Grant Fund Propels Research Projects Boom at Utah State University

A grant funding of $187 million in the 2010 fiscal year has propelled research projects to increase at the Utah State University (USU). These grant funds have brought in an additional amount of $49 million for the faculty to study everything ranging from hearing-aid performance to algae biofuels to geothermal energy.

The USU indicates that the funding would help in offsetting the downturn seen and experienced during the economy slowdown. In comparison with the 2009 funding received by the University, the 2010 funding represents an increase of 29%.

Approximately $12 million of the research money of the USU has come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of the federal government. The university’s OPD (Office of Proposal Development) is facilitating campus researchers in submitting more proposals than ever before. Organizations that benefit from OPD’s help include the nonprofit USURF that controls the Energy Dynamics Laboratory and Space Dynamics Laboratory.