WSSU research endeavors are centralized to three areas: health and social justice, community and economic development, and STEM innovation. As a Historically-Black College and University (HBCU) our researchers benefit from having access to specialized communities, and having diverse perspectives that institutions without our designation recruit for research collaborations.
Annual Figures 2018-19
450 Students Supported
91 Awards
$52.9 M Awarded
11 Research Centers
Research at WSSU has a global impact. The translational research we conduct helps communities that need our support most. The basic research we explore contributes to the disciplines in ways only HBCUs can. Supporting research at WSSU supports more than just WSSU students, it supports our communities.
Community Engaged Scholarship
North Carolina Mathematics and Science Education Network (NC-MSEN) is a community based project to recruit student grades 6-12 to pursue high level mathematics and science based courses by preparing them with Saturday Academy, the Summer Enrichment Program, tutoring, mathematics and science competitions, field trips, Parent Involvement for Excellence (PIE) Clubs, and leadership development.
CSEM’s B.I.G. Idea in Community Engagement is an integrative needs-based approach that connects businesses, individuals, and governments to help generate interventions and structural reform for the benefit of the community.
International Research through Study Abroad engages students in scholarship on a global level. Students develop multi-cultural perspectives by traveling to locations like South Africa, Brazil, or South Korea and participate in humanities and social science projects that are authentic to the local communities to which they travel.
WSSU Research In the News
Winston-Salem State University awarded $300K NASA grant to explore growing food in outer space
August 14, 2025
After sending plants to space this spring, WSSU's Dr. Rafael Loureiro has earned a $300,000 NASA grant to study how astronauts could grow food beyond Earth.
Winston-Salem State University awarded $400K National Science Foundation grant to research green chemistry
August 14, 2025
WSSU students will soon have more opportunities to take part in cutting-edge research in organic synthesis and green chemistry, thanks to a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.
WSSU awarded $1.3M grant from National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to develop biosensors for point-of-care diagnostics
August 04, 2025
Winston-Salem State University has been awarded a $1.3 million Biomedical Engineering, Imaging, and Technology Acceleration Program grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.
