Purdue University Northwest earns national Carnegie Research University designation

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) researchers have earned over $70 million in research and development funds since 2021, a major achievement that has helped the university earn the Research Colleges and Universities designation from the American Council for Education (ACE) and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Carnegie Foundation).

PNW is the only university or college located in Northwest Indiana to earn this designation, reflecting the university’s expanding research initiatives that positively impact regional growth and quality of life. ACE and the Carnegie Foundation’s Research and Colleges University designation was introduced in 2025 to recognize higher education institutions that do not primarily grant research doctoral degrees (Doctor of Philosophy, or Ph.D.) and have notable research expenditures annually totaling $2.5 million or greater.

PNW recorded approximately $9.5 million in research and development expenditures in fiscal year 2024, the most recent period for which data is available from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey. Among public institutions in Indiana, PNW ranked fifth in expenditures and was top among regional campuses from any state system.

“Purdue University Northwest is proud to be nationally recognized among Research Colleges and Universities as a reflection of the impactful scholarship produced by our faculty, staff and students,” said PNW Chancellor Kenneth C. Holford. “This is another positive affirmation of the transformational work our institution is doing to address key questions, challenges and solutions to support quality of life and our region’s economic development. Furthermore, the major sponsored research awards that PNW receives open unparalleled opportunities for our students to put their learning into action, make meaningful contributions to their investigations and earn a competitive advantage in their professional careers.”

Sponsored research funding comes from a variety of public and private sources that support important investigations led by PNW faculty, staff and students. The overarching focus of PNW’s academic research is applied in nature, meaning research questions are aimed at producing new knowledge that informs practical actions, processes and solutions for regional communities and beyond.

The regional impact of PNW’s sponsored research initiatives includes, but is not limited to, millions in savings for steel manufacturers and energy producers’ processes; cybersecurity workforce training and development that upskill workers’ cyber defense knowledge; and outreach through health care agencies that improves best practices for physical and mental health. PNW’s applied research initiatives are included in the nearly $746 million local impact generated by the university’s activities, according to a third-party study.

“A core part of PNW’s student-centric mission is to open doors for our students to engage in impactful research that translates their academic learning into hands-on, real-world experience and develops innovative, critical thinking skills, which are in high demand by employers,” said Marie T. Mora, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at PNW. “We are committed to providing our students with a strong education environment where they are mentored by faculty member experts and have enhanced learning opportunities to transform into tomorrow’s change agents and leaders.”

At PNW, researchers’ investigations have yielded expanded knowledge in multiple disciplines, from high energy physics and the material origins of the universe to cyber defense. PNW research initiatives have also earned federal patents for technologies such as therapeutics to treat breast cancer, clean energy converted from food waste, treatment of “forever chemicals” in wastewater, artificial intelligence-powered gunshot detection, and more.

PNW is home to 15 research and specialty centers leading various applied research and community outreach initiatives. PNW is affirmed by the Higher Learning Commission, the institution’s accreditor, as a doctoral-granting institution. The university offers three applied doctoral degrees that develop advanced practitioners and professionals in areas including nursing, technology and psychology. PNW is also one of three institutions in Indiana designated by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University for its innovative collaboration with public and private sector partners.

To learn more about PNW’s research outcomes, opportunities and partnerships, visit pnw.edu/research.

About Purdue University Northwest

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is a student-centered university that transforms lives through innovative education, impactful research and community engagement. Located in Northwest Indiana, near Chicago, PNW is recognized as a First Gen Forward Network Leader and an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University. PNW advances the socioeconomic mobility of its students and positively impacts regional development. For more information, visit pnw.edu.