A MILESTONE YEAR

It has been a year full of milestones for research at the University of North Texas.

We are proud that the university increased its total research expenditures by more than $10 million from fiscal year 2021. Faculty across disciplines have made discoveries in everything from nanotechnology to Advanced Air Mobility technologies, earned top awards in their fields, and secured research funding from major national agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities and NASA.

A testament to our continued rise as a major national research university, UNT was reaffirmed as a Tier One research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education’s 2022 report and was invited to join the Association of Research Libraries. More than 60 faculty members were included in the Stanford University rankings of the world’s most cited researchers.

We’ve also made strides that will increase opportunity for those historically underserved by higher education. This year, UNT was among 21 of the nation’s top research universities who became a founding member in the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities and also became a member of Presidents for Latino Student Success.

UNT faculty continue to innovate, create, and discover. For example, for the first time in university history, UNT-sourced intellectual property for a SARS- CoV-2 (COVID-19) testing tool received FDA approval. The technology, which was named on TIME’s list of “The 200 Best Inventions of 2022,” could lead to possible noninvasive diagnostics for other diseases as well.

I am proud of the meaningful contributions our research community has made in the last year and am excited for what the future will bring as we carry forward our mission of research excellence to make a difference in our region, state, and beyond.

Pam Padilla Vice President for Research and Innovation

Division Overview

The mission of the Division of Research and Innovation reflects a commitment to serve and support the faculty and staff at UNT with a primary purpose of collectively enhancing research. The core values outline the focus of the division’s employees as driven and committed team members.

Mission

The mission of the Division of Research and Innovation is to support, facilitate and empower the growth of sustainable research at UNT.

Core Values

Integrity — Committed to creating knowledge with a high degree of honesty and accuracy

Interdisciplinary Focus — Focused on the development of solutions requiring complex multidisciplinary approaches

Partnerships — Dedicated to building connections in teams focused on solutions to society’s biggest challenges

Innovation — Committed to identifying and supporting new and creative approaches

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Efficiency — Dedicated to the strategic and focused use of resources

Individual Growth — Focused individuals in and of themselves as part of multidisciplinary teams

Diversity — Committed to empowered decision-making and the inclusion of talented individuals from a variety of different backgrounds

National events prompted higher education across the nation to fully examine their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). UNT is no exception to this national trend. Furthermore, UNT’s recent designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) underscores the commitment to DEI within the division. The Research Development team has been engaged with faculty working on grants that serve our diverse student population and informing about funding opportunities for HSIs. Furthermore, the division provided financial support for faculty and students to attend and present at diversityfocused conferences.