Utah's Strength in Center Grants - and How We Build Them Together

One of the most defining features of research at the University of Utah is our ability to work at scale. Time and again, our faculty have demonstrated not only scientific excellence, but also the vision, leadership, and collaborative capacity required to build and sustain major research centers. Center-scale research deeply embedded in Utah’s research identity—and by how intentional we have been in supporting faculty who pursue these ambitious opportunities. Click to learn more about the University of Utah’s strengths in center grants from AVPR Jake Jensen.

Establishing the Joy Blatchford Memorial Staff Development Award

The University Utah community mourns the loss of Joy Blatchford, Director of the Research Pre-Award Unit and a cherished colleague, mentor, and friend. Joy passed away unexpectedly on November 20, leaving a profound void in the world of research administration—a field she not only served but helped shape. To honor her legacy, we are establishing the Joy Blatchford Memorial Staff Development Award, which will fund professional development awards for staff, administered through the University of Utah Staff Council. Click here to learn more or donate!

Whether you’re talking to a donor, a CEO, a federal program officer, a potential collaborator, or your neighbor, your ability to "translate" your brilliance determines your impact. Creating a foundational ‘pitch’ that you can quickly tailor to build support and interest across different audiences is key to generating funding and impact. Join Future Ready on March 6th for a hands-on webinar designed to help researchers strip away the jargon and build a flexible pitch that wins support.

NASA Overview Presentation + Talk (Open to all!)

Want to learn more about NASA? Please join us for a presentation and overview talk from NASA leadership. This event is open to all – students are highly encouraged to attend!

The Digital Engineering Conference (DICE) brings together experts and practitioners advancing the future of complex systems development. Over two days, explore breakthrough innovations in artificial intelligence, digital twins, advanced simulation, and collaborative engineering tools; connect with leaders from industry and government; and discover how digital engineering is accelerating innovation and solving critical challenges. Click to learn more about submitting an abstract for this event!

Center Grant Guides: Funding Mechanisms Across Federal Agencies and Foundations (NSF, NIH, DOE, NEH, NEA, and more!)

In general, center grants support large-scale, multidisciplinary, and long-term research programs by funding shared resources, specialized infrastructure and specialized facilities, and administrative structures. Unlike individual project grants, center grants foster interdisciplinary collaboration and cooperation among many investigators working on a common theme and/or provide infrastructure that boosts the efficiency of independence projects. The AVPR Office has created a series of center grant guides (linked below) to assist faculty in interested in pursuing center grants. These will be updated regularly with new information, as it is received.

Educator Fellowship Initiative – Talent Ready Utah

The Talent Ready Utah Educator Fellowship Initiative is a strategic workforce initiative designed to strengthen alignment between education and industry by immersing educators in high-skill workplace environments. Participating educators will spend one week embedded with a partnered industry employer to observe operations, technologies, workplace expectations, and emerging skill demands. The fellowship experience is intended to inform curriculum design and delivery, enhance classroom relevance, and support current and future programmatic workforce needs.

Request for Information for Mutually Beneficial Interdisciplinary Innovation Ecosystems

The Department of the Army is exploring a program supporting collaborative, multidisciplinary, fundamental research on innovation ecosystems. Specifically, it is interested in information from stakeholders on the science and practice to establish mutually beneficial partnerships in the form of innovation ecosystems with co-located technological sector that supports fundamental research at the intersection of science and technology, national security policy, innovation, and entrepreneurship as well as the relationships between partners.