Researchers in UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources received nearly $71 million in externally sponsored research funding during the 2022 fiscal year – the highest annual total in the institute’s history.

The total 2022 awards exceeded the previous record of $63.9 million in 2021 by nearly 11%, and extends average annual increases of 6 percent since 2013. In all, University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers within IANR received 511 sponsored awards during the 2022 fiscal year, which ran from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, including 14 awards of $1 million or more. This is the highest number of awards of $1 million or greater in a single year over the past decade.

“IANR has seen huge strides in its research funding over the past decade, which is a testament to the amazing work of our faculty, post-docs, students and staff across the institute,” said Mike Boehm, NU Vice President and Harland Vice Chancellor for IANR. “We’ve hired many extraordinarily talented, hardworking, creative and collaborative scientists in the past decade, and the sharp rise in research funding is a direct reflection of their dedication and talent, and the talent of all of our faculty.” 

Nearly 81% of 2022 external awards were sponsored by federal agencies, with around 8% coming from industry partners. The USDA was the top single funding agency, contributing about 45% of federal awards. Other top funding agencies were the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation.

Researchers in all disciplines of study across the institute received funding for a wide variety of projects to advance agriculture and natural resources resilience across Nebraska and around the world. Highlights of awards received in 2022 include:

• $1.19 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to explore the role of a nanoparticle found in chives that could help suppress inflammation that contributes to many obesity-related diseases.
• $1.9 million from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to better understand how genetic properties of sorghum can protect against sugarcane aphid.
• $1 million from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to advance knowledge and utilization of cover crops for conservation measures in Nebraska. 
• $1 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for mosquito control research that could reduce instances of malaria worldwide.
•  $998,000 from the U.S. Air Force Weather to support the National Drought Mitigation Center’s work to develop a Global Composite Drought Indicator, which could help identify areas across the world at risk for severe drought and corresponding civil unrest.
• $770,000 from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agricultural to work toward the development of an effective vaccine for African swine fever.
• $743,000 from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to enhance underrepresented minority participation in the agricultural STEM workforce through training on an innovation platform that connects crop trait inception to product marketplace delivery.

Archie Clutter, dean and director of IANR’s Agricultural Research Division, said the upward trend in sponsored awards is helping IANR fulfill its land-grant mission.

“Our faculty, post-docs, students and staff are incredibly passionate about advancing Nebraska agriculture and supporting our state’s natural resources,” Clutter said. “That was central to our mission when IANR was founded 50 years and ago and remains true today. The integrated research programs of our faculty teams are helping to ensure resilient cropping and livestock systems and advances in workforce development and human health, not just in Nebraska, but across the United States and around the world.”

Agricultural Research Division Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources