Texas State University's Run to R1

The Run to R1 Explained

Texas State University is a national research university on the path to achieve the R1 Carnegie classification. The process will include earning access to the state’s National Research University Fund. Learn more about our Run to R1 and the global impact of our research enterprise.

Presidential Commission Launched

Run to R1 Town Hall Recap

WATCH THE VIDEO: President Kelly Damphousse interviewed Texas State's Chief Research Officer Dr. Shreek Mandayam about the university's Run to R1 and what it means for students, faculty, staff and the region. They spoke in one of many innovative research sites on TXST campuses, a lab where faculty develop biosensors for rapid diagnostic testing, improving the detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases.

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WHAT IS THE R1 GOAL?

Texas State University has earned the Carnegie classification of “Doctoral University: High Research Activity,” or R2. The NEXT goal is to achieve the designation of “Very High Research Activity” – a category known as Research-1, R1. Our Run to R1 includes an important checkpoint along the way - earning access to the state’s National Research University Fund, or NRUF, which is a fund set aside by the Texas Legislature to encourage universities to become engines of innovation and economic development by investing in research.

LAUNCHED A PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION

President Kelly Damphousse launched a Presidential Commission on the Run to R1 to accelerate our progress and to get us there as quickly as possible. This commission will conduct benchmarking and data analysis, inform our strategic plan, make policy recommendations, and map out an aggressive timeline for our goal of becoming an R1 university. Review the charge for the commission, member list, and projected timeline.

"Now is the time to remove the IF qualifier from our discussions about R1, and replace it with WHEN. It will not be easy, but we have never been about doing only what is easy."

President Kelly Damphousse

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What is our Impact?

Texas State is in the top 20% of research universities nationwide, leading world class research in state of the art facilities that span disciplines.

Why Run to R1?

We strive to enrich the student experience, recruit the world's top scholars, solve societal challenges and accelerate our economic impact.

Presidential Commission

Review the commission's charge, members, guidance from President Kelly Damphousse, and a projected timeline on next steps.

HOW WILL WE REACH R1?

To grow our research enterprise, Texas State will explore several strategies:

Build and leverage existing research strengths and centers of excellence in scholarly activities
Increase the number of ambitious, nationally-competitive research proposals submitted to funding agencies and prospective research partners
Expand existing research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students
Further develop and capitalize on the university’s intellectual property
Expand existing Ph.D. programs and launch new ones that meet demand and align with existing academic and scholarly strengths

World-class research and scholarly activities at Texas State University create new knowledge and promote economic, cultural, and technological advancement to address real-world issues. Texas State is committed to research that advances economic resilience and community sustainability at the state and national level, and through economic development efforts across the Texas Innovation Corridor.

Top areas of research impact include: STEM education, materials and infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and public health and public safety. These are some of the university's greatest centers of excellence where we are addressing societal challenges. We also have a myriad of additional research specialties that are growing, funded by government and industry partners. Texas State’s research portfolio has grown significantly in both STEM and non-STEM research and development expenditures. One of the hallmarks of the TXST research enterprise is a thriving culture of scholarly activities and creative expression in the humanities and social sciences.

POINTS OF PRIDE

TXST is home to high-quality faculty engaged in cutting edge research. Our nationally-renowned faculty have included:

A winner of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists & Engineers  (PECASE)
Five Guggenheim Fellows 
18 National Science Foundation CAREER award winners 
Three National Endowment for the Humanities awardees  
Two American Council of Learned Societies Fellows 
More than 40 Fulbright Scholars & Specialists
11 Grammy winners

RUN TO R1 ACHIEVEMENTS

In the last decade, total R&D nearly tripled, from $37 million in 2012 to a projected $100 million in 2022.
TXST’s endowment nearly tripled, increasing from $127 million to more than $340 million.
The university libraries were reinvented to be among the 125 best in the nation, earning membership in the prestigious Association of Research Libraries.
The academic rigor of TXST students is on the rise. The record-breaking fall 2022 freshman class included a 17% increase in the number of freshmen from the top quartile of their high school.