By Mallory Slucher —
The University of Louisville continues to make strides by retaining their status as a top research institution.
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education recently classified U of L as a “Research 1” doctoral university with Very High Research Activity. UofL is one of only two universities in Kentucky to receive this designation. Only 146 universities in the country were classified as “Research 1” in 2021, making Carnegie’s classification a highly sought-after distinction in higher-education.
U of L discoveries in various disciplines directly impact the world of research. “Research is the creation of knowledge,” said Kevin Gardner, U of L’s executive vice president of research and innovation. We engage students in the creation of new knowledge so they will have the opportunity to work with the latest findings in research.”
The R1 Carnegie distinction also poses several implications for faculty. “This knowledge creation piece is a large part of faculty identity.” Gardner added, “You get a different caliber of faculty at a Research 1 university than you do at other universities.”
The scope of research at U of L is extensive and involves the entire university. “Research happens everywhere. It could be faculty members in the Political Science department doing surveys, faculty and staff in the Health Sciences Campus running clinical trials, or researchers at the Shelby campus studying infectious diseases in the Regional Biocontainment Lab,” Gardner said.
In addition, U of L was one of only 67 R1 universities to receive a Carnegie Community engaged designation, acknowledging U of L’s involvement with community partners spanning from business and industry to public health. Recently, a grant with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency has allowed engineers at the Speed School of Engineering to work alongside minority-owned businesses to develop 3D printing technology and additive manufacturing.
The Director of Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness, Dr. Sarah Moyer, serves as an associate professor in the School of Public Health. She highlighted that U of L is intertwined in the community. “It is our DNA as a university to make sure the research we do has impact on the world,” Gardner said. “And we do that through our partnerships in the community so we can do the most good.”
Photo Courtesy // U of L News
