Research & Graduate Studies

PSU is the region’s leading urban research university and offers wide-ranging research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students who aspire to be explorers, innovators, problem-solvers, and change-makers.

Our faculty includes internationally recognized researchers in engineering and physical, natural and social sciences, as well as the arts and humanities. PSU researchers are making vital contributions in fields ranging from climate science to the development of new treatments for diseases and the search for life beyond Earth. Our research strengths in specialized fields such as early childhood learning and biochemistry attract world-class partners like the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. And programs like NIH-funded Build EXITO provide students with access to cutting-edge research as well as training and professional development opportunities. Opportunities to explore entrepreneurship and commercialization of student and faculty intellectual property are provided through Propel PSU’s Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Intellectual Property, and the Portland State Business Accelerator.

Researchers at PSU work across disciplines and partner with industry, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other universities to address the critical challenges of the 21st century and improve life in Oregon, the nation, and the world. We collaborate with Oregon Health & Science University through the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health and interdisciplinary research where our expertise in data analysis, social science, biology, and chemistry add value to OHSU's clinical studies. Our University Research Centers work to improve urban life by evaluating "smart city" technologies, exploring solutions to complex issues such as homelessness, and improving transportation. At PSU, we bring the future into focus.