Everything about Texas seems to be larger than life and the same holds true for its aspirations to attract Nobel Laureates to the state to conduct research.
Earlier this week Governor Greg Abbott announced the launch of the University Research Initiative, which will provide matching funds to help Texas institutions of higher education recruit nationally-recognized researchers to their faculty.
“Texas is taking an important step toward elevating our higher education institutions to become the best in the nation,” said Governor Abbott. “The Initiative will attract the brightest minds from around the globe and enhance our Universities’ capacity to conduct world-class research.”
Applications for funding will be accepted on a rolling basis from eligible institutions with a proposed grant match commitment amount of $5 million or less per distinguished researcher.
A distinguished researcher is a Nobel Laureate or the recipient of an equivalent honor, or a member of a national honorific society such as the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine or an equivalent honorific organization.
The Governor’s University Research Initiative grant program (GURI) was enacted in 2015 by the 84th Legislature. The GURI grant program is operated within the Office of the Governor (“OOG”) in the Economic Development and Tourism Division. The initiative was also one of Governor Abbott’s emergency items last session.
