Honoring UNC Charlotte’s Research Excellence
On Oct. 27, UNC Charlotte community members gathered for the Niner Research Celebration, the first since the university earned the Carnegie R1 designation. The celebration highlighted significant achievements since 2020, including 69 researchers ranking among the top 2% most cited globally. Over the same period, more than 150 new inventions led to over 200 patent applications and the creation of 17 spin-off companies. In total, 25 award categories constituted the range of achievement and creativity across the university’s research community.
Vice Chancellor for Research John Daniels and Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber congratulated the award recipients and expressed their gratitude to community members for their substantial contributions that paved the way for Charlotte’s R1 designation. Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Deborah Thomas noted several highlights from FY25, including an all-time high of $94.9 million in research expenditures and a total research portfolio of $251.4 million, underscoring the university’s expanding national research presence.