National Research University Fund

NRUF funds projects designed to increase research productivity at UT Dallas.

In 2018, the University achieved the critical benchmark criteria required to qualify for funding from the National Research University Fund (NRUF), an exclusive source of research support available to the state’s “emerging research universities.”

UT Dallas qualified for the $7.5 million initial annual funding by achieving these Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s benchmarks for two consecutive years:

  • $45 million in annual expenditures on restricted research
  • $400 million endowment
  • High-achieving freshman class
  • High-quality faculty
  • Membership in the Association of Research Libraries, Phi Beta Kappa or equivalent national organization*

Read the Press Release

This recognition of excellence represents a significant research milestone for the University. Distributions from NRUF fund non-recurring expenses of projects designed to further increase the University’s research productivity.

*UT Dallas’ equivalent national organization is Phi Kappa Phi

Distributions to UT Dallas from NRUF allowed the University to launch a seed grant initiative in 2019, providing $2.2 million to a diverse range of research and scholarly projects with the aim of providing faculty a springboard to earning larger, highly competitive grants.

The Office of Research and Innovation program, announced last fall, was conceived by Dr. Joseph Pancrazio, vice president for research, who described it as among the largest such programs in the state.

“Research, scholarship and creativity play a key role in our growth as an institution,” said Pancrazio, who is also a professor of bioengineering in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. “These programs build upon the interdisciplinary work that is a hallmark of the UT Dallas experience for our faculty and students. The hope is that this seed funding leads to new ideas that then become the source for new grant proposals and projects.”

Read more about the seed grant initiative.

President Richard C. Benson

“This is a significant achievement in the history of our university. We are the youngest institution in the state to have emerged as a national research university, and that’s a testament to our commitment and drive to advance our research enterprise.”

— Dr. Richard Benson, president of UT Dallas