hen the University of Memphis achieved Carnegie R1 status in December 2021, the institution accomplished a goal that was more than 50 years in the making.

It was in 1970 when the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) laid out a vision for two flagship public research universities in the state — one to the east and another in the west. The UofM intentionally set out to make that idea a reality in recent years by putting plans in motion to reach Carnegie R1, which signifies the highest level of research activity among U.S. doctoral universities.

Behind a motivated faculty and staff and the leadership of former President M. David Rudd and Executive Vice President of Research and Innovation Jasbir Dhaliwal, the goal was reached with remarkable efficiency. The UofM is among 146 universities currently in the Carnegie ranking’s top tier and one of three to make the jump from R2 to R1 in 2021.

THEC’s half-century-old idea for higher education research in the state has come to fruition. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, more than 380 miles to the UofM’s east, has remained in Carnegie R1 since 1973. Vanderbilt University, a private institution in Nashville, gives Tennessee an R1 university in three different regions of the state.

“This designation is a landmark in that it fulfilled a longtime vision for higher education in our state,” Dhaliwal said. “It happened because we never let that idea go away, and our faculty and staff embraced this challenge with impressive determination. We also must congratulate and extend thanks to Governor Bill Lee, our Tennessee legislators and the University Board of Trustees.

Their support has been, and will continue to be, essential to our research group.”

In 2018, the same year the UofM founded its UMRF Research Park, the University began seeing strong evidence its plan to reach R1 was on track.

The faculty combined to reach $31.86 million in research awards, setting an institution record that has been reset every year since. Most recently in 2021, the UofM set a new high mark by earning $50.23 million in research awards.

Faculty involvement increased significantly over that same period. Approximately 20% of the faculty were responsible for 75% of research proposals in 2018. That rose to 38% in the most recent fiscal year. The UofM has also seen an 80% increase in federal awards over that time and had 144 award-winning principal investigators and 20 academic units securing $1 million or more in 2021.

"Never in my 30 years as a professor have I seen an entire campus mobilize so positively and passionately around a common goal,” Dhaliwal said.

Locally, R1 recognition is a badge of pride for the loyal donors and supporters of the University. They deserve credit for consistently challenging and assisting the UofM in its journey to reach new heights.

The UofM’s national standing improved seemingly overnight. Newly interested corporate and academic partners have emerged from across the state, nation and globe.

A higher number of the most capable research professors and students will consider the University as a viable location to work and study.

Those who come to the UofM will enhance not only the campus but the entire Memphis community with a high-quality labor force.

“Now, we have new partners coming to us,” Dhaliwal said. “In the initial months after we were named R1, I received many calls from corporations, companies, agencies and fellow universities who have a tradition of only working with R1 schools. They now recognize us, and they want to do bigger things with us. It’s a very great time to be at the University of Memphis.”

The potential impact of reaching Carnegie’s top research level is also far-reaching across several areas of the University. One example is athletics, as the designation could assist the University’s push to join a Division I Power Five Conference.

While R1 is not a requirement to be invited, the correlation cannot be disputed. All of the 56 public universities either in or scheduled to join a Power Five are currently Carnegie R1 institutions. The UofM views Power Five inclusion as one of the primary next steps to elevating the University.

“We need to be in a Power Five,” new UofM President Dr. Bill Hardgrave said during his introductory press conference. “Academics, research and athletics, that’s the three legs of your stool. What happens if one leg isn’t as long as the others? It’s not safe to sit on.

“So, we need to be there. I don’t know what that timeline looks like or how long it’s going to take to get there, but we start working toward those goals now.”

While the promotion to R1 has significant advantages, it is not permanent. The rankings are updated every three years. Now that R1 has been reached, the objective shifts to maintaining that status.

Support from the state government has been essential, and the legislature is quickly stepping up to further assist the UofM in its research mission. In February, Governor Bill Lee proposed $50 million for an endowment to maintain and accelerate the UofM’s research activity.

“Recently, the University of Memphis received a Carnegie R1 designation, making it a top-tier school for research,” said Lee in his January State of the State Address. “We will now have what’s known as an R1 institution in each grand division. We are proposing $50 million toward a research endowment to propel work that will make Memphis a global leader in AgriTech, cybersecurity and the digital workforce.”

The University is set to match those funds and create $100 million toward ensuring the institution remains among the very best in research.

The return on investment is expected to far exceed the cost, particularly for workforce development and economic growth in West Tennessee.

This level of financial support, working in step with a highly engaged and capable campus community, proves the University can remain at the cutting edge. The UofM will continue to be an institution that does not just distribute knowledge but constantly creates it.

“Reaching R1 is not the end, but the beginning,” Dhaliwal said. “You are going to hear a lot more from our faculty and University over the next few years.”