U of M spending $20M to improve research infrastructure

by Tim Post, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — The University of Minnesota announced Wednesday it will spend $20 million to beef up its research infrastructure.

University President Robert Bruininks told the school's Board of Regents that funds for the Infrastructure Investment Initiative, or I-3, will come from royalties paid to the university.

"All of these funds are derived on the return of commercializing university research and university technologies," Bruininks said. "It's not coming from tuition, it's not coming from state funding, but it's coming from the creativity, the innovation and the hard work of the people who work here."

Bruininks says the fund will be used to buy research equipment, hire highly trained technical personnel and fund scholarships.