The USTAR Governing Authority is to allocate funds to Utah State University and the University of Utah to fund science and technology research by USTAR professors. The researchers and the research focus areas are to:
- Build on existing university strengths;
- Create commercialization opportunities;
- Target strategic markets;
- Leverage Utah industry strengths.
During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $0 from all sources for USTAR Research Teams. This is a 0 percent change from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources.
To date, the two research universities have 18 active teams - 11 at the University of Utah, and 7 at Utah State University. The areas of expertise are:
University of Utah.
- Nano Technology
- Medical Imaging Technology and Brain Medicine
- BioDevice and BioPharma
- Energy Technology
- Digital Media
Utah State University.
- BioInnovations
- Energy Innovations
- Earth and Space Innovations
Greater detail about these areas of expertise and university research teams is available under each university's respective program section of this compendium of budget information.
During the 2013 General Session, the Legislature created the USTAR Research Teams line item and two new programs, titled after the two participating research universities. Historically, funding has been split 60/40 with 60 percent of research team funds distributed to the University of Utah and 40 percent distributed to Utah State University.
The creation of this new line item facilitates the reporting of more specific details of research team expenditures. To this point expenditure detail has been reported as pass-through funding to the universities.
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.