During 2006–07, SMU received $20.53 million in external funding for research and sponsored projects. Current projects include:

• research into new polymers for use in treatment of Type 1 diabetes that can intelligently detect high glucose levels in the bloodstream and automatically release insulin as needed

• investigation of plant life and geological history in Ethiopia to find new data on past and future climate change

• a large-scale study of the use of breathing exercises developed for panic-disorder sufferers to gauge their potential effectiveness in asthma treatment

• research into ways of using heat transported from deep oil and gas wells to generate electricity

• Project SUPPORT, a program designed to help abused women and families begin new lives, recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice as one of the 15 “most promising practices” nationally in helping children exposed to violence

• development of verification methods for electronic devices that can identify and debug potential hardware failures before they occur