Endowed Chairs

In 1997 the Kentucky legislature approved a bold plan to reform the state’s system of higher education.

The goal was to develop a “seamless, integrated system of post-secondary education strategically planned and adequately funded to enhance economic development and quality of life.”

A key component of this reform was the state’s creation of the Research Challenge Trust Fund, a strategic investment in university research designed to create new jobs, generate new economic activity and provide new opportunities for Kentucky citizens.

Commonly known as “Bucks for Brains,” the program uses state funds to match private donations, effectively doubling the impact of private investment supporting research in strategically defined areas and planting the seeds for a better future.

Since the program’s inception, U of L has received more than $99 million in state funds to match private contributions, bringing the total Bucks for Brains investment to more than $198 million as of 2008.

This investment has allowed U of L to attract and retain some of the nation’s top researchers and scholars, increasing the school's number of endowed faculty from 25 to 133.

To date, these Bucks for Brains faculty have secured more than $210 million in additional federal funding for their research.

Bucks for Brains helps Kentucky attract and retain world-class researchers and scholars, many of whom are also teachers.  The quality of their work raises the national and international academic profile of the commonwealth.

Leading researchers help bring conferences and scholarly meetings to Kentucky, providing revenue to state and local businesses, giving students the opportunity to interact with leaders in their fields and enhancing Kentucky's international reputation.

Thanks to Bucks for Brains, students at Kentucky universities have firsthand learning experiences from faculty who are the best in the field.

At the University of Louisville, hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students work with Bucks for Brains scholars, preparing to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Support from the Research Challenge Trust fund helps the University of Louisville bring the top scholars and scientists in the world to Kentucky.

Their work, in turn, attracts others to the university and creates internationally-recognized centers of expertise.

The investment in Bucks for Brains is a seed that grows to yield benefits for the state's economy, improves the lives of Kentucky's citizens and enhances the education of students who will be the future leaders, teachers, doctors, scientists and entrepreneurs of our state.