With New Mexico State University on track to become an R1-designated research institution in 2025, the university is also well ahead of its research expenditure goal.

Preliminary numbers collected for the National Science Foundation's Higher Education Research and Development Survey indicate that in 2024, NMSU has had $141 million in research expenditures, or funds spent to conduct research. The largest increase in expenditures were seen in biological and biomedical sciences.

"Behind this exciting HERD number are talented, hard-working, creativity faculty, students and staff who have overperformed on a key performance indicator in our LEADS 2025 Strategic Plan," said Luis Cifuentes, NMSU vice president of research, creativity and economic development.

Significant expenditure increases were also seen in Extension animal resources, chemistry and biochemistry, and NMSU's Research Cores Program, which supports key research resources to improve sustainability and access for researchers at the university.

"NMSU's growth in research expenditures underscores our commitment to innovation and excellence," said NMSU interim Provost Lakshmi Reddi. "Our faculty, staff and students are not only meeting benchmarks, but setting new standards for research impact. As we move closer to R1 status, we aim to sustain this momentum, foster collaboration and expand our research across both STEM and non-STEM fields. This achievement highlights the impact of NMSU's research and creativity."

Research expenditures at NMSU have grown since experiencing a low in 2018. Should trends continue, NMSU may see research expenditures hit close to $160 million next year.

Cifuentes said NMSU's current research and development expenditures largely exceed the baseline requirement for R1 institutions. Expenditures, along with other essential former elements of the Carnegie classification formula such as increased post-doctoral fellows and expanded doctoral programs observed since 2018, underscore the health of NMSU's research and creativity enterprise.

As the university nears R1 designation, strategic aims are to maintain current research and development expenditures in STEM, increase expenditures in non-STEM areas, continue to add post-doctoral fellow and research scientists, and increase external funding for Ph.D. students, particularly in the humanities and social sciences.

The full article can be seen at https://newsroom.nmsu.edu/news/nmsu-research-expenditures-reach--140-million-plus-mark-in-2024/s/04200d3b-5e74-41c6-a6ae-5287f7885823