"Research Rising"

That means almost 20,000 jobs in central Ohio, thanks to Ohio State's $609 million of research spending in 2005.

Based on statistics compiled by the National Science Foundation for fiscal year 2005, Ohio State ranks 8th among the nation's public universities in total research expenditures. That No. 8 ranking reflects a steady climb: Ohio State ranked 9th last year and 10th the previous year.

"This is very, very good news," says Ohio State President Karen A. Holbrook. "It's not only a reflection of our commitment to becoming a top-ranked institution, but it showcases the excellence of our faculty, students, staff and facilities."

Among all research universities, public and private, Ohio State has moved up from 15th place to 12th, surpassing such respected institutions as Cornell, Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“It showcases the excellence of our faculty, students, staff and facilities.”
—Ohio State President Karen Holbrook

Ohio State's total research expenditures were $609 million in 2005, an increase of 17 percent over 2004's $518 million. (In 2006, research expenditures rose again to an all-time high of $652 million.) The university continues to be a national leader in conducting industry-financed research, moving up to 3rd place from 6th place last year.

"The competition for research dollars is fierce," says Robert McGrath, Ohio State's senior vice president for research. "It's clear that Ohio State's faculty are doing remarkably well in attracting industry funding for research and development in what is essentially a flat funding environment recovering from a three-year decline."

McGrath attributes some of the expenditure increase to the state of Ohio's Third Frontier Project, a 10-year, $1.1 billion initiative to expand Ohio's high-tech research capabilities and promote start-up companies to create high-paying jobs.

"Ohio's investments in research and development certainly serve as a catalyst for increasing the university's partnerships with industry and stimulate ways to transfer innovative technology to the marketplace," McGrath says. "Those research dollars leverage many more from federal and industrial sponsors that eventually benefit not only the university, but the local and statewide economy."

Read the news release from Media Relations.