From left: Kevin D. Houston, NMSU chemistry and biochemistry professor is in the lab with Jakob Plante, an NMSU graduate student. (Photo by Chantel Ibarra

By Adriana Chavez and Minerva Baumann 

With New Mexico State University on track to become an R1-designated research institution in 2025, the university is also well ahead of its research expenditure goal.

Preliminary numbers collected for the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey indicate that in 2024, NMSU has had $141 million in research expenditures, or funds spent to conduct research. The largest increase in expenditures were seen in biological and biomedical sciences.

“Behind this exciting HERD number are talented, hard-working, creativity faculty, students and staff who have overperformed on a key performance indicator in our LEADS 2025 Strategic Plan,” said Luis Cifuentes, NMSU vice president of research, creativity and economic development.

Notable expenditure increases were also seen in chemistry and biochemistry, Extension animal resources and NMSU’s Research Cores Program, which supports key research resources to improve sustainability and access for researchers at the university.

Since 2020, NMSU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences has welcomed eight new tenure-track faculty members to replace retired faculty. 

“Embracing a fresh approach to rebuilding, we have eliminated the interdepartmental division structure to foster a collaborative, family-friendly community,” said Shelly Lusetti, chemistry and biochemistry professor and department head. “This strategic shift has enabled us to attract dynamic, accomplished scientists who share our values and uphold our department’s commitment to excellence in education and research. Both new and more senior faculty continue to prioritize research outcomes such as publications and presentations which has increased their competitiveness for external grant awards.”

Five other departments in the College of Arts and Sciences also realized substantial increases in research expenditures for Fiscal Year 2024. Computer science, geology, government, math, and physics showed increases between 41% and 200%, based on a Streamlyne report of restricted expenditures. Department heads attribute the progress to both new and tenured faculty. 

Frank Ramos, geology professor is a senior principal investigator on a $4.8 million grant from the Department of Energy for workforce training at the National Laboratories. The multidisciplinary grant involves several NMSU departments.

Geology department head Eric Ferre attributes Ramos success to his scientific reputation in isotope geochemistry and radiogenic geochronology and his extensive network in National Laboratories, partly through his former students.

Son Tran, computer science professor and department head, credits his faculty but also points to the university’s growing visibility in research among the minority serving institution higher education community, which has led to other institutions inviting NMSU to join more research proposals.

Government professor and department head Neil Harvey attributes the increase not only to newly hired faculty but to the increasing importance of global issues. “Our tenured and newly hired faculty have been successful in applying for national grants alone or in collaboration with other universities on issues concerning energy and environmental policy, migration, and international relations”

Mathematics professor and department head John Harding gives kudos to junior faculty in the department who have been very successful in recent years.

Stefan Zollner, physics professor and department head, points to new faculty members whose research has impacted others in the department along with Zollner’s grant to acquire a new instrument.

“NMSU’s growth in research expenditures underscores our commitment to innovation and excellence,” said NMSU interim Provost Lakshmi Reddi. “Our faculty, staff and students are not only meeting benchmarks but also setting new standards for research impact. As we move closer to R1 status, we aim to sustain this momentum, foster collaboration and expand our research across both STEM and non-STEM fields. This achievement highlights the impact of NMSU’s research and creativity.”

Research expenditures at NMSU have grown since experiencing a low in 2018. Should trends continue, NMSU may see research expenditures hit close to $160 million next year.

Cifuentes said NMSU’s current research and development expenditures largely exceed the baseline requirement for R1 institutions. Expenditures, along with other essential former elements of the Carnegie classification formula such as increased post-doctoral fellows and expanded doctoral programs observed since 2018, underscore the health of NMSU’s research and creativity enterprise. 

As the university nears R1 designation, strategic aims are to maintain current research and development expenditures in STEM, increase expenditures in non-STEM areas, continue to add post-doctoral fellow and research scientists, and increase external funding for Ph.D. students, particularly in the humanities and social sciences.