October 20, 2025
In a rapidly changing world, the nations that prioritize research will be the ones that thrive. By supporting research at the University of Utah, you’re not just funding the pursuit of knowledge, you’re investing in America’s ability to adapt, to lead and to thrive in the face of any challenge.
That truth was evident last week during our Innovation Awards, where we recognized inventors and innovators whose work is transforming ideas into impact. Each patent, partnership, and discovery represents Utah ingenuity at work, research that strengthens our economy, improves the human experience and safeguards our future. The scale of that impact is reflected in the University’s latest analysis, Research Powers Utah’s Future, showing how $734 million in research expenditures supported over 12,700 jobs and generated $1.6 billion in statewide economic output in FY25.
Research also helps us better understand each other. Our upcoming Disagree Better: Research on Dialogue & Debate panel brings together scholars from law, psychology, and policy to explore how evidence-based research can improve the way we communicate across differences, an area of growing global importance.
National updates continue to shape our research landscape, from federal shifts in FY27 priorities around AI, biotechnology, and energy to renewed discussions on academic freedom and public accountability. In the midst of change, the U’s research enterprise remains clear in its direction. The VPR Strategic Plan 2025–2030 calls us to accelerate interdisciplinary partnerships, expand translational impact and engage more boldly in challenges of national consequence.
We’re aligning our strengths across the full continuum of discovery; from foundational scholarship and basic science to translation, commercialization, and creative expression in the humanities and arts. Because research excellence is not defined by a single outcome. It is built on the rigor of scholarship, the curiosity that drives inquiry, and the courage to turn discovery into solutions that serve society. Across this spectrum, one message remains clear: research is not a luxury. It is the foundation of a secure, healthy, and prosperous society — one that we build together, one discovery at a time.
Thank you for advancing discovery with integrity and imagination. Your work ensures that what we discover today continues to shape a better tomorrow.
Erin Rothwell, Ph.D.
Vice President for Research
University of Utah
