Contact: Jim Laird

STARKVILLE, Miss.--A new report from the National Science Foundation again finds Mississippi State ranked among the nation’s top 100 research institutions and the Magnolia State’s leading research university.

The recently released NSF Higher Education Research and Development Survey for Fiscal Year 2014 places the university at 98th overall among public and private institutions in the country, based on $209.7 million in total research and development expenditures. It is ranked 62nd among non-medical school institutions.

MSU research accounts for more than half the total $410.5 million expenditures reported by all Mississippi institutions, the survey found.

“Research at Mississippi State is an important economic development success story,” said David Shaw, vice president for research and economic development.

“Our faculty, staff and students engaged in world-class research are solving problems, developing new technologies, and creating opportunities that benefit our state and nation,” he said.

The survey is the primary source of information about research and development expenditures at U.S. colleges and universities, according to the NSF.

The latest report also lists the 137-year-old land-grant institution at No. 8 in the nation for research and development expenditures in agricultural sciences among public and private institutions.  MSU has ranked among the Top 10 in this category for 17 consecutive years, spending $99 million in agriculture-related research in FY 2014.

Other inclusions in the NSF survey included:

--Two Bagley College of Engineering disciplines were rated in the Top 50 for R&D expenditures, including aerospace and astronautical at No. 36 and mechanical at No. 27.

--MSU was ranked No. 22 in the social sciences.

--Though frequently recognized for science, engineering and agriculture, MSU also was rated as a top 50 institution for the humanities.

The complete NSF report may be read at http://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2014.

In addition to its high NSF status, Mississippi State holds the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching designation as a “Very High Research Activity University” -- the highest level of research activity for doctoral-granting universities. MSU remains the only Mississippi institution of higher learning with that Carnegie Foundation distinction.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.