By Xoel Cardenas, Sr. Communications Specialist for the Office of the Vice President for Research
Welcome to the U Groundbreakers Podcast, where the people of the University of Utah share their journey from idea to impact—one story at a time.
2025 was a demanding year for research leaders nationwide. From shifting federal priorities, to new compliance expectations and a fast-changing funding environment. For Dr. Erin Rothwell, Vice President of Research, 2025 was a year in which she navigated all of that while supporting faculty, strengthening infrastructure, and representing our university in Washington D.C.
In this episode, we sit down with VPR Rothwell and discuss several topics, including:
- Reflecting on 2025 and what the year taught her about leadership
- Traveling to Washington, D.C. on multiple occasions to build alignment with policymakers and federal partners
- What core strengths help make U researchers so innovative, collaborative, and able to continue to push important work forward
- Why the next five years will shape the next 20 and how U research is positioning itself to meet the moment
- What keeps her grounded and helps her reset
Click here to listen to the episode! Make sure to subscribe to the U Groundbreakers Podcast as we will share more stories from our incredible U of U research community. Find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
