Tennessee Tech Sets All-Time Record for Research Funding, Topping $46 Million for Fiscal Year 2024

Tennessee Tech University set an all-time record for externally funded research for the fourth year in a row, according to university administrators.

The university topped $46 million in externally funded research in fiscal year 2024, supported by nearly 200 research activations. The total figure for the fiscal year, which ended June 30, surpasses Tech’s previous record by $10 million and marks the achievement of one of the university’s long-held strategic goals a year ahead of schedule.

“The trend of growth in research at Tennessee Tech is almost exponential,” said John Liu, vice president for research. “A culture of research excellence and scholarship is emerging. I am very proud of our faculty for their hard work and grateful for the support of university leadership, especially from President Oldham and Provost Lori Bruce.”

In 2018, Tech approved its “Tech Tomorrow” strategic plan, outlining a series of goals for 2025. Among those goals was a vision for increasing Tech’s annual externally funded research to $40 million – an amount that was roughly double Tech’s yearly research total at the time.

“This was a ‘stretch goal’ that we thought to be very ambitious, but our faculty, staff and students rose to the challenge, allowing us to exceed this goal by some $6 million and do it a year early,” said Tech President Phil Oldham. “There is nothing that Golden Eagles cannot do. We look forward to gathering together to celebrate this milestone achievement at our annual faculty meeting next month.”

Among the projects supporting Tech’s record-setting research haul over the past year is a $10 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to help rural electric utilities and energy supply companies deploy smart grid technologies to better serve their communities. It marks the single largest research grant in Tech history.

“Smart grids are crucial for rural and distressed economies because they provide more reliable electricity to homes and businesses, drastically improving the quality of life,” explained Liu. “By ensuring a steady, dependable power supply, energy costs will be reduced, making living and operating costs more affordable for residents and entrepreneurs alike. This, in turn, fosters economic growth, attracts new businesses, and creates job opportunities, revitalizing communities that have long struggled with economic hardship.”

Liu, who took the helm of Tech’s Division of Research & Economic Development in October 2023, has made boosting research output a hallmark of his service at the university.

He credits Tech’s success to the university’s strong problem-solving attitude and its commitment to providing research opportunities to students.

“Research is all about providing answers to significant questions and solving societal problems. Therefore, it is natural that our faculty are strong with research,” said Liu. “Providing hands-on, experiential learning through research for our students is one of the highest motivations of growing research at Tech.”

Liu aims to continue building on Tech’s gains in the year ahead.

“I hope we will continue the research growth trend to increase research activities, scholarship and impact,” he concluded. “Through research, our faculty will become better educators, and students will be more successful.”

Tech is recognized as an R2 doctoral, high-research activity university by the Carnegie national classification system. Learn more about research at Tech by visiting www.tntech.edu/research .

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