By Kelli Sharpe
JACKSON, Miss. — Jackson State University is among 15 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that have launched the Association of HBCU Research Institutions (AHRI), a national coalition designed to accelerate world-class research, expand institutional capacity and elevate HBCU leadership in addressing society’s most pressing challenges.
The organization will elevate the contributions of HBCUs in cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research, expand policy influence and accelerate transformative discoveries at scale. AHRI will do so by increasing research capacity, strengthening institutional infrastructure, boosting funding opportunities, enhancing faculty recruitment and expanding student access to research and career pathways.
“AHRI represents a more coordinated approach to advancing HBCU research, and Jackson State University is proud to stand alongside peer institutions,” said JSU President Denise Jones Gregory. “As Mississippi’s only urban research university, we are committed to expanding research opportunities for our students and faculty and ensuring that our work continues to address the needs of the communities we serve and contributes to economic growth and opportunity in Mississippi. This coalition strengthens our ability to grow, collaborate and contribute to broader national research efforts led by HBCUs.”
“AHRI creates a stronger framework for institutions like Jackson State to build the systems that support research growth and translation,” said Almesha L. Campbell, Ph.D., vice president for research and economic development at Jackson State University. “Through collaboration, we can expand access to federal funding, strengthen research infrastructure and create more pathways for faculty and students to move ideas into application, including opportunities that support workforce development and innovation. That level of coordination is essential to increasing competitiveness and advancing the impact of HBCU research.”
Member institutions will also collaborate to increase the number of HBCUs achieving R1 Carnegie Classification, the highest designation for research activity. AHRI is supported by a strategic partnership with the Association of American Universities, where its offices will be co-located, and a three-year, $1 million grant from the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative. Harvard University’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research will also provide technical assistance.
“Today is not just an announcement, but a declaration that HBCUs are not only contributors to research and innovation, but also leaders shaping a new era of discovery, reimagining both the solutions and the systems that drive research,” said Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA, Howard University interim president, president emeritus and Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery.
Frederick serves as AHRI interim president. David K. Wilson, Ed.D., serves as board chair, and Tomikia P. LeGrande, Ed.D., serves as board vice chair.
AHRI’s founding members include Howard University, an R1 institution, and 13 partner institutions classified as Research 2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production: Clark Atlanta University, Delaware State University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Hampton University, Jackson State University, Morgan State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University, South Carolina State University, Southern University, Tennessee State University, Texas Southern University and Virginia State University. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore is also a member.
Collectively, AHRI institutions account for 50% of competitively awarded federal research funding among HBCUs and drive solutions in health, science, education, justice reform and economic development.
The launch coincides with AHRI’s inaugural research symposium, “Expanding the Research Mission of HBCUs,” convening higher education leaders, policymakers and industry partners to explore strategies to strengthen research infrastructure and expand collective impact.
“AHRI marks a powerful new chapter in the HBCU research landscape, bringing institutions that have too often worked in isolation into sustained collaboration with one another and with the country’s leading research universities,” said Ruth Simmons, Ph.D., senior adviser to the Harvard University president on engagement with HBCUs and a three-time college president.
As part of the association’s kickoff, AHRI leaders also issued a call to action for government, corporate and philanthropic partners to invest in the future of HBCU research and innovation.
About AHRI
The Association of HBCU Research Institutions (AHRI) is a coalition of leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities dedicated to advancing research excellence, innovation and public impact. In partnership with the Association of American Universities, AHRI is amplifying the collective voice of HBCU research institutions, elevating their national presence, strengthening policy influence and accelerating transformative research that addresses society’s most pressing challenges at scale.
About Jackson State University
Jackson State University, founded in 1877, is a historically Black, doctoral university classified R2 by the Carnegie Classification for its substantial research activity and doctoral degree production. Officially designated as Mississippi’s Urban University, Jackson State plays a critical role in advancing research, workforce development and economic growth across the region. Jackson State is recognized by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University, affirming its leadership in connecting research, innovation and community impact. For more information, visit research.jsums.edu.