Research & Innovation

Research & Innovation

The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading research university committed to the pursuit of knowledge that addresses the important issues of our time, promotes innovation and drives economic development in Nevada.

Addressing grand challenges

Over the past decade, the research enterprise at the University of Nevada, Reno has grown substantially thanks to our commitment to building an inclusive, diverse and collaborative research environment. Research & Innovation is focused on providing faculty, staff and student support that enables the University’s vision of producing impactful discoveries and fostering innovation and commercialization. Learn more about our support for research and innovation through the faculty-focused research hub. The innovation hub is a starting point for the public to utilize the University’s many business-friendly resources.

– Mridul Gautam, Vice President for Research & Innovation

The faculty research hub has tools for conducting research, scholarly and creative activity.

Faculty research hub

To work with the University and utilize research infrastructure and expertise, visit the innovation hub.

Innovation hub
 

Transformational global impact

As an R1 institution, the University of Nevada, Reno is making a difference in Reno-Tahoe, across Nevada and beyond. Our faculty's research is helping reshape what we know about everything from Shakespeare to dryland agriculture and water resources.

Holy Fire captured on Alert Wildfire camera

Seismo Lab's AlertWildfire mountaintop camera network slated for Sonoma County

Helping firefighting efforts
A lake at the base of snowy mountains in the Sierra Nevada range

USDA grants $4.97 million for research evaluating snowpack and water allocation

Is agriculture at risk?
The University's anthropology team standing in a line and gearing up with emergency responders in a parking lot

University anthropology team assists with recovery efforts at Camp Fire

Identifying human remains
Lidar mapped image of East Carson River historic flood area

Revealing our dynamic landscape through new high-resolution topographic data

Novel insights into landscape

Powered by numbers

The University of Nevada, Reno is leveraging research and entrepreneurial activities to prepare skilled workers, develop the next generation of technology leaders and expand economic growth statewide.

R1 Carnegie® institution

Classified among America’s top 130 research universities

Investment in facilities

More than $800 million invested in advanced labs, residence halls and facilities since 2009

R&D expenditures

$145 million for 2018 and up 67 percent since 2013

An asset to Nevada

The University has a statewide economic impact of more than $1.1 billion annually

 

World-class research facilities & infrastructure

The University is home to dozens of state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities and more than 60 research centers that anchor our pioneering work in areas ranging from engineering research to sustainability in Lake Tahoe and the Great Basin region. Learn more about how our industry-leading infrastructure supports our research.

Earthquake engineering
The largest, most versatile large-scale structures earthquake/seismic engineering facility in the U.S.
Pronghorn
High-performance computing contributes to deeper discovery across a range of disciplines.
Institute for Neuroscience
Multi-disciplinary research that drives collaborative approaches to understanding the brain.
Innevation Center
Collaborative space in downtown Reno designed to empower Nevada’s next generation of leaders.
Shared centers and cores
Shared resources offer faculty, scientists, students and industry access to services, training and high-end instrumentation.
Museums and collections
Diverse museums, galleries and attractions are dedicated to furthering the cultural education of Northern Nevada.
ScholarWorks
Digital repository that collects, preserves and distributes intellectual output for preservation and scholarly communication.
Agricultural station
Addressing environmental and natural resource concerns and supporting agricultural industries through research.
 

Student-driven discovery & innovation

Students are critical to our research enterprise. Through collaboration and opportunities, students are exploring and engaging, and helping to foster innovation and drive meaningful discoveries. Find out how we're creating a research-focused, experiential learning environment at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Beyond the classroom walls

Experiential learning is a central theme of education at the University of Nevada, Reno. There are many opportunities for students of all disciplines to expand their college experience and gain an edge in their career field or in the pursuit of a graduate degree. Funded opportunities range from international travel experiences to community-based projects that contribute to solutions for local issues. Around 150 students participate in the Nevada Undergraduate Research Symposium every spring to showcase their work.

Get involved in undergraduate student research

Graduate education redefining exploration

With a full breadth of master's and Ph.D. opportunities and acclaimed faculty and facilities, students will find room to pursue educational and research pursuits in an accommodating environment that places a premium on academic excellence. The Graduate School prepares students for bright futures with support, training and professional development resources.

The Graduate School

Reimagining the Innovation Ecosystem

In today’s globally connected, knowledge-based economy, a key driver of prosperity is the pace of innovation. We are capitalizing on this insight by building out an Innovation Ecosystem. We're facilitating commercialization, regional collaboration and faculty competitiveness in a unique way. It’s connecting the University with industry and entrepreneurs, tangibly contributing to economic development and the creation of jobs, and supporting the creation of student and faculty startup businesses.

$42 million raised by Innevation Center startups
People working at tables in the Innevation Center
70+ companies engaged in the Innovation Ecosystem
Close-up of orange-gloved hands lifting a tray out of a chiller piece of lab equipment
100+ jobs created through the Innovation Ecosystem
Two people working in the Black Rock Press with one holding out a paper sign that says "NEVADA"
6 faculty/student spin-out companies
A person working at an experimental set-up in a hood with protective gloves and a second person observing in the background

A legacy of discovery

Mackay science building

Washoe the Chimp
In a revolutionary experiment raising chimpanzees, Washoe was the first chimp to learn American Sign Language.

Steven Hayes

Psychotherapy development
Relational Frame Theory, an extension to the popular Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, is helping people worldwide deal with life-limiting conditions.

Thomas Kozel facing a research subject in a med school lab

Essential for the World Health Organization
Rapid diagnostics are saving lives from infectious diseases in third-world countries.

Contact Research & Innovation

Phone: (775) 327-2363
Fax: (775) 327-2362
Location: Ross Hall, room 201
Address: 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557-0403
Visit the Research & Innovation contact page

YOUR FUTURE IS POWERED BY KNOWLEDGE℠