Florida Atlantic’s R1 Journey

President Lyndon B. Johnson dedicates Florida Atlantic University on the site of the converted Boca Raton Army Airfield.

A.D. Henderson University School opens as a developmental research laboratory school to enhance instruction and research to improve outcomes for all students throughout the nation.

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science establishes the Center for Complex Systems. The center leads Florida Atlantic’s early success in securing National Institutes of Health R01 grants. In 1995, it establishes the first and at that time only Ph.D. program in complex systems and brain sciences.

The Research Park at Florida Atlantic University is established and serves as a critical engine for research, development and entrepreneurship in the region.

Graduate programs and research activity reach $10 million in sponsored research.

Gifts totaling $32 million from Eugene and Christine Lynn help establish the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing.

Larry F. Lemanski, Ph.D., is named the first vice president of research at Florida Atlantic and also served as dean of the Graduate School.

Florida Atlantic forges a partnership with the Scripps Research Institute, the world’s largest nonprofit biomedical research organization, marking a pivotal trend toward increasing the university’s involvement with external organizations.

Florida Atlantic establishes the Center for Excellence in Biomedical and Marine Biotechnology with a $10 million State of Florida award, focusing on discovering new pharmaceuticals from Florida waters.

Florida Atlantic’s Center for Cryptology and Information Security becomes a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cyber Defense Research (CAE-R) as recognized by the National Security Agency.

Florida Atlantic High School is established in partnership with the Palm Beach County School District featuring unique curriculums that integrate rigorous academic coursework with university-level research opportunities.

State of Florida funds $5 million to establish Florida Atlantic’s Center of Excellence in Ocean Energy Technology. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy designates the center as the Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center, one of the nation’s three Marine Renewable Energy Centers.

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce merges with Florida Atlantic, backed by a $44 million allocation from the Florida Legislature.

Max Planck Florida Institute finalizes an agreement to establish a permanent presence on Florida Atlantic’s John D. MacArthur Campus in Jupiter. It remains the first and only Max Planck Society institute in North America.

The Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry is established to enhance undergraduate student engagement in research and scholarly activities across all disciplines.

Florida Atlantic establishes the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, North America’s 134th allopathic (MD) medical school with funding from the Florida Legislature.

Florida Atlantic Harbor Branch, with an allocation from the Florida Legislature, launches the Indian River Lagoon Observatory Network of Environmental Sensors (IRLON) to monitor and investigate the water quality and environmental conditions of the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Lucie Estuary.

A Nikon Center of Excellence is established at Florida Atlantic’s Brain Institute, marking just the seventh such designation in the United States.

Florida Atlantic and the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience announce the FAU Max Planck Honors, an undergraduate honors program in neuroscience designed to recruit top talent.

Florida Atlantic launches the FAU High School MD Direct Program, placing gifted high school students on a direct path to earning their medical degrees.

Florida Atlantic creates the FAU Max Planck Academy on the Jupiter campus in partnership with the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, allowing high school students to study alongside world-renowned researchers at the institute.

The Florida Board of Governors endorses Florida Atlantic as a University of Distinction for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. The College of Engineering and Computer Science launches a first-of-its-kind master’s degree in AI. The Rubin and Cindy Gruber Sandbox, a pioneering AI lab open to all students, is established.

Kurt and Marilyn Wallach donate $20 million to establish the Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Institute for Holocaust and Jewish Studies.

Harbor Branch lands an $11,179,001 four-year contract from the U.S. Office of Naval Research to develop a next-generation sensor for natural oceanic bioluminescence assessments.

Florida Atlantic’s external sponsored research awards reach more than $78.5 million.

Florida Atlantic and Memorial Cancer Institute’s Research Partnership to Advance Clinical Trials earn the Cancer Center of Excellence designation from the Florida Department of Health, becoming one of only five centers in the state to receive the honor.

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science partner with the Max Planck Florida Institute to establish a joint M.D./Ph.D. neuroscience program.

The FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute opens on the Jupiter campus. Funded by an allocation from the Florida Legislature and named for a $10 million gift from David J.S. Nicholson, the institute is home to more than 100 neuroscience faculty-level investigators conducting state-of-the-art research to unlock the secrets of the brain.

Florida Atlantic partners with global health care company Insightec to advance scientific knowledge about the use of non-invasive, focused ultrasound to treat brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and Harbor Branch launch the School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability comprised of a broad array of existing disciplines to amplify the university’s research, teaching and community engagement while creating a comprehensive environmental hub at the university.

The College of Education and the College of Engineering and Computer Science receive a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to increase participation of transition-age youth and working-age adults with disabilities in high-demand technology jobs.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science, in partnership with Florida Power & Light (FPL), announce the launch of the FPL Center for Intelligent Energy Technologies (InETech). This cutting-edge facility was made possible by a $1 million donation from the NextEra Energy Foundation.

Florida Atlantic adds a new state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system to its research infrastructure. This cutting-edge technology marks a transformative step forward for the university’s research capabilities, enabling groundbreaking studies in neuroscience, clinical health and medicine.

Florida Atlantic is selected as the recipient of a $21 million multi-year grant, the largest grant received in its history, from the United States Department of Education Promise Neighborhoods program. The grant funds the “Broward Unlimited Potential Promise Neighborhood” (Broward UP) initiative, which aims to provide children with access to quality education and strong community support, ensuring successful transitions to college or careers.

Florida Atlantic is recognized as R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the most prestigious research designation in the United States.