Office of the Vice President for Research

By: Samantha Everton, Innovation & Research Communications Contributor A collaboration between the University of Utah, Penn State, and Colorado-based company Elementum 3D has been awarded funding through NASA’s Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I program. The team will work together to advance the science of cold spray additive manufacturing for high-temperature alloys that can be u…

Alightning strike on a patch of grass, choked dry by drought, can spark a fire in an instant and destroy hundreds of acres in minutes. Along the Wasatch Front, it’s likely someone would notice such a blaze and report it, but in rural Utah, wildfires often go unnoticed before they spiral out of control. A team at the Utah Education Network (UEN) and University of Utah is hoping to change that. In …

Research at the University of Utah is driven by a commitment to solving real-world problems, and improving lives in Utah and far beyond. That work often begins in moments that are easy to overlook: a new way of seeing a problem, a question that leads somewhere unexpected, or a discovery that opens the door to something more. Last week, we had the privilege of hosting the inaugural Images of Resea…

Top prizes honor the best distillation of research, scholarly, or creative work through a single, striking image at the inaugural competition Abbeylin Farnsworth – administrative manager and assistant to the dean, J. Willard Marriott Library Behind every data set, field note, and experiment lies a story of curiosity, creativity and persistence. The University of Utah celebrated those stories thro…

We recognize the concerns stemming from the recent Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandum (M-25-13), which calls for a temporary pause on federal financial assistance programs, including grant disbursements and new awards, effective January 28th, 2025 at 5:00pm EST. This directive applies to all federal agencies and is part of an effort to align federal spending with theAdministration’s…

Following our update on the recent Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo (M-25-13) that called for a temporary pause on federal financial assistance programs, we are updating the U research community based on the latest developments. Key Updates: Temporary Block: District of Columbia Federal judge Loren AliKhan temporarily blocked the order, until February 3rd, 2025, when a more permanent de…

Dear Colleagues, Please share this message within your respective college or department. We understand the recent concerns regarding federal funding agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH). While the situation may feel uncertain and take time to unfold, we encourage patience and optimism. As Utah’s leading public research institution and a distinguished R1 university, we remain stea…

U research leaders: Keep doing the science Senior leadership tells U faculty to keep seeking grants and hiring grad students as NIH funding battle winds through the courts. “In the face of potentially massive cuts in federal research funding, senior University of Utah leaders* met with nearly 900 faculty and other researchers at a virtual […]

Facilities and Administrative (F&A) rates are the mechanisms used to reimburse universities for the infrastructure costs (i.e. F&A costs associated with sponsored research and other sponsored agreements) related to research. F&A rates are essentially overhead rates, calculated as a percentage of the direct costs of sponsored projects, that are used to support and enhance campus-wide […

VPR Update: eRA Commons  Automatic NCE Link Update Information Available An update regarding eRA Commons has been posted on the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) website. Please visit OSP for details.

The Council of Government Relations (COGR) is an association of over 220 research universities, affiliated medical centers, and independent research institutes. Based in DC, they provide updates on federal policies and regulations affecting U.S. research institutions. On their site you will find information on current recommendations, F&A resources, and a link for the 2025 Administrative [&#8…

Today the VPR led a Town Hall, titled “Navigating the Next Research Frontier: Expectations and Opportunities.” A copy of the presentation and link to the survey available here. For the month of February, each Friday at 12:00 pm (MST) there will be a follow on discussion. Meeting Link Here

Key updates include: All October and November application deadlines will be rescheduled, with new dates to be announced in an upcoming Notice. Peer review and council meetings originally scheduled between October 1–November 14 were canceled and will be rescheduled. The eRA system remained open during the shutdown. RPPRs, FFRs, and other submissions made during this […]

Action Item: Please share broadly with interested faculty, staff, and research administrators. Research Community, On August 7, the White House issued an Executive Order to overhaul the federal grantmaking process. The directive will place political appointees at each agency in charge of grantmaking authority and steer funding toward “a broad range of recipients rather than […]

Research Community, Last week, during several meetings in DC, the message was unequivocally clear: we must keep pushing our research forward. Continue hiring graduate students and trainees, and look for opportunities to submit those bold, impactful proposals that improve health and society. This is a critical moment to press through uncertainty. Our Nation’s and our […]

Message from University of Utah President Taylor Randall, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Mitzi Montoya, Senior Vice President for Health Sciences Dr. Bob Carter and Vice President for Research Dr. Erin Rothwell In times of uncertainty, one thing remains clear: The power of research to illuminate the path forward. The University of Utah […]

Government Questionnaires & Unusual Agency Requests  It has come to our attention that the U.S. Government is sending questionnaires to award recipients, including some individual PIs. These surveys may ask about your specific project or University of Utah policies. If you receive such a questionnaire, please do not respond—even if the deadline seems urgent. Instead, […]

In light of the recent release of several funding pre-announcements associated with the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), there is a webinar this Friday, February 28th from 12:00-1:00 PM (MST) to prepare for FY2025 opportunities. Registration is required and can be submitted HERE.  The FY25 Defense Appropriations Bill has not been signed into law. […]

Action Item: Please share broadly with the U research community. Research Community, The court has granted the temporary restraining order that we requested in the lawsuit we filed on Monday morning challenging the Department of Energy’s imposition of a 15% cap on F&A for all grants to institutions of higher education. The government’s response is due on Tuesday, April […]

Action Item: Please share broadly with interested faculty, staff, and research administrators. Research Community, We want to make you aware of recent announcements from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) regarding funding for FY25. NCI has released updated guidance noting that, due to upfront funding constraints and ongoing budget […]