Office of the Vice President for Research |

Research Initiatives

The University of Minnesota is a top-10 public research institution conducting breakthrough research across a broad range of fields and disciplines. Our researchers improve our understanding of the world, and they help facilitate technologies and ideas that improve our quality of life. OVPR supports several research initiatives and promotes the University's research mission.

COVID-19 Innovations

The Technology Commercialization team is aiding the fight against COVID-19 by moving relevant innovations into the marketplace, connecting potential industry partners with researchers, and adopting licensing guidelines that aim to expedite solutions that address the pandemic.

COVID-19 Innovations

blue and yellow graphic with an outline of the state of Minnesota: MnDRIVE; Minnesota’s Discovery, Research and InnoVation Economy

MnDRIVE at 5

MnDRIVE is a landmark partnership between the University and the state of Minnesota. After five years, MnDRIVE research initiatives are showing tangible results, elevating the University's research profile in key areas and connecting with Minnesota's communities and its economy.

Learn more about MnDRIVE at 5

Learn more about the impact of University of Minnesota research and its role in advancing innovation and fostering economic development in the region. View research statistics.

9th

among US public research institutions

$1.04B

in systemwide research expenditures

87

COVID-19 rapid response grants awarded

From Inquiry

Explore the impact of research on our world.

View More from Inquiry

Interior of a library, with chairs, tables, a computer, and shelves of books

Reimagining How to Provide County Services in the Time of COVID

July 29, 2020

by Kevin Coss

Design researchers are exploring new ways for counties to provide equitable and safe access to social services, legal services, permits, and more.

Categories:

Research & Discovery

Drawing Renewable Resources from Organic Waste

July 28, 2020

by Kevin Coss

BioTechnology Institute researchers, supported by MnDRIVE Environment, are using anaerobic digestion to turn food waste into heat, energy, and fertilizer.

Categories:

Research & Discovery

News & Announcements

View More Research News & Announcements

UMN Program Supports Digital Tech Applied to Arts and Humanities

Sep 8, 2020

Research Computing, a department of the Office of the Vice President for Research, is one of nine UMN units that make up Digital Arts, Sciences & Humanities (DASH), a program that supports faculty and students who employ digital technologies in their research, teaching, and engagement work.

VPR Cramer Receives American Chemical Society Arthur C. Cope Late Career Scholars Award

Sep 1, 2020

Vice President for Research Christopher J. Cramer has received a 2021 American Chemical Society (ACS) Arthur C. Cope Late Career Scholars Award, recognizing his excellence in organic chemistry.

$26 Million NSF Grant to Establish New Engineering Research Center: ATP-Bio

Aug 4, 2020

The University of Minnesota Institute for Engineering in Medicine and academic collaborators have received a $26 million National Science Foundation grant to establish a new Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Advanced Technologies for the Preservation of Biological Systems (ATP-Bio).