Clemson University is investing $500,000 in research funding to help faculty develop promising ideas, build interdisciplinary collaborations, and pursue larger externally funded opportunities.
Through funding directed to the Division of Research by President Ben Ayers this fall, faculty will have access to additional resources to strengthen early-stage research projects and build the collaborations needed to pursue external funding and real-world impact.
“Clemson’s faculty and students are advancing important research, scholarship and creative work across disciplines,” said President Ben Ayers. “Research and discovery are core to our academic mission and to our responsibility as an R1 land-grant university. By investing in our faculty and students early in their work, we create pathways for collaboration, continued research excellence and discoveries that improve lives across South Carolina and beyond. I look forward to seeing the impact of this seed funding .”
Clemson set a goal in its strategic plan, Clemson Elevate, to double research funding, and the University is well on its way to surpass that goal. Clemson, recognized as an R1 university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, ranks among the nation’s top institutions for research activity. According to the National Science Foundation, Clemson has grown to become one of the most active research institutions in the region. In fiscal year 2026, researchers received $221 million in research awards. Total research and development expenditures reached $372 million in 2025.
“Since 2015, Clemson researchers have won 150 projects valued at $2 million or more, representing a combined value of approximately $900 million,” said Tanju Karanfil, Senior Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors. “Many of these large awards started with smaller investments that allowed ideas to develop and expand. We look forward to utilizing this investment to continue to grow our research enterprise.”
This funding will support interdisciplinary discovery across Clemson and help strengthen the University’s culture of research, scholarship, and creative endeavors. Previous investments have helped faculty author hundreds of journal articles and manuscripts, secure more than $60 million in external research funding, and support hundreds of doctoral candidates in completing their degrees.
“I am excited about this opportunity to invest in our faculty,” said Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Cole Smith, “Clemson is home to a faculty of great caliber who are core to our success as a University. This support will not only propel their individual research projects but will bolster their ability to provide hands-on learning opportunities to our students. I extend my sincere appreciation to President Ayers for his support of our faculty and commitment to our research mission.”
Application and eligibility details will be shared in the coming weeks through the Division of Research.
