A new era of excellence is dawning at Texas Tech University as it stands on the cusp of being one of the nation's premier research institutions. Research and enrollment numbers are at record levels, and the university recently received Highest Research Activity status from The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning. Texas Tech's total research expenditures continue to rise. The largest student enrollments occurred in the last eight fall semesters, respectively. Numbers like that cement Texas Tech's commitment to attracting and retaining quality students. Quality students need a top-notch faculty. Texas Tech is home to a diverse, highly revered pool of educators. In 2013, ten faculty members were awarded grants from the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, the most in the university's 92-year history and the most in the U.S. that year. Through the Fulbright program, these educators are bestowed the opportunity to work side-by-side with researchers around the world promoting educational collaboration. Texas Tech also has four National Academy members on faculty at the Whitacre College of Engineering. This honor is considered one of the highest among professional engineers. One of the National Academy members was also appointed as the new holder of the Jack Maddox Distinguished Engineering Chair in Sustainable Energy. Texas Tech is constantly reaching necessary benchmarks to make it even more of a national presence in research. In May of 2012, the university met the criteria to receive a share of Texas National Research University Fund (NRUF). Inclusion to the fund moves Tech a step closer to attaining Tier One status. New research partnerships are creating unparalleled academic collaborations for the university to make strides in many areas.Since 1970, Texas Tech has been a trailblazer in wind science. The university created the National Wind Institute (NWI) to better support the interdisciplinary research and educational opportunities in wind science, engineering, and energy. The institute combines the former Wind Science and Engineering research center (WISE) and the Texas Wind Energy Institute. Texas Tech also houses newly commissioned turbines at the Department of Energy/Sandia Scaled Wind Farm Technology (SWIFT) Facility. The SWIFT facility is the only one of its kind in the world and gives the U.S. a significant advantage in the reduction of wind energy costs. Texas Tech has one of the largest petroleum engineering departments in the nation and, in 2014, opened the Terry Fuller Petroleum Engineering Research Building. The $20 million project houses 40,000-square feet of formal teaching environments with hands-on applications and modern research facilities. University researchers have developed innovative ways to stimulate natural gas and oil well production through hydraulic fracturing (fracking.) The Office of Technology Commercialization at Texas Tech has filed two patent applications to protect these methods and is actively working with oil and gas companies to begin using these improved rock fracturing techniques in the field. Texas Tech is a leader in community outreach and engagement. The university and the Lubbock Independent School District, along with multiple community partners, celebrated a $24 million Promise Neighborhood grant from the U.S. Department of Education. There are only seven Promise Neighborhood grantees across the nation, and East Lubbock Neighborhood consortium will receive funding over five years.

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