̽̽ has joined the ranks of the nation’s top-tier research institutions by achieving an R1 Research Activity Designation, a recognition reserved for universities with the highest levels of research activity as designated by the prestigious Carnegie Classification, a program of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching administered by the American Council on Education (ACE).
This accomplishment marks a transformative moment for the university and is a result of decades of investment in cutting-edge research and development, faculty excellence, and academic innovation.
“Attaining R1 status will extend ̽̽’s ability to attract the best talent, secure groundbreaking grants, and contribute to solving global challenges,” said ̽̽ Interim President Patricia Prelock. “This milestone reflects not only our commitment to academic excellence but also our role as a driver of innovation and opportunity for Vermont and beyond. It is a testament to the extraordinary dedication of our faculty, staff, and students who have worked tirelessly to elevate our research enterprise and expand its impact.”
The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education is a framework used to categorize U.S. colleges and universities based on their research activity and institutional characteristics. Established in 1973 by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, the classification has become a key benchmark for assessing the research impact and academic mission of institutions.
̽̽ for the 2024 fiscal year—more than doubling the university’s annual research funding in the last five years—led by the Larner College of Medicine, which garnered over $100 million for life-saving research. A few examples of ̽̽ researchers' recent accomplishments across the institution:
the development of an effective
a consortium led by ̽̽, Princeton, and Cambridge mapped the brain of an adult fruit fly, an effort that will lead to better understanding of the human brain
a team of ̽̽ researchers tested billions of body iterations to build “xenobots” – the world’s first living robots that can reproduce
a five-year in-depth study to understand and improve Vermont’s prison system
that shows hitherto unknown extensive melting of the cap within the last 400,000 years
a clinical study, through ̽̽’s Vaccine Testing Center, to develop
development at the ̽̽ Cancer Center of
Much of ̽̽’s research enterprise is related to its Planetary Health Initiative, an institution-wide effort to explore the inextricable linkage of human wellbeing and the health of the environment and find solutions for greater global health.
As ̽̽ secures more funding for even more ambitious research, the complex enterprise that supports investigators continues to grow. In the last few years, ̽̽ has established new research centers and institutes focused on the most pressing issues facing the world:
the Water Resources Institute facilitates an innovative network of partners to build a nationally recognized center at the forefront of interdisciplinary water-related research, education, and community outreach.
the Institute for Agroecology works with and for farmers, Indigenous people, social movements, and communities who are driving change in Vermont and around the world.
alongside the Office of Engagement, the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships brings financial and technical assistance, access to ̽̽ research, faculty expertise, student projects and internships, and established ̽̽ programs to drive positive change for rural communities in Vermont and beyond.
For a flagship, land-grant university such as ̽̽, achieving R1 status carries special significance, as it strengthens its foundational mission to serve the public through education, research, and broad engagement with the community. R1 status allows ̽̽ to build on its success to pursue new areas of funding and expand its capacity for cutting-edge research. R1 status will also enhance the university’s recruitment in the years to come of new undergraduate and graduate students and new faculty members.
“Achieving R1 status is a transformative step for any university, signifying a leap into the highest echelon of research institutions,” Vice President for Research Kirk Dombrowski said. “For ̽̽, this achievement not only demonstrates how much we want to accomplish but recognizes the innovation, discovery, and scholarship our investigators and students have achieved over the years.”
