Additionally, in 2006 the University of Memphis became one of only 62 colleges and universities in the nation and two in Tennessee to be designated with Carnegie’s new classification of Community Engaged. There are now nine universities in Tennessee with this designation. There are three levels of classification, with the U of M’s designation for “Curricular Engagement and Outreach Partnerships” being the highest level in the classification system. Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered by an act of Congress in 1906, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is an independent policy and research center, whose primary activities of research and writing have resulted in published reports on every level of education. Influential achievements include development of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA), publication of the Flexner Report on medical education, creation of the Carnegie Unit, the founding of Education Testing Service and the establishment of the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The Carnegie Foundation was also a leader in the effort to provide federal aid for higher education in the form of Pell Grants, which assist low- and middle-income students. RECENT RESEARCH ACTIVITY During fiscal years 2011 through 2013, the University of Memphis was awarded $152.4 million in external research support. Fueled by strong multidisciplinary research programs in bioscience, hazards, learning technologies, transportation, K-12 education and public health, as well as niche specialties in sensor technology, economic research and student development in STEM, the University has more than doubled its annual research support since 2000. Combined, these areas accounted for $112 million, or 74 percent, of the University’s total externally supported research from 2011-2013. Multi-Disciplinary Research Focus Areas By their nature, multi-disciplinary focus areas involve a wide range of faculty applying multiple approaches to resolve big questions. The following six areas of multi-disciplinary research focus accounted for $95.2 million, or 62.5 percent of the U of M’s externally supported research activity during the past three years. BIOSCIENCE 3-year funding total: $15.6 million Bioscience research at the University of Memphis leverages strong connections to the region’s medical device manufacturers, as well as partnerships with UTHSC physician investigators and health care providers. This broad area includes emphases on implant technology, tissue engineering, bone regeneration, neuroscience, bio and nano materials science, bioimaging, genomics, computational chemistry and biomechanical modeling of human systems. In addition, this area leads the University’s recent efforts in commercialization and technology transfer. Programs and Partners Involved: Biomedical, Electrical and Computer, and Mechanical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Neuropsychology, Health and Sport Sciences, and Bioinformatics; partners from the region’s medical device industry, Memphis BioWorks; UTHSC physician researchers; Southern College of Optometry; and Mayo Clinic. Also, Medtronic, Wright Medical, Spine Wave, Zimmer, Stryker, Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation, Abbott Labs, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, General Electric Company, and the Memphis Research Consortium. HAZARDS 3-year funding total: $17.7 million With strong leadership in its Center for Earthquake Research and Information, the University of Memphis has become nationally known for its expertise in modeling, predicting and mitigating earthquake-related risks. Recently this focus has expanded to include investigations related to a broader range of natural and man-made disasters, including ground water and drinking water supplies, with activities supported by a strong and growing geographic information system infrastructure.
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