Overview

Over the past 10 years, USF has transitioned into a major research institution. Today, USF is one of only 40 public research universities nationwide with very high research activity that is designated as community engaged by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Researchers at the university are advancing the frontiers of medicine, science, engineering and the arts. The university is a leader in the treatment of brain disease, veterans reintegration, sustainability, infectious disease and photovoltaic technologies – using cells to transfer energy from sunlight. The USF Pediatric Epidemiology Center, the data and technology coordinating hub for nearly every major Type 1 diabetes clinical trial worldwide, has become the epicenter for global juvenile diabetes research.

In the 2011-2012 fiscal year, USF broke the $400 million mark for research awards, earning more than $411 million in total awards and contracts. The university ranks tenth worldwide among universities granted U.S. utility patents and is ranked among the top 50 universities in the nation, public or private, for research expenditures.

Undergraduates at the university are encouraged to take advantage of a wide range of research opportunities. The Office for Undergraduate Research provides support to students engaged in undergraduate research and teaches students about the expectations and privileges associated with undergraduate research.

Graduate students have the opportunity to work alongside internationally renowned faculty and researchers in a variety of settings. Together they work to create solutions to society's most pressing problems.

The USF Research Park, located on the Tampa campus, links researchers to businesses in need of research partnerships. The park is home to a network of innovation-based companies, research, government resources and business development tools.

At USF, research is a creative and ongoing collaboration between faculty and student researchers, administrative staff, business and academic partners, and the community. The result is an ever-stronger national research university that opens minds, creates knowledge, brings innovation into the marketplace and changes lives.