U of M outlines MNDRIVE research portfolio, robotics growth and Natural Resources Research Institute investments

University research leaders briefed the House Higher Education Finance and Policy Committee on the University of Minnesota’s research portfolio, MNDRIVE‑related initiatives and several state special appropriations that support university research and outreach.

Shashank Priya, vice president for research and innovation, said the Twin Cities campus research portfolio was about $1.32 billion in FY23 and the system‑wide research expenditures were about $1.35 billion. Priya described MNDRIVE as an umbrella of state‑supported initiatives in areas such as robotics, brain conditions, global food and environment; he said many MNDRIVE areas have since been incorporated into the university’s operations and maintenance base, while cancer was funded in the most recent rider.

Nikos Papanikolopoulos, director of the Minnesota Robotics Institute,…