USM Attracts Almost $1 Billion in Funding for Research in FY 2006

ADELPHI, Md. (May 7, 2007) - In FY 2006, the University System of Maryland's (USM) 13 institutions received almost $1 billion in external funding for research, system officials have announced. Private, federal, and state grants and contracts totaled $975.9 million, supporting scientific and medical research, academic scholarship, and public service projects conducted by the system's faculty and students.

Although the FY 2006 funding level dipped just one percent below an all-time high of $983.8 million in FY 2005, there were significant increases for several of the system's comprehensive undergraduate institutions. Bowie State University's total external research funding grew almost 40 percent to $10 million; Frostburg State University's doubled to $3.4 million; and Towson University's grew from $12.7 million in FY 05 to $16.4 million in FY 06.

The system's research-focused universities and centers-the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI), University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES)-accounted for more than $870 million of the total FY 06 research funding.

"In recent statistics issued by the American Electronics Association, Maryland was ranked at fifth nationally for its concentration of hi-tech jobs and sixth for growth in hi-tech jobs," said William E. Kirwan, USM chancellor. "Maintaining our competitive edge in the world of research grants and contracts is critical for keeping us on the forefront of the ‘knowledge economy' and for providing a skilled workforce to fuel our state's economic engine."

Over the past five years, the amount of external research funding that USM receives annually has risen 25 percent, from $783.7 million in FY 2001 to $975.9 million in FY 2006.

Contact: John Buettner
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: jbuettner@usmd.edu