College celebrates 160% growth in research spending

In a time when many academic institutions are facing uncertainty in research funding, the University of Arizona College of Engineering recently celebrated a six-year run of growth. At the 2025 Celebration of Success in the Civil Engineering Courtyard on Oct. 22, the college marked a 28% year-over-year increase in research expenditures, reaching $57.5 million, up from $44.8 million.

“That’s about 160% growth over the last six years,” said Craig M. Berge Dean David W. Hahn. “This growth reflects not only the reputation we strive to uphold across campus, but also the strength of our collective efforts to create opportunities for our students and the entire College of Engineering community.”

The college averaged $22 million in research costs before Hahn began implementing strategies to double expenditures. With associate dean of research Mark Van Dyke at the helm since 2020, the college has nearly tripled its research enterprise.

“Our strategic plan, developed with direct input from over 100 faculty, has served us well,” said Van Dyke, also a biomedical engineering professor. “We were proactive in collaborating with other universities and industry partners to advance national priorities like cancer research, artificial intelligence tech and homeland security.”

In fact, 31 faculty members each recorded more than half a million dollars in research expenditures in Fiscal Year 2025.

Quantum info, hypersonic flight rise to top

In the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, assistant professor Christos Gagatsos and professor Bane Vasic received two federal grants to advance novel areas in quantum information. The U.S. Army Research Office awarded Gagatsos $1.4 million to investigate quantum error correction in magnetic field sensing. And the National Science Foundation awarded Vasic $600,000 to stabilize quantum computing with error correction codes. Effective error correction in quantum computing could revolutionize fields ranging from machine learning, data storage and cybersecurity to medical treatments and agriculture.  

A team led by Sammy Tin, the Patrick R. Taylor Endowed Department Leadership Chair of Materials Science and Engineering, won two U.S. Army grants totaling $8.1 million to speed defense manufacturing for hypersonic vehicles. The Mach-X team makes critical parts for vehicles that fly more than five times the speed of sound.

“It's been an interesting year, it speaks to the resilience of the College of Engineering community here that you've been able to achieve these goals,” said Sangita Judge, vice president of research operations in the Office of Research and Partnerships.

Young faculty are major contributors to success

Faculty members joining the college in the last three years accounted for $11.6 million, about 20%, of the year’s research expenditures.

“Our new faculty have made strong contributions, exceeding initial projections and increasing their research activity faster than anticipated,” Van Dyke said.

Among them are Shang Song, Frank L. and Daphna Lederman Professor and assistant professor in biomedical engineering, and assistant professor Marat Latypov, who joined materials science and engineering in 2021. Song won a $2.32 million, five-year NIH Director's New Innovator Award to develop a bioimplant that treats spinal cord damage. And Latypov received a $580,000 NSF CAREER award to improve the performance of recycled aluminum alloys.

Centers, partnerships expand funding

Multiyear government-funded centers were also major contributors to the six-year high.

The Arizona Transportation Institute, led by Yao-Jan Wu, professor in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Mechanics, collaborated with Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University engineers to improve the state’s roadways. The Institute received a $6.5 million funding commitment from the Arizona Department of Transportation.

MSE professor Pierre Deymier led the New Frontiers of Sound Science and Technology Center, which launched with a five-year, $30 million NSF grant. Topological acoustics researchers from partner institutions are investigating applications in telecommunications, quantum computing and sensing.

Andrea Achilli, associate professor of chemical and environmental engineering, led the university’s work in a four-year, $38 million U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center-funded Water Reuse Consortium – which includes the University of Southern California and the University of Nevada, Reno. The U of A’s $10 million portion supports development of smart treatment systems, sustainable brine management technologies, and improved virus detection.

“We couldn’t achieve our goals without the collaboration and dedication of every staff and faculty member in the college,” said Hahn.