Initial USTAR funding allowed Utah's Research Universities to recruit exceptional faculty with a productive career history that included successful federally funded innovative research and a history of commercializable inventions.
USTAR continues to support these researchers but also provides support through infrastructure, programs, initiatives and personnel to accelerate commercialization.
During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $0 from all sources for Utah State University. This is a 0 percent change from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources.
At Utah State University, three areas of innovation consist of 6 different research teams and one joint team with the University of Utah. They break down as follows:
BioInnovations
- Center for Human Nutrition Studies (formerly CAN)
- Synthetic Bio-manufacturing Institute (SBI)
- Veterinary Diagnostics and Infectious Disease (VDID)
- Arrhythmia Joint Venture (Joint with the U of U and USU)
Energy Innovations
- USTAR Advance Transportation Institute (UATI)
Earth and Space Innovations
- Space Weather Center
- Advanced Weather Systems Foundation (STORM project)
The largest portion of research team expenditures goes to salaries and benefits. The Utah State Research Foundation (USURF I.O.T.), current expenses, and capital outlay also make up a large portion of funding. In FY 2013, The $13.5 million appropriation to USU research teams breaks down as follows:
BioInnovations
Center for Human Nutrition Studies (formerly CAN): $230,000
Synthetic Bio-Manufacturing Institute (SBI): $4,051,000
Veterinary Diagnostics and Infectious Disease (VDID): $2,209,200
Arrhythmia Joint Venture (Joint with U of U and USU): $800,000
Energy Innovations
Intuitive Buildings (I2B): $290,000
Energy Initiative: $1,529,300
USTAR Advance Transportation Institute (UATI): $1,710,000
Energy Innovations
Space Weather Center: $345,400
Advanced Weather Systems Foundation (STORM project): $900,000
Active Sensing: $200,000
Research team expenditures at USU totaled $12,874,900 for FY 2013. The other $638,200 was spent on O&M costs of $309,800, Salary obligations of $228,400, and Experimental Program to Stimulation Competitive Research (EPSCOR) of approximately $100,000.
COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.