Notable numbers

K-State research funding on the rise

Total extramural funding and support garnered by Kansas State University now exceeds pre-pandemic funding levels and is on the rise. Fiscal years 2020 and 2021 funding included Higher Education Emergency Relief, or HEER, funding distributed pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, known as the CARES Act. FY 2018-FY 2020 support totals also included a substantial in-kind investment made by the Schlumberger Corp. to K-State. Excluding the CARES Act support, the FY 2022 total represents a $29.3 million increase in sponsored research support relative to FY 2021 for a net increase of 27% over the past five years and 41% since FY 2016. In 2022, our researchers obtained 1,276 awards — an 8% increase over FY 2021 and a 43% increase over the past five years. The FY 2022 awards totaled $181,647,775, including a 32% increase in federal funding.

Economic development and technology transfer are significant focus areas, as is growth in the number of our strategic partnerships. K-State Innovation Partners, our technology commercialization, economic development and corporate engagement unit facilitated more than $6.4 million in total licensing revenue in FY 2022 and 24 license agreements.

In FY 2022, K-State played a key role in attracting Scorpion Biological Services Inc. to locate its new $650 million commercial-scale facility in Manhattan, Kansas, after the company considered locations in 23 other states. See page 36 to learn more about Scorpion and its partnerships with K-State.