RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Solving Societal Problems
Throughout every corner of the U—in labs, patient settings, classrooms, and field sites around the world—we are boldly exploring solutions to society’s toughest issues. Our campus is the birthplace of groundbreaking innovations such as the Jarvik Heart, the Utah Bionic Leg, new geothermal energy techniques being used at Utah FORGE, and affordable titanium manufacturing.
The seeds of revolutionary companies like Pixar, Adobe, and Myriad Genetics sprouted here. The university continues to serve as an epicenter for new technologies, treatments, and discoveries that have the power to change lives, and each day brings new ideas with transformative potential.
GOALS
- Diversify and grow our research portfolio
- Improve the quality and outreach of our research
- Accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship for societal impact
HOW WE’LL MEASURE SUCCESS
- Research expenditures of $1 billion annually
- Increased creative scholarship, publications, and awards
- Establishment of interdisciplinary centers of excellence
- Accelerated technology transfer and commercialization
HOW WE’RE MOVING FORWARD
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The Large Infrastructure Funding Team (LIFT) is designed to assist response teams for center, program, and other large-scale, interdisciplinary grant opportunities. LIFT supports these grants through a variety of proposal development activities, including team science facilitation, project management, document drafting and editing, graphic design, and coordination of internal and external reviews.
LIFT is designed to complement existing research development infrastructure on campus with the aim to enhance the bandwidth of existing embedded units and to support investigators who do not have access to this type of service in their college, branch, or unit.
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Research hubs, engines, and initiatives are interdisciplinary partnerships developing practical solutions to today's leading challenges. The U has created research hubs and engines in data science, aerospace, energy futures, peak water, USTEM research, critical minerals, and medical engineering. At University of Utah Health, critical initiatives include diabetes and metabolism, digital health, and genomic medicine.
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University of Utah Ventures, Powered by EPIC is a dedicated fund designed to accelerate the growth of early-stage technology companies emerging from the U. The fund provides researchers and entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and capital needed to bring transformative solutions to market. By combining the university's nearly $700 million in annual research funding with EPIC Ventures' expertise in scaling successful businesses, this partnership drives regional innovation and economic growth.
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The Innovation Awards and Celebrate U Research Awards highlight research, creative scholarship, and innovation. The Innovation Awards acknowledge faculty, researchers, and first-time inventors for significant achievements, including U.S. patents and startup endeavors that drive economic and societal progress. The Celebrate U Research Awards focus on specific areas of research, scholarship, and creative arts, providing a platform to showcase the breadth and impact of the university's scholarly efforts. These events recognize and showcase extraordinary faculty achievements, emphasizing their contributions to advancing knowledge, driving innovation, and impacting society.