IMI's Universities: Measuring the Impacts of Research on Innovation, Competitiveness, and Science (UMETRICS) data are useful for analyzing the social and economic effects of research investments; the scientific production function; the career outcomes and earnings of graduate students and trainees; questions pertaining to science and engineering workforce and the STEM pipeline; and many other possible topics. The Census Bureau partnered with the University of Michigan's Institute for Research on Innovation and Science (IRIS) to provide data driven insights into the impact of research funding on the broader economy. Work in progress by researchers utilizing IMI UMETRICS data will provide more detailed analyses of entrepreneurial outcomes and human capital, the economic effects of research related to food safety, and the relationship between research funding and subsequent entrepreneurship for various demographic groups.

The 2022 IMI UMETRICS data release will include information on awards, wage payments from awards to university research employees, vendor purchases, subcontracts, and the unit performing the funded research for participating universities. University employee data are linked to internal Census Bureau data products, such as the Decennial Census, American Communities Survey, Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics database (LEHD), integrated Longitudinal Business Database, and other demographic information. Vendors paid by research grants are linked to the Business Register, Longitudinal Business Database, and the LEHD, providing researchers with a comprehensive view on the businesses associated with the production of scientific research.

The 2022 release will include information on more than $100 billion in research spending from nearly 500,000 funded awards at 80 campuses across the country. It will be available in Summer 2022.