Research

Always Seeking New Knowledge
Delaware State University places a strong emphasis on research, constantly seeking answers to life’s questions.
Agriculture, Science & Technology
Agricultural, natural resources and food sciences research answers questions to important aspects of our lives: where we live and what we eat, and the factors that impact both. This entails plant and animal science, ecosystem studies, food and nutrition science, the science behind textiles, habitat restoration and marine life.
Nourishing the minds in the STEM field is important in enriching various medical and technological advances. These subjects include multidisciplinary projects and centers in the areas of biomedicine, neuroscience, computer and informational sciences, renewable energy, laser optics, laser-based technologies, biophysics and more.
Agricultural Research
Learn more about plant and soil research at DSU.
Natural Resources Research
Learn more about fisheries, environmental and wildlife research at DSU.
Food, Nutrition and Dietetic Research
Learning about the food we eat, and what affects it before it becomes our food, is an important research aspect within the College of Agriculture and Related Sciences.
Biomedical Research
Biomedical research at DSU, a collaborative and interdisciplinary endeavor, is primarily at the molecular, cellular and biochemical level and is focused on neuroscience, cancer biology and virology, biomedical imaging, and bioinformatics and computational biology.
Delaware Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE)
Material Science and Renewable Energy
When molecular engineering and clever processing are synergistically coupled, it allows the chemist to tailor complex hybrid systems that intersect the fields of materials chemistry and renewable energy. This represents not only a new field of basic research but the development of novel advanced functional nanomaterials, which via their remarkable new properties and multifunctional nature, offer prospects for many new applications in the field of catalysis and nanotechnology.
- Center for Hydrogen Storage Research
- Center for Energy
Research Funding and Collaborations
Faculty have obtained research and educational funding through various agencies to support research projects and programs, establish centers and support student training. Developing partnerships with private and corporate sponsors, educational institutions, and federal and state agencies is central in establishing viable research programs.
National Institute of Health (NIH)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration
Student Opportunities and Learning Facilities
DSU is home to various projects in which students can take what they have learned in class and apply it to real-world situations. Additionally, students are encouraged to utilize learning through various college centers.
Cooperative Extension
A program through the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Cooperative Extension Program at Delaware State University preserves the 1890 land-grant legacy of outreach education in Delaware by targeting diverse audiences, with special emphasis on those with limited resources, to help them improve their quality of life.
Early Childhood Lab School
Our early childhood students log many hours in our on-site licensed facility that serves toddlers and preschoolers from the local community. The Lab School enables early childhood education majors to work with seasoned instructors, develop classroom skills, get familiar with multicultural educational settings and interact with parents — all while engaging their passion for teaching and working with young children.
College of Agriculture, Science & Technology
The CAST has various unique centers that facilitate hands-on learning.
They are:
- 192-acre DSU Outreach and Research Center
- 75-acre Hickory Hill Farm
- The Claude E. Phillips Herbarium – Ranked 87th out of 535 (Index Herbarium) in the country with plant specimens dating back to 1799 and books dating back to 1737. It is also the only public herbarium on the Delmarva Peninsula.
- Aquaculture Research and Demonstration Center
- Microbial Safety of Aquaculture Products Center of Excellence
- Microbial Seafood Safety Laboratory – the only USDA-ARS lab of its kind in the country
- Scanning Electron Microscope
- Research Greenhouse
- Center for Integrated Biological and Environmental Research (CIBER)
College of Business Centers
Our COB Centers provide assistance outside of the classroom for students and to members of the public seeking a business career.Delaware Center for Enterprise Development
Center for the Study of Innovation Management
DSU Optics Center
The Optics Center is home to OSCAR and all the research within the subject of optics. The use of lasers is growing rapidly in applications. As a result, degree recipients with expertise in optical science are in demand in the workforce and as professors to educate future generations.