UW Reaches Highest Level of Research Universities

Wyoming’s university will soon achieve a significant milestone — a major step forward for our standing in the world of higher education that will benefit the entire institution, our students, our alumni and the state we serve.

For the first time in the University of Wyoming’s history, the university will be named an R1 institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. That puts UW in the top tier of U.S. research universities, as just 5 percent of the nation’s nearly 4,000 accredited, degree-granting institutions historically have reached this “very high research activity” category.

What does this mean for UW? Simply stated, Carnegie R1 status increases the value of a UW degree; serves as an impressive recruiting tool for faculty, staff and students; enhances our ability to boost the state’s economy; and builds on the already extraordinary sense of pride among members of the UW community.

To achieve the R1 designation, UW had to show that our annual spending on research and development topped $50 million, and that we award at least 70 doctoral degrees each year. In fact, we are well above those numbers and are growing.

In the past fiscal year, our research expenditures — driven largely by federal grant funding — topped $150 million, a record for UW. In the current fiscal year, we have already exceeded $167 million. When it comes to Ph.D. graduates, UW regularly produces close to 100 each year.

But this designation — scheduled to be officially announced this spring — is about much more than numbers.

UW graduates have long demonstrated that they can compete with graduates of even the most elite universities in the country, but now there’s an added measure of prestige associated with their UW diplomas.

Additionally, the prestige of R1 status traditionally has served as magnet for people looking to work and study at the top of their fields. As a result, UW is now even more attractive to top-tier faculty and students from around the world.

Research informs teaching, and teaching informs research. Indeed, they can be deeply integrated; expanding our research also expands our teaching capabilities. Because faculty engaged in research generate new knowledge that advances the education students receive both inside and outside the classroom, the educational experience for students will be enhanced through our R1 status. Students will be more prepared for careers through inquiry-focused work in labs and creative spaces. Research experiences for undergraduates are important examples of experiential, or hands-on, learning that lead to better learning outcomes and enhanced student success.

UW already has a strong record of research partnerships to meet critical needs in Wyoming and the region. Achieving R1 status will allow us to take things to an even higher level with our community partners and industry, as we’ll have more opportunities to attract external funding that enhances our ability to support students, faculty and staff. And research leads to innovation that creates opportunities for entrepreneurship and addresses problems in industry, making company partners more competitive. This sets the stage for economic gains and job growth in our state, beyond even the nearly 14,700 jobs and more than $1.3 billion annually that UW contributes to Wyoming’s economy, according a new “Economic Footprint of the University of Wyoming” report.

In this edition of UWyo Magazine, you’ll read a great deal more about UW’s research enterprise and how it contributes to our students’ educational experience and Wyoming’s economy.

We have had much to celebrate at UW over the past few years. Amazing new facilities have opened to enhance the student and faculty/staff experience; new programs in computing, ranch management, energy, construction management, entrepreneurship, outdoor recreation and tourism are among those that have been added to our rich lineup of in-person and online offerings; student success and faculty excellence are benefitting from record-setting private fundraising; and our alumni are achieving great things in business, academia, sports and many other fields.

We will soon add Carnegie R1 status to this list of things to celebrate, along with being named a “Carnegie Community Engaged” university and an “Innovation and Economic Prosperity” university by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.

Those of us associated with UW have always known what a great university we have. Now, having reached the highest tier of research universities, we can be even more bold in proclaiming that The World Needs More Cowboys.

Ed Seidel is the 28th president of the University of Wyoming.