Karen Herzog

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee once again has been awarded a top-tier research classification, joining 119 other doctoral universities across the country on a prestigious list publicly released this week.

The elite R1 (Research 1) status means UWM is among the nation's "highest research activity" colleges and universities, based on the number of doctorates awarded and research expenditures in the 2017 academic year.

UWM first earned R1 status in 2015 from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education based at Indiana University in Bloomington. The list is reviewed and updated every three years.

UWM also holds the Carnegie community engagement classification.

RELATED:UW-Milwaukee elevated to elite status as research university

Chancellor Mark Mone announced the news in a campuswide email Tuesday, noting the campus is in the company of "Yale, Iowa State, Harvard, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, among other highly distinguished universities and colleges."

"What a wonderfully gratifying way to start out the week!" Mone told the campus.

There are 4,423 universities nationwide that are classified for their research.

To come up with classifications, Carnegie analysts examined federal data on research and development spending, research staff and doctoral conferrals to sort doctoral institutions by research classification.

"This is beyond inspiring and is affirmation of the remarkable impact of UWM's exceptional faculty, staff, doctoral students and researchers, who were integral to this attainment," Mone said in his email to campus Tuesday.

"What makes this even more impressive is that you achieved this during the most challenging headwinds and budgetary times in our history. You have made — and continue to make — UWM the preeminent research and access institution that it is today. This is a proud moment for us all and I congratulate you.

"The transformational and critically-acclaimed research you engage in impacts thousands of lives. You introduce vital research that drives human, scientific and technological discovery in our world."

RELATED:With revenue dwindling, UWM sees future doing less, better

Mone said students learn "right away" how research leads to discoveries and solving problems.

"And it’s not just graduate students," the chancellor said. "More than 1,000 undergrads are involved in research every year and we have received national recognition from the Council on Undergraduate Research with a 2018 Campus-Wide Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishments."