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Research

From gene evolution to Amazonian languages, hydrogen fuel generation or skin patches that detect disease, UT Austin has no shortage of research opportunities. And with programs like Longhorn Startup and our Freshman Research Initiative, you can start making an impact as early as your first year on campus.

Research Stats

  • #7

    of U.S. universities financed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for research

    (2021)

  • 3,799

    externally sponsored projects

    (2022)

  • $796.7M

    awarded in sponsored projects

    (2022)

  • $231.1M

    licensing revenues

    (past 10 fiscal years)

  • 1,291

    U.S. and international patents issued

    (past 10 fiscal years)

  • 90

    companies created by UT entrepreneurs

    (past 10 fiscal years, 60 in Texas)

Sources: Intercollegiate Athletics, Texas Global, Office of Institutional Reporting, Research, and Information Systems, Office of Sponsored Projects and Office of Technology Commercialization.

Longhorn
Discoveries

  • Lithium-ion battery – and a cheaper alternative

    Photo of John B. Goodenough with his invention, the lithium-ion battery

  • 3-D printing

    Photo of a 3-D printer.

  • Expansion of gene-editing tools

    Graphic of gene editing process.

  • Closest potentially habitable planet, Proxima b

    Photo of a moon in Space with a sun in the distance.

  • Earliest known evidence of Maya calendar

    Photo of an ancient drawing on a rock.

  • Rapid test for COVID-19

    Student looking at a test tube with globes and a mask.

Freshman Research Initiative (FRI)

Gain research experience while expanding your horizons. With the nation’s largest undergraduate research program, you can work alongside our world-renowned faculty on new technologies, medical breakthroughs and revolutionary discoveries.

FRI

Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR)

From a robust database of current research opportunities and research advising, to resources on how to present your research at events like Research Week and the Texas Student Research Showdown, the OUR helps you take full advantage of UT Austin’s Tier 1 research status.

OUR

Off-Campus Research Sites

Take your discoveries beyond the Forty Acres. Whether nearby in Austin or across the state, Texas’s varying terrain provides Longhorns with research opportunities at a wide variety of facilities.

Longhorn Startup

This year-long opportunity begins with a lecture-based course in the fall where you’ll meet prominent entrepreneurs, pitch your idea, find co-founders and connect with mentors. In the spring, you’ll develop your startup through a project-based lab course. At the end of the semester, you’ll have the chance to present your startup to a high-profile audience at Demo Day.

Longhorn Startup