A Federal Boost for UW Research

The bills’ passage allows campus to continue research in several high-demand areas. Jeff Miller

UW–Madison is set to receive more than $56 million in new funding for research initiatives after the passage of two federal appropriations packages.

The set of bipartisan bills, signed into law by President Joseph Biden in March, will fund the federal government through September 30. Both pieces of legislation included funding for research projects specific to the UW.

The bills’ passage allows campus to continue research in several high-demand areas, including next-generation energy development and the social and economic vitality of rural communities. Funded initiatives include $28.75 million for the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center; $10 million for PANTHER, a biomedical research program addressing traumatic brain injuries; $5 million for the Center for Unmanned Aircraft System Propulsion; and $2 million to establish a regional center to combat the fentanyl crisis.

The funded initiatives reflect UW–Madison’s diverse research portfolio — one of the nation’s largest. Last year, the university topped $1.5 billion in research expenditures, ranking eighth among all public and private universities.

“This funding is a testament to UW–Madison’s leadership in research and innovation,” says interim vice chancellor for research Cynthia Czajkowski. “It reinforces our commitment to address the state and nation’s most pressing challenges, from enhancing rural economies and driving innovation in the dairy industry to advancing research in sustainability and biofuels.”

Published in the Summer 2024 issue