Dear AU Community:

We have another milestone achievement this week! As we continue to celebrate Kent Baker’s generous and transformative gift to name the School of Education, we are excited to announce that American University has achieved R1 status. This prestigious designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education places AU among the top research universities in the United States. It recognizes our growth and accomplishments in research and scholarship while we continue our deep focus on excellent teaching, experiential education, and student success.

What does R1 status mean? The designation is given to universities that show "very high research activity” and puts AU among the nation’s top-tier research institutions, with only 187 universities in this category. The Carnegie Classification is the nation’s leading framework for categorizing diverse US higher education institutions. This new status will boost AU's reputation and create more opportunities for both faculty and students. With R1 status, AU can:

• Strengthen our research capacity and enhance the university’s ability to make substantial contributions to addressing complex global challenges.
• Attract and retain more distinguished professors and researchers, further elevating the quality of AU’s educational programs and research output.
• Expand student access to enhanced research opportunities, potentially working alongside top-tier faculty on significant projects.

R1 status is a testament to our faculty, staff, and students who produce groundbreaking ideas and translate their research into action through inclusive, interdisciplinary work. There are hundreds of externally sponsored research endeavors across campus, and while we cannot name them all, here is just a sampling of the faculty researchers and notable discoveries and insights that have contributed to our growth and success:

• RECIPES, the $15 million National Science Foundation (NSF) project led by Professor Sauleh Siddiqui to study food waste, established a network of more than 40 researchers and 15 institutions across the food system to advance the science needed to make our wasteful food system sustainable, equitable, and resilient.
• The Translating Research into Action Center (TRAC) is a university-wide initiative launched with a $5.7 million NSF grant. TRAC is strengthening the university’s capacity to leverage pathbreaking research in support of evidence-driven public policy, private and non-profit practices.
• Through the Center for Media and Social Impact, Professor Caty Borum showcases that comedy and activism are inextricably linked.
• The Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), led by Professor Cynthia Miller-Idriss and her colleagues, is shaping the study of radicalization toward violent extremism and the tools to counteract and even prevent it.
• Among the many discoveries in the Department of Neuroscience, Trone Family Eminent Scholar Terry Davidson found that the “Western Diet” is linked to the development of Alzheimer’s Disease and obesity, and Professor Katie Holton is exploring the potential for dietary intervention to help US veterans suffering from Gulf War Syndrome through her $6.3 million award from the Department of Defense.
• The Center for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS) serves as a catalyst for the creation of knowledge about global Latino communities. Through his research, CLALS director and professor, Ernesto Castaneda, found that the majority of those experiencing homelessness are not mentally ill, despite popular beliefs.
• Student leadership in research is no less extensive, with studies ranging from WCL students working on consumer safety laws to explorations of genome change alongside Professor John Bracht, to the broad range of projects conducted through the Summer Scholars and Artists Program.

AU didn't achieve this status overnight. This achievement is the culmination of years of dedicated and inspired scholarship by our faculty and AU leadership prioritizing research across the university. Former president Neil Kerwin and former provost Scott Bass set us on this course more than a decade ago, with the AU 2030 initiative and increased doctoral programs leading to AU achieving R2 status in 2016. Research was a core focus for former president Sylvia Burwell and the Changemakers for a Changing World strategic plan, which helped fuel our record-breaking sponsored research levels over the past several years. Diana Burley, our vice provost for research and innovation, and her team provide the infrastructure and support that continues to drive our research forward every day in creating impactful knowledge that is helping address today’s greatest challenges.

For our current students and for potential future Eagles, this new status enhances your AU experience. You have access to state-of-the-art research facilities and projects. Your degree from AU grows in stature as the university's reputation as a research hub ascends. And you will have more opportunities to work directly with professors on important research, whether you're an undergraduate or graduate student. Research at AU is focused on achieving positive societal outcomes through actionable research. Eagles SOAR (Societal Outcomes, Actionable Research––our research motto)!

As AU steps into this new chapter, we are poised to make even bigger contributions to solving global challenges through research and innovation, all while providing students with an excellent education.

Congratulations to all our researchers and the entire AU community on this historic recognition.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Alger 
President

Vicky Wilkins 
Acting Provost and Chief Academic Officer