A University of Louisiana at Lafayette researcher working in a lab station while a student and professor take notes

Research & Impact

University of Louisiana at Lafayette researchers and students are solving real-world problems with new ideas and new technologies.

From protecting the Southern wetlands to pioneering supercomputing for 3D data visualization, we are transforming the world. 

We’re committed to research for a reason, and our undergraduate and graduate students are involved every step of the way. Faculty and students tackle challenges together, collaborating across disciplines to produce answers that drive change for a better tomorrow.

Research for a Reason

A Leading R1 University

UL Lafayette is in the Top 3% of universities nationwide to hold Carnegie's R1 classification — putting us in the same category as Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Duke.

“We are a public university, and as a public university, the work done here should be for the public good.”

- University of Louisiana at Lafayette President Joseph Savoie

$205M

spent on research in 2022

We are in the top 150 universities nationwide for research and development expenditures.

Research News

Partner With Us

Our work is built on the expertise of an award-winning faculty, and enhanced by collaborative partnerships with business and industry, universities, and all levels of government.

We invite scholars and students from around the world to use our collections and expertise for their own research. UL Lafayette is full of resources to understand music lineages, the preservation of Indigenous cultures, and the sustainability of local foodways.

National Academy of Inventors Member

UL Lafayette is one of 250 universities worldwide in the National Academy of Inventors, an organization that supports innovation through academic research.

Top 12%

in the nation for biological and medical science research funding

UL Lafayette has partnered with the National Institutes of Health, Pfizer, and Merck to research and develop lifechanging medications.

Partnership Opportunities

Our Values

These are the values that drive our research and motivate us to explore, learn, and discover.

Sustainability

Our campus is a living lab for innovative research in watershed management, solar power, energy conservation, and environmental restoration.

Diversity & Equity

We recognize and value differences across society and across disciplines. Our research aims to improve diversity and equity in culture, opportunity, literacy, and design.

Social & Economic Development

Through our research, we’re leaders in shaping policy, advancing educational practices, improving health care, attracting businesses, and preserving our cultural heritage.

A University of Louisiana at Lafayette research professor looks over maps of the coast line with two students looking over his shoulders

Championing Louisiana’s Progress

We’re improving and protecting our state through research that focuses on our economy, coast, language, music, and wildlife.

Impact in Louisiana
Professor and student working in infrastructure simulation lab at UL Lafayette

Beyond Borders

Our work extends across the globe — and to other planets. We’re making a major impact with our research in traditional and alternative energy, manufacturing, environmental and life sciences, and big data.

Our Global Impact
UL lafayette nursing student consulting with a patient at a clinic

Student Research

Our students are an essential part of research activity, thanks to our Advance: Student Research Experience initiative. They’re in labs, studios, clinics, and the community, making significant contributions and finding solutions.

Student Research Opportunities
Biology professor Paul Klerks working in a UL Lafayette lab

Faculty Research

The experience and expertise of our faculty drives the transformative research we’re known for.

Faculty Research News

Student Research Stories