Four programs at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) rank among the top 10 federally-funded programs in the United States, according to the National Science Foundation (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey. UAH is a part of the University of Alabama System.
This marks the 12th year in a row UAH has had five or more research programs in the top 25 nationally, including:
- Eighth in aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering
- Tenth in computer and information sciences
- Tenth in atmospheric science and meteorology
- Tenth in astronomy and astrophysics
- Twenty-fifth in industrial and manufacturing engineering
UAH also ranked twenty-second in the nation for research funded by the Department of Defense, and thirteenth in the nation for NASA-funded research and development.
At the state level, UAH ranks first in Alabama in six categories of federal research expenditures, including Department of Defense, NASA, aerospace/aeronautical/ astronautical engineering, computer and information sciences, atmospheric science and meteorology, and astronomy expenditures.
“These rankings indicate the continued strength of UAH research programs, showcasing the dedication of our exceptional faculty, staff, students, and research centers and reflecting on our close partnership with the Redstone Arsenal and Cummings Research Park,” says Dr. Robert Lindquist, UAH vice president for research and economic development.
Research and development expenditures for fiscal year FY24 total $154.5 million. The university's five-year research and development expenditures total $639 million.
With 17 research centers and institutes, UAH remains a top research university. UAH researchers are developing capabilities in areas critical to national interests, such as hypersonics; logistics and supply chain management; cybersecurity; optical systems and engineering; artificial intelligence; rotorcraft and unmanned systems; severe weather; plasma fusion research; space propulsion; space physics and more.
“We continue to support and collaborate with partners across government and industry, working together to drive innovation and advance research in critical areas,” says Lindquist. “UAH researchers are making a meaningful impact not only in Alabama but also across the nation and the globe”
About the Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey
HERD Survey collects information on Research and Development (R&D) expenditures by field of research and source of funds and also gathers information on types of research, expenses and headcounts of R&D personnel. The survey is the primary source of information on R&D expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities, an annual census of institutions that expended at least $150,000 in separately accounted for R&D in the fiscal year.