Research and innovation at ASU

The ASU Knowledge Enterprise advances research, innovation, strategic partnerships, entrepreneurship, economic development and international development.

Revolutionizing the
research enterprise

As the human population grows and globalizes, so do the challenges we face — from pandemics to political unrest, supply chains to climate change. Solving these challenges demands the creativity and commitment of many minds with diverse expertise and backgrounds. Arizona State University connects those minds in an ecosystem where creative ideas thrive. We believe a research university is a knowledge enterprise — our business is creating and sharing new knowledge to provide value to our communities. This belief fuels everything we do.

Academic silos no longer serve. At ASU, we have reshaped the very structure of the university, centering our academic units and research institutes around grand challenges. We have woven an entrepreneurial mindset into the fabric of our institution, empowering our students, faculty and staff to test and launch their innovative ideas. We build the right teams to accomplish our goals, regardless of disciplinary or organizational boundaries. Together with our partners from industry, nonprofits, government and academia, we have undertaken an audacious mission — assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities we serve.

Be a part of ASU research

We invite students, faculty, staff, alumni, businesses and community members to join us in advancing discovery and innovation. 

Featured projects

Innovating water solutions

In the face of drought and pressures on the Colorado River, the state asked ASU to lead the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative to provide practical solutions now to protect Arizona's water supply.

Empowering African leaders

The ASU-led YALI Africa project offers training, tools and networking opportunities to help develop young African leaders and create economic opportunity.

Manufacturing a cleaner future

The U.S. Department of Energy selected ASU to lead a Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute to reduce industrial carbon emissions through research, development and workforce training.

Research growth and impact

ASU is one of the fastest-growing research enterprises in the United States, nearly doubling its research expenditures over the last ten years. The university continually climbs in rankings from the National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey, which measures research expenditures across disciplines and funding sources. ASU currently ranks No. 6 in the U.S. for total research expenditures among institutions without a medical school. Additionally, ASU is a leader in bringing innovations to market, ranking No. 8 among universities worldwide for U.S. patents issued.

$797M

$797M in research expenditures in fiscal year 2022

#1

No. 1 for transdisciplinary research expenditures (NSF HERD Survey 2022) 

#1

No. 1 for anthropology research expenditures (NSF HERD Survey 2022)

#2

No. 2 for education research expenditures (NSF HERD Survey 2022)

Highlights

Core Research Facilities

ASU Core Research Facilities empower the achievement of goals for researchers, businesses and industry leaders by offering access to specialized equipment and the expertise of skilled scientists.

Learn more about the
Knowledge Enterprise