August 18th, 2026

As we begin a new academic year, it is a natural time to look ahead. Across the University of Utah, faculty, staff, and students are already asking what comes next: what problems we can solve, what questions remain unanswered, and what we might discover by pursuing them.

Research is how we move beyond what we already know. A new finding can change a field, open a new line of inquiry, or make something possible that was not possible before. Sometimes we rarely know at the outset where important research will lead, and that is precisely why universities need the space and capacity to pursue questions whose answers are not yet apparent.

At the U, discovery does not happen in isolation. Researchers work across disciplines, draw on shared expertise and infrastructure, and connect with industry, government, healthcare, and communities. Those connections don't just support research; they expand what questions we can ask and what problems we can solve.

What we learn changes our lives and, as a result, the world around us. Research and education help people develop the knowledge, judgment, and skills to solve difficult problems, create new things, serve their communities, and keep learning as the world changes. From that foundation come stronger organizations, a more capable workforce, new discoveries, economic opportunity, and better solutions to the challenges ahead for Utah's future.

Erin Rothwell, PhD
Senior Vice President for Research