Growing (Inter)disciplinary Research Excellence

Our Vision

Penn State is a global leader in research and discovery, a beacon of intellectual curiosity where groundbreaking ideas are born and transformative solutions are developed. We will leverage the unparalleled breadth and depth of our expertise to tackle the most pressing challenges facing our world. Our faculty, students, and staff will be at the forefront of this intellectual pursuit, pushing the boundaries of knowledge in every field and positively impacting society. 

We will foster an interdisciplinary innovation ecosystem, where bold ideas are nurtured, cutting-edge research is celebrated, and groundbreaking discoveries translate into real-world impact. By attracting and retaining a diverse community of brilliant minds, investing in state-of-the-art research infrastructure, and fostering a culture of unwavering curiosity and collaborative spirit, Penn State will be a national and global leader in advancing knowledge for the benefit of all humankind.

Our Goal

Penn State will leverage the breadth and depth of its scholarship and expertise to tackle the most pressing challenges facing the commonwealth, nation, and world.

Objectives and Measures

To help us to expand the impact of our research, we will concentrate our efforts and resources on the following objectives (what we want to achieve) and measures (how we will evaluate success) to drive impactful change.

Measures in our Strategic Plan are meant to show progress and effectiveness towards achieving the objectives set forth in the plan. Measures may be updated or modified during the life of the plan to appropriately support data-informed decision making or to reflect changes in strategic objectives.

Objective 1: Grow research that positively impacts lives in the commonwealth, the nation, and the world.

How we will measure success:

Research and Scholarly Impact 

Top-cited papers and books 
Measures of interdisciplinarity such as co-authors and graduate student committees from various disciplines/colleges  
Creative practice and scholarship 
Licensing revenue and other tech transfer outcomes 
Number of licenses executed 
Industry partnerships, industry-sponsored research expenditures, and consulting activities 
Number and value of grants 
External recognition, utilization, and dissemination of faculty research and expertise

Community Engagement and Impact 

Initiation and participation from Penn State in projects and initiatives with direct community benefits
Stakeholder partnerships and engagement in participatory research 
Community trust level in Penn State research 
Research teams and/projects that include Cooperative Extension 
Initiation and participation in projects with community benefits across disciplines and units

Academic Leadership and Service 

Participation on review panels, editorial boards, and serving in academic and professional organization leadership roles 
Participation on policy committees and influence on public policy 
Number of international collaborations (measured by international co-authors, serving on international organization boards, leading research groups, curating international exhibitions/shows/performances)

Student Achievements 

Student accomplishments, such as undergraduate research, competitions, performances, and the number and completion times of advanced degrees awarded 
Graduate student accomplishments, including graduate research, dissemination of student scholarly activities (such as performances and publications from theses), number and completion times of advanced degrees awarded

Objective 2: Become a top 15 research university.

How we will measure success:

Research Productivity and Impact

Research expenditures
Citation number and impact / Eigenfactor / h-index
High-value, multiple principal investigator grants, including those with investigators from multiple disciplines/colleges
Number of research graduate degrees awarded
Scholarly impact measures such as engaged scholarship, professional service, contributions to the arts and humanities

Recognition and Reputation

Prestigious fellowships, awards, and other academic and professional honors (ex: National Academy Scholars)
Disciplinary reputational rankings
Number of faculty discipline-related awards

Graduate and Post-Graduate Student Success

Placement of graduate students post-graduation
Rate of graduate students who accept offers to come to Penn State

Faculty and Post-doc Success

Rate of post-docs and faculty who accept offers to come to Penn State
Rate and time of Penn State faculty progression
Post-doc placement after Penn State