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Sep 2 - Jan 1

A Busy Fall: VPR Research Resources and Events

Announcements
Dear Research Community, We have a busy fall packed with resources and events. I wanted to provide a single announcement to highlight some of these opportunities. If you scan the list below, you will find numerous items that fit your research program. I hope your fall is off to a great start, Jake   VPR Programs The Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR) runs numerous programs that support faculty from internal funding to grant training. Recently, AVPR Jakob Jensen presented a virtual town hall where researchers could “Learn about VPR Programs” including:     The presentation was recorded. You can watch the video here. The power point for the talk can be found here: AVPR Slides_Come Learn About VPR Programs This same information is available at the following link: https://www.research.utah.edu/funding-item/learn-about-vpr-funding-programs/ The talk highlighted numerous VPR supported research events for Fall 2025. Each of those events is described below.   Fall VPR Supported Research Events  

Lighting Talk Event: “Individual Reproductive Health and Beyond – Innovations in Community, Family, and Maternal-Child Dyads” We invite all interested individuals to submit lightning talks on new research and burgeoning ideas that would benefit from collaborative, cross-campus research. This event will follow up on the Reproductive Health Working Group Kickoff and is particularly interested in research that explores issues beyond the individual. This may be an exploration of community—or family-level interventions and outcomes or maternal-child dyads. Researchers with established work in Reproductive Health are also invited to submit “research in progress” to provide updates on their work or share any issues that would benefit from collaboration or brainstorming. If you have previously presented a reproductive health lightning talk, we encourage you to attend and present with updates.

   

  Lightning Talk Event: “Utah’s Unique Data Powerhouses” Please join us for the upcoming Utah’s Unique Data Powerhouses Lightning Talk event, a fast-paced and engaging forum designed to showcase Utah’s Unique Data Resources and spark interdisciplinary collaboration across the university. This event is more than a showcase of health data, it’s a celebration of the diverse ways data can inform, inspire, and innovate across fields. Whether you're a data scientist, a health services researcher, public health expert, artist, designer, historian, or engineer, this is your opportunity to explore how data intersects with your work and to connect with others doing the same.

 

  Neuroscience & Computing Working Group Retreat Please join us for a follow-up retreat for the Neuroscience & Computing Working Group. This effort is being coordinated alongside Rajeev Balasubramonian and Jim Heys who are serving as leaders of this initiative. The aim is to foster collaboration at the intersection of Neuroscience and Computing, potentially drawing on faculty expertise in several disciplines. The main pillars of this initiative are: Neuromorphic Computing and Principles of Computational Neuroscience.

 

Autism Research Working Group Retreat Please join us for a 3-hour Autism Research Working Group Retreat to bring the University of Utah Autism research community together. With this event, we hope to identify related and existing areas of strength on campus, hear lightning talks from active researchers in this space, and discuss emerging research opportunities in this area. The goal of this event is to help mobilize potential research teams on these topics.

 

Arts & Health – 2025 Kick-off & Updates The Arts & Health Innovation Lab and the Office of the Vice President for Research are excited to announce the Arts & Health – 2025 Kick-Off & Updates event! The Arts & Health Innovation Lab & Working Group is a catalyst of interdisciplinary research, teaching, clinical care, and community engagement at the intersection of the arts and health. The main areas of focus include: 1) Arts-Based Research & Community Engagement, 2) Performance Science, 3) Earth Science, 4) Mindfulness, Mental Health, & Arts, 4) Creative Aging. We invite faculty and students with an interest in engaging in these topics and to learn more about the efforts within this research space.

   

Housing Working Group Kick-off Event In coordination with the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Housing Working Group is excited to organize an informal 90-minute kick-off event. Our mission is to break down academic silos by connecting scholars engaged in housing-related research, facilitating data sharing, and cultivating partnerships that drive impactful inquiry. By leveraging our diverse expertise and perspectives, the collaborative aims to generate actionable insights and inform policy, practice, and community outcomes in Utah and beyond.

 

Distinguished Visitor from the Harry Ransom Center Please join us for an exciting campus visit from Dr. Benjamin Gross, John Merritt Associate Director for Research Services at the Harry Ransom Center! Dr. Gross will be giving an overview presentation of the Ransom Center and the programs/resources they offer. The Ransom Center is an internationally renowned humanities research center at The University of Texas at Austin. Their extensive collections provide unique insight into the creative process of some of our finest writers and artists, deepening the understanding and appreciation of literature, photography, film, art, and the performing arts.   Dr. Gross’ visit to the University will include a presentation and Q&A on the Harry Ransom Center’s history, collections, and research fellowships. This presentation will take place from 11:00am – 12:00pm (MST) at the Marriott Library for interested faculty, staff, and students. Registration is required for this event and can be submitted HERE. Dr. Gross will also host more focused faculty small group meetings in the afternoon on October 3rd to further discuss the Center, its collections, and other opportunities for engagement. Faculty can indicate their interest in joining a small group meeting on their registration.   Details below!

   

Save-the-Date: Quantum Research Opportunities Event In coordination with the Quantum Working Group, the Office of the Vice President for Research is excited to organize and host an event regarding Quantum Opportunities on October 13th, 2025. We will hear from Dr. Carleton Coffrin who will present on “The Emerging Potential of Quantum Computing for Materials Discovery”. The presentation will take place from 2:00pm - 3:30pm. Registration is required and can be submitted HERE. Space is limited.   Carleton Coffrin is a staff scientist in Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Advanced Network Science Initiative. His research interests focus on how optimization algorithms can be applied to applications on infrastructure networks. His background spans many forms of optimization including mathematical programing, constraint programming, and local search. Recently Carleton has been exploring online learning via open-online courses and youtube videos as well was novel computing architectures such as, quantum computers, neuromorphic computers and memristors.  

     

Lightning Talk Event: “AI and National Security” Advancing AI technology, its applications, and promoting data privacy and security are priorities for both our nation and our state. Together, experts in AI, data, and cyber security will be able to catalyze responsible innovation through public-private partnerships and accessible infrastructure. The Office of the Vice President for Research and the One-U Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) Initiative are excited to host a 90-minute AI and National Security Lightning Talk event. We will hear lightning talks from active researchers in this space, identify related areas of strength, and discuss emerging research opportunity in this area. The goal of this event is to help mobilize potential research teams on these topics. We invite faculty with active research in this area to present lightning talks that relate to advancing the field in the following areas: 1) Data Privacy and Security, 2) AI & Data, 3) Cybersecurity, 4) Responsible Technology Innovation

   

Panel Event: “Disagree Better – Research on Dialogue & Debate” The Office of the Vice President for Research is excited to organize the upcoming event “Disagree Better: Research on Dialogue & Debate”. Disagreement is a common occurrence and vital to meaningful conversation. Yet, humans often struggle to disagree in ways that advance communication. To that end, researchers across the University of Utah are engaged in research to advance our understanding of dialogue and debate so that we can disagree better. We will hear presentations from the identified panel and engage in thought-provoking discussion.   Panel: Michael K. Middleton, Department of Communication Samantha Ball, Kem C. Gardner Institute Nicolas Parra-Herrera, S. J. Quinney College of Law Samantha Moore-Berg, Department of Psychology  

   

Save-the-Date: Future of Food Working Group Horizon Scan – Identifying Priority Research Questions and Funding Priorities The Future of Food Working Group will be conducting a horizon scan to determine the most current research questions that link to food, ultra-processed foods, and food sovereignty. This horizon scan will follow an established, systematic process to reach consensus on emerging knowledge frontiers and critical challenges in food and nutrition research. We are looking for facilitators for breakout sessions, panel discussants, and lightning talk presenters. Details coming soon!

  • Date: Thursday, November 13th – Friday, November 14th
  • Time: TBD
  • Registration Link: Coming soon!
   

Imagined Futures Panel Event The future only exists in our imagination. Thus, scholars at the University of Utah have utilized imagination as a driving force to articulate and shape our future. From creative writing to theater to video games, University of Utah creative scholars have visualized our world in new and powerful ways. The Office of the Vice President for Research is excited to host a 90-minute “Imagined Futures” event designed to showcase creative excellence, inspire new projects, and foster conversation about the future. For this event, select University of Utah scholars will be asked to present their work that imagines possible futures. The event also serves as a kick-off for an Imagined Futures Initiative which will showcase and support research and creative efforts to conceptualize the world of tomorrow.   Panel: Rogelio E. Cardona-Rivera, Division of Games Kenneth Collins, Film & Media Arts Lisa Swanstrom, Department of English