$1 billion benchmark

The economic engine that is the University of Washington has passed a key milestone that deserves an appreciative nod from the region that benefits so richly from its proximity.

For the first time ever, the UW has passed the $1 billion mark in attracting money to fuel research into everything from AIDS education and training and global health, to how to harvest solar energy for aircraft and how salmon are affected by climate change. The UW brought in about $1.019 billion in the year that ended June 30. That continues the university's 23-year run as the nation's top public university with the most research funding.

About 80 percent of the money comes from federal grants, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense.

The largest grant of $29.7 million was to King Holmes, director of the UW's new Department of Global Health, for a collaborative international project in AIDS education and training.

Beyond the answers the research produces, a UW study in 2006 found that research grants and contracts funding directly supports more than 7,600 full-time jobs.

A federal study estimated that the full impact of the funding translates to about 34,000 jobs statewide.

The UW's status as a top-flight research university or huge economic driver in our region is nothing new, but this milestone is certainly worth celebrating.