College of Agricultural Sciences sets record in research grants awarded in Fiscal Year 2020

Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences has always demonstrated strength in every area of its land-grant mission to advance teaching, research and outreach. Fiscal year 2020 marked a milestone for the college as it grew its research grant funding to $62.6M, an increase of 22% over fiscal year 2019. After averaging approximately $50M in each of the previous five years with some modest increases of 3-5% in past two years, this year’s increase is particularly notable.

The college’s leadership attributes this significant increase to the hard work of the faculty, staff, and students who develop research proposals, build the corresponding and often interdisciplinary teams, while persevering through the administrative complexities that can often accompany significant grants. It also shows the importance of our work to funding agencies, industries, organizations and our many other stakeholders.

“This increase in awarded research is testament to the strength of our science, the discipline of our research office, and the impact of our collective work for the benefit of our stakeholders,” explained Alan Sams, Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Director of its research arm, the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. “It also speaks to the breadth of our work and the true majesty of our diverse, interdisciplinary research to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing our state, nation and world.”

Others in college leadership shared the dean’s enthusiasm for the impact and value of this growth in awarded research.

“When we see research awarded at this level it is a good indicator that our work is meeting critical challenges facing Oregon, the nation, and the world,” added Joyce Loper, Associate Dean of Research. “I’m immensely proud of the value of this research for those on the front lines of meeting those challenges in agricultural competitiveness and resilience; food innovation for health, markets and access; working and natural landscapes; as well as marine food systems and conservation.”

Stories featuring some of the research work done at the college can be found online and in print in the college’s magazine, Oregon’s Agricultural Progress.

Share