Oregon Tech has achieved a new ranking: Research Colleges and Universities, a new designation from The American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, recognizing institutions that spend more than $2.5 million on research annually.
Oregon Tech's research activity focuses on projects that address real-world problems. Students don't wait until after graduation to do their part. Faculty members and students partner with businesses and government to benefit industry productivity and, by extension, social mobility and society.
"Oregon Tech's recognition as a Research University reflects our commitment to innovation and applied research that directly benefits industries and communities," said Oregon Tech President Nagi Naganathan. "Our faculty and students collaborate on projects that solve real-world challenges, ensuring that innovation and hands-on project-based learning remain at the core of an Oregon Tech education and research."
Oregon Tech's Office of Sponsored Projects & Grants Administration works with students and faculty to find research opportunities and grants. Notable partners include the Air Force, NASA—Oregon Space Grant Consortium, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Forest Service, the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, the Oregon Department of Human Services, Sky Lakes Medical Center, and more.
In addition to partnership research projects, Oregon Tech's research centers represent the university's educational and civic missions. Distinct in specialty, they each fuse theoretical learning with practical experience to serve the community, locally and globally. These centers are collaborative endeavors with industry partners and serve as hands-on training grounds for university students.
The designation reinforces Oregon Tech's real-world focus, which produces tangible results – a more than 95% placement rate for graduates and average starting salaries of $61,000 annually. Oregon Tech is also pleased to assure a very high return on investment for students and their families – the top 3% in the nation among more than 4,500 colleges and universities and regularly ranked number one among the public universities in the State of Oregon.
To learn more about research projects at Oregon Tech, visit www.oit.edu/research-partnerships/applied-research.
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