Research

Oregon’s Research University

We fuel a thriving world. Our research and innovation drives economic, workforce and community development in Oregon, across the U.S. and beyond. We’re focused on big discoveries that drive big solutions.

2023 Research Annual Report
 

Our Impact by the Numbers

Most innovative university
1 of 3

land, sea, space, and sun grant universities in the U.S.

$480 million

in total research awards (FY23)

More NSF research funding

than all other universities in Oregon combined (FY23)

>1,950 research proposals

submitted on average per year

73

Fulbright Fellows

36% of research awards

are >$5 million (not including RCRV and PacWave)

More than 100

companies launched since 2013 through OSU innovation and entrepreneurship programs

A person holding a small drone with propellers

We're Problem-Solvers

We lead the way with practical, problem-solving research that improves health and well-being, conserves natural resources and generates economic growth and social progress to make a better future for all.

Our researchers are top-ranked in their fields, hold leadership positions in national and international professional organizations, have earned prestigious honors and gained global reputations for their work.


We're Innovators

The Oregon State University Advantage connects research to real-world applications, and its Innovation Impact Program helps turn research discoveries into new products, services, businesses and investments. Since 2013, OSU innovation and entrepreneurship programs have helped launch more than 100 companies — creating hundreds of jobs, generating millions of dollars in revenue and attracting multimillion-dollar investments.

two people collaborating on a computer

Agilent Technologies Inc. has acquired e-MSion, founded in 2015 by Oregon State scientists who developed the ExD cell. This innovative electron capture dissociation technology for mass spectrometry can help life science researchers more comprehensively characterize molecules of interest, accelerating the development of biopharma products to treat disease. 

Two people in lab coats and gloves working on a machine in a research laboratory

Oregon State’s Advantage Accelerator has launched Moxie, a customized innovation and entrepreneurship program designed for women innovators. Moxie, defined as a blend of determination, courage and persistence, includes three phases — EducateEngage and Execute — where participants develop skills to take their research to market.

robot picking up yellow bins in a warehouse

Agility Robotics, creator of the groundbreaking bipedal robot Digit, is opening the world’s first large-scale factory for humanoid robots. Located in Salem, Oregon, the RoboFab will employ up to 500 workers with capacity to produce more than 10,000 robots annually. Digit is designed to work alongside people in logistics and warehouse applications, augmenting the productivity, efficiency and wellness of the human workforce. 

rending of a brick building with large windows surrounded by streets and other buildings

We’re Collaborators

We work in transdisciplinary teams across the sciences, engineering, social sciences, arts and humanities, making big discoveries that drive big solutions. And we’re building state-of-the-art facilities that fuel collaboration.

A massive ship rests at the dock, gently floating on the water's surface

We're Going Big

Oregon State University is leading the design and construction of the next class of ocean-going research vessels for the National Science Foundation. These Regional Class Research Vessels (RCRVs) will provide scientists with valuable new tools to study critical issues along U.S. coasts.

We're Making an Impact

Yellow autonomous underwater vehicles deployed in the ocean, diagram

With $5.3 million in funding from the Office of Naval Research, Oregon State researchers are working to improve the intelligence and functionality of autonomous underwater vehicles. UAVs have multiple applications in underwater construction, marine exploration, ship maintenance and support for wave energy systems.

Wind turbines and a building in a desert landscape

Renewable power sources like wind and solar need large-scale battery arrays to store generated energy and supply the electric grid. Oregon State researchers have developed a new electrolyte for zinc metal batteries that increases their charging efficiency exponentially — making them a safe, efficient, economical and sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

A person in an orange vest holding a potato

Through a $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oregon State is collaborating with potato farmers and Native American Tribes to test rotation crops, reduced tillage seedings and other climate-resilient practices. Such techniques could enhance soil health and reduce the carbon footprint of the Pacific Northwest’s $2.2 billion potato industry.