Based on research funding during the 2007 fiscal year, the university’s atmospheric science program was the 13th largest in the U.S., while the business school’s research program ranked 19th overall and fourth in federally-funded research in business and management.

UAHuntsville research programs in computer science and mechanical engineering each ranked 27th among their peers.

"These are great numbers reflecting the cumulative hard work of our faculty, staff and students over many years," said Dr. David Williams, president of UAHuntsville. "We look forward to growing these numbers through increased partnerships with federal, state and industrial colleagues."

The university's research funding reflected community priorities:
UAHuntsville ranked 13th in research funding from NASA and 34th among 382 schools in R&D funding from the Department of Defense. That research spanned several disciplines: UAHuntsville was third in NASA-funded psychology research, ninth in NASA engineering R&D, eleventh in mathematical sciences work for NASA, 14th in DoD-funded computer sciences work and 18th in defense related social sciences research.

Alabama's colleges and universities brought more than $464 million in research funding into the state in FY 2007, including $438 million in federal funding.

UAHuntsville had the only business school in Alabama ranked in the top 50 in the U.S. in research funding, according to the NSF's annual survey of research expenditures. Other business schools in the top 20 include the University of Michigan, MIT, Penn State, UCLA, Texas A&M and the University of Tennessee.

"This is an endorsement of the college's expertise in addressing important issues," said Dr. James Simpson, dean of UAHuntsville's College of Business Administration. "North Alabama is unique and its research needs are unique.

"The complexity of the technological and management issues facing local industry and government agencies demands that our faculty and research staff develop high levels of expertise in areas such as IT integration, R&D processes, supply chain management, acquisition and logistics."