The University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) in Detroit has been named a Research University by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education.
The designation, where UDM joins 216 other institutions nationwide (seven in Michigan), identifies research underway at colleges and universities that historically have not been recognized for such activity, including institutions that do not offer many or any doctoral degrees.
In addition, it recognizes institutions that award on average at least $2.5 million to research and development projects.
The new designation is expected to help the university attract more students, highly qualified faculty, and research grants in the coming years.
“Detroit Mercy is pleased to be recognized for the important research conducted by our faculty,” says Donald B. Taylor, president of UDM. “We are thrilled to give so many of our students a chance to engage in research. It gives them exceptional experience that they can take into their careers.”
Taylor says UDM focuses on introducing undergraduate students to research and corporate opportunities that fill critical workforce needs and strengthen the economy overall. In recent years, UDM has engaged in several funded research projects, including:
- $3.79 million from the U.S. Dept. of Energy for students in the School of Architecture and Community Development in partnership with the College of Engineering and Science to improve energy efficiency of 13 nonprofit-owned buildings in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck.
- $2 million from the National Science Foundation to a consortium of universities to build partnerships with businesses across different disciplines of engineering and computer science.
- $1.12 million from the U.S. Department of Defense to establish the Metro Detroit Regional Vehicle Cybersecurity Institute, a regional consortium to enhance the cybersecurity engineering workforce.
- UDM has spent an average of $5 million on grant-funded research projects over the past three years and expects this amount to increase.
To help promote the significance of grant funding and encourage others to pursue research projects, UDM celebrates its student and faculty research every year at its Celebration of Scholarly Achievement and Community Engagement. This year’s event is April 3 from noon to 8:30 p.m. on the McNichols Campus. To learn more, visit here.
 in Detroit has been named a Research University by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education.){kind=link}