National Science Foundation Confirms Record Research Growth at LSU
Last week, the National Science Foundation confirmed LSU’s record research expenditures of $488 million in fiscal year 2023. This historic growth of 14% compared to 2022 was previously announced by LSU and represents top performance alongside research university peers such as the University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee. The growth reflects increased research activity across the LSU Family—especially on the flagship campus and at LSU Health New Orleans and LSU Health Shreveport.
The national ranking of LSU’s five research campuses—the flagship in Baton Rouge, the LSU AgCenter, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and the two LSU Health campuses—increased from 71 to 69, a rise moderated by the average growth of U.S. research universities around 11%.
Compared to its peers, LSU is a leader in win-win partnerships with state and local government with strong and continued investment in research. LSU research adds an estimated $1.3 billion to the Louisiana economy each year. The numbers that were just confirmed by the National Science Foundation recognize LSU as especially strong in federally grant-funded research in life sciences, geosciences, math and statistics, and computer and information sciences. These strengths align with the data-driven research priorities of the LSU Scholarship First Agenda to create new solutions for agriculture, biomedicine, coast, defense, and energy.
“This NSF report confirms our focus on research growth to meet the needs of the state as well as our dedication to LSU’s Scholarship First Agenda,” said Robert Twilley, LSU vice president of research and economic development. “The significant increase in federal grants to LSU and Louisiana represents growing investment in our competitiveness and capacity to solve problems for the state and nation.”
Read the full NSF report: https://ncses.nsf.gov/surveys/higher-education-research-development/2023
Latest LSU News
- Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman Honored with E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for NutritionThe American Society for Nutrition and the ASN Foundation have honored Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s Dr. Leanne Redman with the 2025 E.V. McCollum Award – given to a clinical investigator who is perceived as a major creative force, actively generating new concepts in nutrition.
- LSU and LSU of Alexandria Among Niche’s Best Colleges in Louisiana for 2025LSU and LSU of Alexandria have secured two of the top four spots in Niche’s Best Colleges in Louisiana for 2025. These rankings reflect both universities’ commitment to academic excellence, student success, and their profound impact on the state.
- LSU and Ochsner Health Expand Partnership, Leadership in Dementia CareLouisiana ranks fifth in the nation for Alzheimer’s disease, which mostly impacts older adults and is among the leading causes of death. But thanks to a growing partnership between LSU and Ochsner Health, dementia care is improving.
- LSU Reached New Heights in 2024; Revisit Our Top Research WinsIn 2024, LSU solidified its position as a global leader in research, innovation, and impact. From securing a record-breaking $160 million NSF grant for energy transformation through the FUEL initiative to groundbreaking advancements in AI-powered nuclear security, LSU's achievements are transforming industries and improving lives.
- LSU Professors Join Historic Effort to Drill Earth's Mantle and Retrieve Rare Deep-Earth SamplesA groundbreaking international expedition successfully drilled into the Earth's mantle in the Tyrrhenian Sea, recovering unique rock samples that challenge existing knowledge of the mantle's composition.
- LSU Health Match Day Success: 50% of Graduates Stay in Louisiana for ResidencyHalf of all medical students graduating from LSU Health Shreveport and LSU Health New Orleans will remain in Louisiana to complete their residency training, according to the results of the 2025 National Resident Matching Program.
