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The University of Idaho has long sought recognition as an R1 research university. We punched above our weight on research that matters to Idaho, but did not have a cogent plan to achieve this important milestone.
A diverse committee of stakeholders developed a refined strategy and we prioritized key investments that have, over the past three years, propelled the U of I above the threshold to become Idaho’s only R1 institution.
“Reaching this goal is a testament to the capabilities of our faculty and staff at the University of Idaho,” said Chris Nomura, vice president for research and economic development. “It demonstrates the impact we have on a national level and it’s an endorsement of the incredible work we’re doing as an institution.”
Less than 4% of U.S. universities earn R1 designation, which requires institutions to produce at least 70 doctorates each year and have at least $50 million in research expenditures. The U of I awarded 80 research doctorates last year and had nearly $136 million in research expenditures.
In 2019, we established the goal of attaining R1 designation and a working group identified key areas where the U of I could progress toward the goal. The U of I invested strategically in recent years, dedicating funds to support post-doctoral scholars and graduate students, which would help faculty accomplish more with their grant funding and provide additional opportunities for undergraduates to participate in research.
This approach led to an increase in both post-doctoral scholars and doctoral candidates at the U of I, key areas of improvement for R1 consideration. Post-docs increased from 70 in 2019 to 101 in 2024 while graduate students increased from 2,138 in 2019 to 2,469 in 2024. The 602 doctoral students on campus last fall set a new U of I record.
U of I research directly benefits the state of Idaho by working on pressing problems to improve outcomes for cybersecurity, nuclear science, semiconductor and microelectronics industries, as well as those related to natural resources and agriculture.
Our UI Extension network delivers practical solutions for Idaho citizens through programs in rural development, food systems education, irrigation, forestry and rangeland management and much more.
After two straight years of record research expenditures, Nomura expects to build momentum in research that benefits our state and beyond. We’re building world class facilities to complement our outstanding personnel. The Seed Potato Germplasm Laboratory protects our nation’s potato crop against disease. The Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment will be the nation’s largest research dairy. The Deep Soil Ecotron Laboratory will allow researchers to study soil at depths up to 10 feet – deeper than any other facility in the world. And our new meat science center will lead the region in research and workforce development.
“As we recruit new faculty and bring in new graduate students, R1 designation is something that people often look for in a university,” Nomura said. “We have a tradition of great research and I think we’ll continue to build on that and make an even greater impact.”
We’re proud to serve the state of Idaho and our status as an R1 institution only enhances our ability to produce research that matters. We appreciate the many Vandals contributing to our research enterprise and advancing solutions to better our state and our nation.
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