SDSU shatters research expenditures record for second consecutive year

For the second consecutive year, South Dakota State University has broken its research expenditures record. Research expenditures for fiscal year 2024 reached $84 million — a 13.5% increase from last year's record of $74 million.

"SDSU faculty, staff and students continue driving the leading edge of discovery and innovation — to the public's great benefit," said Daniel Scholl, vice president for research and economic development.

SDSU researchers receive funding from a variety of sources including federal, state, industry and internal grants. These grants are often allocated on a competitive basis, with project proposals being selected for their quality and/or impact.

Scholl noted that an increase in research expenditures signals a growing research profile that is trusted and capable of solving problems and advancing knowledge.

Research proposals for fiscal year 2024 totaled just over $270 million — also up from the previous year of $155 million.

R1 Our Way

Research expenditures are one of two benchmarks the Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education use to differentiate research institutions. To be classified as "R1" — the highest classification — a university must have at least $50 million in research expenditures each fiscal year.

SDSU is currently classified as "R2" but is in pursuit of R1 classification. 

"SDSU’s growing impact is what you would expect from an aspiring Carnegie R1 university and creates a vibrant experience for students at all levels," Scholl added. 

Notable projects

Some of the notable sponsored research projects from the past year include the restoration of native plants in the Northern Great Plains. This National Park Service-backed project was led by Lora Perkins, lead faculty for SDSU's Native Plant Initiative and a professor in the Department of Natural Resource Management.

In the School of Health and Human Sciences, professor Moul Dey studied the role of lean pork within a plant-based diet through a randomized controlled feeding study. Dey's National Pork Board-backed study looked to improve iron reserves, muscle-fitness and markers of health span in older adults.

Tim Hansen, the Harold C. Hohbach Endowed Associate Professor in the McComish Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has undertaken a statewide effort to develop more resilient electrical grids for rural communities. This National Science Foundation-backed project is an ongoing collaborative effort with universities across the United States.

In the College of Natural Sciences, associate professor Natalie Thiex received $312,813 from the National Institutes of Health to gain insights into inflammation.

Josh Reineke, associate professor in the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions and director of the Haarberg Drug, Disease and Delivery Research Center, has been developing nanoparticle-based therapies to treat and eradicate mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In the College of Nursing, associate professor Mary Isaacson has been working to increase palliative care access for all South Dakotans. Through an efficacy trial backed by the National Institutes of Health, Isaacson has been developing culturally responsive messaging for Native Americans who need palliative care.

Don Burger, associate professor in the School of Design, conducted a walkability study for communities in South Dakota. This work resulted in a community handbook on how to approach walkability which will come out later this fall.

In the Ness School of Management and Economics, associate professor Andrea Leschewski conducted a cost-benefit analysis of expanded food and nutrition education programs by utilizing biomarkers of chronic disease risk. Leschewski's study was backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Amber Jensen, a lecturer in the School of English and Interdisciplinary Studies, has been conducting a National Endowment for the Humanities-backed project to support teachers of dual credit composition courses. The project has included summer workshops for faculty to create new materials for dual credit introductory composition courses.

"Growing research expenditures is a marker of SDSU’s leadership, but research expenditures tell only part of the story," Scholl said. "Some of SDSU’s research, scholarship and creative projects do not require substantial funding grants and are completed with little direct expenditures. It is exciting that our innovation and discovery work extends beyond engineering and the sciences to the social sciences, arts and humanities, to better serve the public.

The three largest contributors to SDSU's expenditures record were the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; the College of Natural Sciences; and the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering.