UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s research enterprise continues to grow, despite continued shifts in the federal funding landscape, Senior Vice President for Research Andrew Read said during a conversation with the Penn State community on Nov. 3.
Held at the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub at University Park and livestreamed for the Penn State community across the commonwealth, the event drew nearly 1,000 faculty, staff and students from across the University’s research enterprise.
The town hall provided an opportunity for dialogue, as University administrators answered questions submitted in advance, live online and in-person by attendees. Topics included:
- The proposed 15% federal cap on Facilities & Administrative (F&A) reimbursements, which could leave a $100 million annual gap in the University’s research budget.
- Visa restrictions and immigration policy changes affecting international students and scholars.
- The impact of funding instability on graduate student hiring and program sustainability.
- The national priorities for research set by federal leadership.
- The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of education and research.
While acknowledging the ongoing challenges posed by shifting federal funding priorities, including paused grant reviews and proposed budget cuts, Read highlighted Penn State’s continued momentum in research.
He shared that the University reached a record $1.44 billion in research expenditures last fiscal year, an 8% increase over the previous year. Internal investment also hit a new high of $322.2 million, reinforcing Penn State’s commitment to advancing discovery and innovation, he said. For example, the University continues to invest in new research institutes, expand facilities, support the research commercialization process and scale its undergraduate research offerings.
Read emphasized Penn State’s resilience and readiness to adapt, noting that the University’s research enterprise remains strong.
“We are one of the biggest, most successful research enterprises in the world,” Read said. "We are not stepping away from excellence. We're doubling down on it."
Since early 2025, across the U.S., billions in federal grants have been rescinded or suspended, particularly in areas such as climate science; diversity, equity and inclusion; and public health, he explained. Agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), have paused review panels and proposed federal budget cuts that threaten to reduce national research funding by tens of billions. Penn State has lost approximately $12 million to $15 million in terminated grants, with another nearly $20 million in limbo due to the recent government shutdown.
“This isn’t just a Penn State problem — it’s an American research problem,” Read said. “If federal investment shrinks, the amount of research we can do will shrink, too.”
However, Read encouraged faculty to continue to submit grant proposals that capitalize on the available funding, noting that the College of Medicine was able to increase the number of grants awarded by NIH despite the funding situation.
“We can't take our foot off the gas. Even when the road gets bumpy, we still have to be doing this work,” Read said.
Penn State Executive Vice President and Provost Fotis Sotiropoulos and Associate Vice President for Federal Relations Amanda Wintersteen joined Read in outlining proactive steps the University is taking to advocate for research funding and support its community. These include engaging with federal stakeholders, preparing for potential policy shifts and amplifying the societal impact of Penn State research.
"American university research generates extraordinary prosperity through markets, farms, medical breakthroughs and national security,” Read said. “It also gives us some of the deepest understanding humans have ever had of ourselves and our place in the universe."
Wintersteen encouraged faculty to continue submitting grants and engage in advocacy through professional organizations. She also encouraged students to participate in The Science Coalition’s annual video challenge by submitting short videos of 60 to 90 seconds that highlight how scientific research benefits the country and the American people. The submission period ends Nov. 15.
Read wrapped up the town hall with a call for ongoing dialogue and feedback from the research community.
“This isn’t the end of the conversation,” Read said. “We are addressing some of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Especially during a time when the value of higher education is being questioned, it’s critical that we continue to communicate the tangible impacts of our research on the world and our students.”
Read also discussed the rapidly changing research funding landscape in a recent interview with the Penn Stater magazine, titled “The Envy of the World.”