Email Print Share

News Release 15-035

Research space at academic institutions increased by 4.7 percent in fiscal 2013

Biological and biomedical sciences constitute largest share of research space

equipment in a lab

College and universities that perform research increased their research space 4.7 percent.


April 9, 2015

This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.

Research-performing colleges and universities increased their science and engineering research space 4.7 percent between fiscal 2011 and fiscal 2013, according to a new report from the NSF National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.

The report details that total research space increased 9.6 million net assignable square feet over this period, from 202.2 million to 211.8 million. The biological and biomedical sciences, along with agricultural and natural resources science, accounted for two-thirds of that total growth.

Biological and biomedical sciences constituted the largest share of research space in fiscal 2013, at 27 percent--just slightly more than they held in 2011.

Net gains in research space for individual fields included the following:

  • Engineering, 5.7 percent
  • Physical sciences, 3.7 percent
  • Health and clinical sciences, 3.5 percent
  • Mathematics and statistics, 13.3 percent

Net research space in the computer and information sciences fields declined by 14 percent over the two-year period.

Public doctorate-granting institutions accounted for 70.9 percent of science and engineering research space in fiscal 2013, with their private counterparts accounting for 24.4 percent.

New construction for science and engineering research space fell by 17.3 percent when comparing projects started in fiscal 2012-2013 with those started in fiscal 2010-2011. The decrease follows a decade-long trend of decline in new construction for research. But the survey also found that academic institutions are more accurately estimating the amount of research space construction they'll start in upcoming years.

Data for the report were gathered from 588 academic institutions through the Survey of Science and Engineering Research Facilities. The survey collects data on the amount, construction, repair, renovation and funding of research facilities.

See more from this report: Research Space at Academic Institutions Increased by 4.7 percent between FY 2011 and FY 2013.

For more information and statistical products, visit NSF's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics.

-NSF-

Media Contacts
Rob Margetta, NSF, (703) 292-8070, email: rmargett@nsf.gov

Program Contacts
Michael T. Gibbons, NSF, (703) 292-4590, email: mgibbons@nsf.gov

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

mail icon Get News Updates by Email 

Connect with us online
NSF website: nsf.gov
NSF News: nsf.gov/news
For News Media: nsf.gov/news/newsroom
Statistics: nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards database: nsf.gov/awardsearch/

Follow us on social
Twitter: twitter.com/NSF
Facebook: facebook.com/US.NSF
Instagram: instagram.com/nsfgov