 MIT was elected to the Association of American Universities in 1934 and remains a research university with a very high level of research activity ; research expenditures totaled $ 718 @.@ 2 million in 2009 . The federal government was the largest source of sponsored research , with the Department of Health and Human Services granting $ 255 @.@ 9 million , Department of Defense $ 97 @.@ 5 million , Department of Energy $ 65 @.@ 8 million , National Science Foundation $ 61 @.@ 4 million , and NASA $ 27 @.@ 4 million . MIT employs approximately 1300 researchers in addition to faculty . In 2011 , MIT faculty and researchers disclosed 632 inventions , were issued 153 patents , earned $ 85 @.@ 4 million in cash income , and received $ 69 @.@ 6 million in royalties . Through programs like the Deshpande Center , MIT faculty leverage their research and discoveries into multi @-@ million @-@ dollar commercial ventures . 
