USF Improves Its Research Rating

“This achievement marks a significant milestone for USF, reflecting the dedication of our faculty to advancing research and creative work,” said Eileen Fung, provost and vice president of academic affairs. “It elevates our university’s reputation, attracting new opportunities and collaborations that will further our impact and ability to offer solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.”

USF was previously an R3 doctoral/professional university. To qualify as an R2, a university must spend at least $5 million on research and development and produce at least 20 research doctorates each year, said Camille Coley, associate vice provost for sponsored programs and external partnerships. USF spent $9.6 million on R&D in 2023 and graduated an average of 29 research doctoral candidates each year from 2020 to 2023.

“R2 status boosts our visibility and improves our chances of securing more research grants,” said Amrita Bhattacharyya, assistant professor of chemistry.

In 2022 Bhattacharyya moved across the bay from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to USF so that she could teach undergraduate students. In 2023 she secured a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to study microsites in floodplains that produce methane, a greenhouse gas.

“The more grants we win, the more research we can do. The more research we can do, the more difference we can make,” Bhattacharyya said. “R2 designation is a big win for USF — especially for faculty and for all the students who work with them on their research.”