News
Recent articles on higher education by The Oregonian, Portland Tribune, and Business Journal, as well a proposal to merge Portland State University and OHSU, have focused on the role that a research university can play in the economic health of a region. Several initiatives at PSU have already begun to fill that need while maintaining the university’s traditional commitment to accessibility.
Externally funded research at PSU has grown over the past five years by 67 percent to over $32 million in 2003–2004—research dollars that lead to jobs, new technologies, increased education opportunities, and support for local industry. Private investments through the University’s Building Our Future campaign advance research in areas ranging from materials science to supply and logistics management and chip design and testing.
As a member of the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI), the state’s first signature research center, PSU researchers are working with counterparts at UO, OSU, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories to develop cutting-edge technologies, attract federal and foundation research dollars and drive commercialization—leading to high-wage jobs and a stronger regional economy.
Projects such as the Portland Business Accelerator foster faculty and start-up business research, providing real-world opportunities for PSU business students, while the long-running Business Outreach Program continues to provide valuable consulting services to small and emerging businesses in north and northeast Portland.
Though Portland State has already established itself as Oregon’s largest and most diverse university, its role as a critical economic driver and essential partner in the life of the region is also a rapidly developing legacy—from workforce development (providing more graduates to Intel’s Hillsboro site than any other university) to supporting the metro region’s economy with over $700 million in direct expenditures in 2002-2003, to students and faculty partnering with hundreds of regional organizations on a broad span of civic projects.
