January 29th, 2026

Strong research enterprises are built to operate through change, and sustained by the people who show up for the work every day.

At the University of Utah, our approach to research leadership is grounded in alignment: across faculty, staff, leadership, and partners, and through ongoing engagement beyond campus. This steadiness is intentional. It allows discovery to continue even as policies shift and external conditions evolve.

Advocacy for research is not episodic. It grows through long-term relationships, consistent participation in national conversations, and the trust earned by delivering complex, high-impact work. This work includes continued engagement with national partners and peers, including time this month in Washington, D.C., with the Association of American Universities (AAU). That foundation helps ensure researchers have the clarity, continuity, and support they need to focus on what matters most.

What I see across our research community is focus, professionalism, and care, for students, for colleagues, and for the work itself. Leadership’s role is to strengthen the systems around that work so it can move forward with confidence.

Thank you for the commitment you bring to research at the University of Utah. Together, we continue to build an enterprise that is resilient, forward-looking, and deeply aligned with our public mission.

Erin Rothwell, PhD
Vice President for Research