National Science Foundation Ranks Colorado State Among Nation’s Top Universities Receiving Science and Engineering Research Funding

Colorado State University ranks among the nation’s top 5 percent of public and private institutions of higher education receiving federal research and development financial support in engineering and the sciences, according to the National Science Foundation. The NSF also lists Colorado State in the nation’s top 11 percent of universities in total research and development expenditures, and in the nation’s top 13 percent in the number of full-time graduate science, engineering and health students.

In addition to ranking among the nation’s top universities receiving overall research funding, when compared with other public research universities without medical schools, Colorado State ranks second in the nation in federal research and development support. Additionally, Colorado State ranks second in the nation among these universities in federal funding for life sciences.

"These rankings indicate the quality of research being conducted by our exceptional faculty and students as well as the high level of confidence that federal agencies have in Colorado State," said Anthony Frank, vice president for research and information technology. "As learning and research are inextricably linked, Colorado State researchers are using federal grants to bring discovery into the classroom and give students the opportunities to gain hands-on experience with real research projects."

The rankings are based on academic institutional profiles produced annually by NSF’s Division of Science Resources Statistics based on the three following surveys:

"The NSF Survey of Federal Science and Engineering Support to Universities, Colleges and Nonprofit Institutions (federal support survey). Colorado State ranked 72 out of 1,515 institutions.

"The NSF Survey of Research and Development Expenditures at Universities and Colleges (academic research and development expenditures survey). Colorado State ranked 70 out of 641 institutions surveyed.

"The NSF-NIH Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering (graduate student survey). Colorado State ranked 80 out of 606 institutions surveyed.

A complete breakdown of college and university profiles and rankings, including research funding and expenditure data listed by year and category, as well as a list of federal funding agencies, is located on the Web at http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/profiles. Specific Colorado State information can be accessed at http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/profiles/data/ip001350.htm. Current NSF rankings are based on fiscal years 1997-2000.