NORFOLK, Va. - Old Dominion University earned the Research 1 Classification from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, indicating "very high research activity" and placing it among the highest level of research institutions in the nation.
Only 137 four-year research institutions have received the R1 classification, according to a release from ODU. The university was previously ranked as a Research 2 institution, indicating "high research activity."
The Research 1 designation represents a key step in recruiting high-quality faculty and students, obtaining prestigious and larger research grants, and attracting industry and government agency partners.
“This is a significant milestone for our campus community and a historic moment in our research efforts,” said President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. “ODU is truly honored to join the elite ranks of the nation’s top-producing research institutions, which comprise less than 5% of all institutions. Our faculty are so deserving of this prestigious honor and the limitless opportunities and well-deserved recognition that come with it!”
According to ODU, over the past 10 years, the number of scientific publications from ODU faculty has doubled. In the past five years, external funding for research projects has tripled.
ODU has nationally known research strengths in coastal resilience, modeling and simulation, bioelectrics, port logistics and maritime engineering and cybersecurity. The school is also a key academic partner for the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab), NASA Langley Research Center, NASA Wallops Flight Facility, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Defense, among other agencies.
The classification will become official at the end of January 2022.
