Research and Innovation

As part of our goal of becoming one of the nation’s most impactful research universities, UTA is identifying paths to enhance our research capacity, become stronger collaborators in regional economic development, and take on more of the great challenges facing our society.

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Our Research

The University’s research portfolio saw significant growth over the past decade, with expenditures reaching $122 million in 2022. Faculty work in state-of-the-art facilities to make important breakthroughs in areas such as sustainable infrastructure, healthy aging, high-energy physics, cardiovascular disease, machine-learning systems, and more. By providing exceptional educational opportunities and addressing important societal challenges, UT Arlington enhances the quality of life in Texas and beyond.

122

total research expenditure in FY22

61.5

federal research

R-1

high research activity

Strategic Research Areas

UTA's strategic plan, with its five broad research themes, sets a path to unprecedented excellence in research, teaching, and community engagement. We are connecting the themes by embracing innovation across disciplines.

Health and the Human Condition

UTA focuses on health and the human condition through an understanding of complex interactions. We explore health management within physical, mental, emotional, and social contexts. Health innovations will be distinguished by diagnostic, prognostic, and technological advancements. We will explore the effects of transformations in cultural expression, social networks, and the material world on the human condition. Together the focus will help people live healthier and happier lives.

Sustainable Communities

UTA fosters interrelationships between natural, built, economic, cultural, and social environments on community sustainability and works with community partners to implement ideas to improve livability of cities, the metroplex, the state, and beyond. Learning from the past and present to ensure a sustainable future, UTA will understand and interpret demographic change and the broad spectrum of human capital. We will strengthen inter-connectedness between individuals and the community by fostering an appreciation for the varieties of human experience, and through the creation of a vibrant creative and cultural ethos.

Culture & Societal Transformations

UTA encourages the open-ended exploration of the complex interactions that constitute the diversity of human experience: cultural and artistic expressions, social environment, and the physical world.

Data-Driven Discovery

UTA focuses on research that integrates big data from multiple fields and develops data analytics and science that explore data from a wide variety of sources. We use data to discover and share new knowledge, as well as enhance current knowledge.

Global Environmental Impact

UTA addresses critical issues that affect our planet, including climate change, energy, water, disasters, and pollution. By analyzing global population dynamics, we will develop an understanding of our world—and solutions for its problems—through avenues ranging from environmental economics to history.

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Our Focus

UTA is charting a path to becoming one of the nation’s most impactful research universities. We are exploring many avenues along the way, including growing our research expenditures, increasing the number of doctoral students we graduate, and supporting our faculty members in achieving national recognition for their accomplishments.

We’re intent on building upon existing strengths as well as on exploring new partnerships at the local, state, and federal levels in order to advance the scope and impact of our research.

Current Projects

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RISE 100: Recruiting Innovative Scholars for Excellence

to amplify our research success and position UTA to be recognized as a leader in key areas of research.
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APLU Innovation & Economic Prosperity designation

Initiated steps to achieve APLU Innovation & Economic Prosperity designation.
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Enhancing institutional capacity

for receipt of Title III, Title V, and Title VII Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) grant opportunities.
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Developing plans

for investing in building further research capacity.
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Engaging regional economic development agencies

to strengthen UTA’s role in supporting and growing the region’s economy.

Next Steps

We’ve received valuable feedback from our community over the past 18 months and are reviewing input from focus group sessions, feedback forms, and committee retreats that our Strategic Planning Committee will use to develop our goals, priorities, and measures of success for UTA 2030, our new strategic plan set to launch in spring 2024.