The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act recently awarded Penn more than $30 million to fund over 100 scientific research projects from various programs spanning the University's 12 schools, including the Schools of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Arts and Sciences and Engineering and Applied Sciences.
With $21.5 billion awarded so far, ARRA has delivered the largest increase in basic funding in the history of federally funded scientific research. $3.5 billion of the funds are specifically dedicated to research-related facilities and equipment.
Projects included in this first round of stimulus-funded research will cover topics in public education, neurodegenerative diseases, tobacco's impact on health and haptography - the science of capturing and recreating the feel of real surfaces.
"The University of Pennsylvania is a world-class research university and health-care system and the fifth largest employer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the stimulus funding Penn receives makes a significant, positive contribution to the regional economy," associate vice president of Penn's Office of Federal Affairs Bill Andresen said in a press release.
Penn had more than $750 million in total research awards in 2008.
Faculty await potential awards of over $550 million total from about 850 grant applications to institutions such as the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation.
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