiard Johnson Professor of Engineering in electrical and computer engineering.
“In addition to the continued funding accomplishments of our seasoned faculty, our assistant professors have been tremendously successful at bringing in grants like the NSF CAREER award,” added Michielssen.
Other changes include a 25% increase in state sponsorship through the general fund to $58.8 million and a 22.9% decrease in money from corporations and foundations to $29 million due to shifts in key industrial sectors and changes in international research partnerships.
“These numbers are exciting, but at the end of the day it’s all about impact,” said Michielssen. “Our faculty, students and staff put research expenditures to work, developing research innovations to solve pressing challenges.”