University Of Texas At Dallas

University of Texas at Dallas, a state-controlled institution of higher learning and child entity of the University of Texas System headquartered in Richardson, Texas, operates as a federal research grant recipient (prime and sub-recipient) across science, engineering, and biomedical domains, competing full-and-open in grants with no set-aside designations. Over the past five years (2022–2026), UTD has received 1,693 awards (87% prime, 13% sub) totaling $113.6 million in combined potential value across 127 distinct federal agencies, though obligated dollars ($1.17 billion) exceed potential value, reflecting multi-year grant funding profiles and cost-reimbursable contract structures typical of academic research institutions.

UTD's customer concentration reflects dominance in basic science research funding: the National Science Foundation leads by award count (469 awards across multiple divisions including Computer and Network Systems, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and Engineering), followed by NASA's Shared Services Center (98 awards, $23.7 million potential value) and the National Institutes of Health (70 awards). By potential value, NASA Shared Services Center anchors the top position ($23.7 million), followed by the Air Force Materiel Command Research Laboratory ($17 million). The top five customers account for 44% of awards and 39% of combined potential value. Award velocity has grown from 97 awards in 2022 to 164 in 2024, declining to 150 in 2025 and 44 through September 2026 (a year in progress). The recompete cliff signals 148 awards ($10.2 million combined potential value) reaching ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months.

UTD's concrete capability footprint spans interdisciplinary federal research in space physics and magnetosphere science (exemplified by multiple NSF and NASA grants on electron precipitation, ionospheric scintillation, and magnetotail dynamics), biomedical research and clinical innovation (NIH grants in pain neuroscience, metabolic biology, aging, and psychiatric research), advanced materials and semiconductor engineering (NSF CAREER and FUSE grants on perovskites, amorphous oxide semiconductors, and 2D materials), artificial intelligence and machine learning (NSF and DARPA support for cooperative radar perception, security-aware embedded hardware, and ethical AI), quantum computing and energy storage systems (materials science and electrochemistry research), and aerospace technologies (NASA and DARPA work on thermal plasma sensors, atomic oxygen-resistant coatings, and space hardware). Representative prime awards include a $4.74 million cost-reimbursable definitive contract from the Missile Defense Agency for two-photon absorption laser system enhancements (awarded August 2024), a $1.07 million NASA Goddard Space Center cost-no-fee contract for thermal plasma sensor development (April 2026, SALMON-3 solicitation), and a $4 million Department of Education FIPSE grant for AI-enhanced instructional tools in K-12 and postsecondary education (January 2026). Grant work spans the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ($4.04 million CRISPR-based functional genomic screening for chronic pain targets), the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (multiple five-year MIRA and R01 awards in molecular biology, tissue regeneration, and computational biology ranging from $430,000 to $1.17 million), and NSF divisions (CAREER awards in materials research, electrical systems, and computer science ranging from $250,000 to $600,000 over five years).

UTD holds one named Other Transaction Agreement IDV awarded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (November 2024, $1 million ceiling) for materials investigation and development of atomic oxygen-resistant coatings via atomic layer deposition, reflecting access to DARPA's flexible contracting mechanism for rapid prototype development. The institution executes sub-award relationships as a sub-recipient on defense and biomedical research; named prime recipients include Mayo Clinic (collaborative wearable biosensor development under the EASE-REACT program), Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (multiple THREADS sub-awards on electronic heat removal spanning 2025), and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (extensive collaborative work in biomedical research, neuroscience, and clinical trials). UTD also issues sub-awards to partner institutions such as the University of North Texas (laser joining of SiC components), the University of California–Berkeley (blood-brain barrier modulation research), and Northern Arizona University (seismic structure research under NSF geosciences funding).

The award portfolio reflects UTD's positioning as a comprehensive research university with competitive standing in NSF's mathematics, physical sciences, and engineering directorate competitions; NIH research training and biomedical discovery programs; NASA science and technology research; and DARPA materials and systems development. The institution competes across full-and-open federal solicitations without set-asides, leveraging its status as a public research university with demonstrated expertise in multi-disciplinary investigation and advanced instrumentation. Recompete exposure of $10.2 million over the next twenty-four months and sustained award velocity (averaging 144 awards annually over the last four years) underscore continued federal investment in UTD's research enterprise across fundamental science, health sciences, and engineering innovation.