Supporting Research Excellence Across ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½
Dear members of ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s research community,
As we forge ahead through an academic year of opportunity, excitement and, to be sure, some unknowns, I want to thank you for your contributions to this important community and share how we are enhancing support for faculty, research staff, research administrators, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students. Across our laboratories, libraries, clinics, archives, studios and field sites, your curiosity and dedication make discovery possible. Our strength comes from the depth of our disciplines and the connections among them. Scientific and technological advances, humanistic inquiry, social science research and creative practice all contribute to ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s excellence.
²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s 175th year invites us to celebrate our research legacy and invest in what comes next. Through , the University is creating opportunities for donors to strengthen endowed professorships and research, helping us attract, support and recognize exceptional faculty. This fundraising initiative has already raised more than $85 million for critical resources that will advance the teaching and scholarship of our faculty as we look to the future.
We build on a strong foundation. In Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026), ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ researchers secured more than $1 billion in sponsored awards for the fourth consecutive year, supporting inquiry about the fundamental laws of nature, improving health, and driving innovation and the economy. These accomplishments also reflect Eric Perreault’s leadership as vice president for research during much of FY 2026 and the expertise and dedication of the Office for Research (OR) team and research administrators across our schools.
Investing in discovery across disciplines
The University’s underscore continued support for research and creative work across disciplines.
The ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ Nexus Lab Awards will provide selected interdisciplinary teams with $250,000 each over 12 to 18 months to develop ambitious research programs and compete for major external funding. Interested faculty can scheduled for 1-2 p.m. CST on Nov. 2. President Chiang will deliver opening remarks. are due by Nov. 30. Additional details, including submission instructions, are available on the .
The new , led by Michelle Shumate, the Delaney Family University Research Professor, will help our researchers and community organizations build lasting partnerships grounded in shared questions and community priorities. Both initiatives recognize that high-impact collaborations require time, trust and institutional support.
Brian Mustanski, associate vice president for research in the social sciences, humanities and arts, will lead a study identifying ways to strengthen research excellence in the visual and performing arts. This work will begin immediately, through conversations with faculty and academic leaders across relevant departments and ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s distinctive arts institutions and programs, including the Block Museum of Art, the Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts, the School of Communication and the Bienen School of Music’s Institute for New Music. Additionally, a pilot expansion of the Office of the Provost’s 2026-27 Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts Grant will provide further support for faculty projects. These investments support work that deepens our understanding of human experience, challenges assumptions, and offers new ways to interpret and shape the world.
Further investment in the in the coming year will support a targeted 50% increase in undergraduate participation in formal research opportunities. Faculty mentoring makes these experiences possible, helping students learn how knowledge is created, tested and shared while bringing fresh perspectives to research.
Strengthening research support and resilience
We are strengthening ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s research support to help our community remain competitive and resilient in a changing environment. September’s advance that work. The vice president for research now reports directly to the president, with a dotted-line relationship to the provost. In addition to Brian Mustanski’s expanded role, Lisa Dhar is providing interim leadership for Industry Partnership and Economic Development, including the Office of Corporate Engagement, in continued partnership with Alumni Relations and Development. The new office is being designed to give faculty a “one-stop shop” for coordinated support throughout the industry research partnership lifecycle, from identifying potential partners and developing collaborative projects to navigating agreements and advancing discoveries toward practical application. Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano’s broader responsibilities leading the Office for National Laboratories and Federal Agencies will strengthen ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s federal partnerships.
The new unites our pre- and post-award teams to improve coordination, clarify accountability and reduce avoidable handoffs. By forming this new united office, we hope to provide consistent and expedient support to faculty. Existing processes and points of contact remain unchanged for now as we work through the merger. We will communicate proactively as this work progresses and welcome your feedback at research@northwestern.edu.
These efforts take on added importance as federal agencies and policymakers reconsider how research is funded, administered, evaluated, secured and shared. Changing requirements and funding uncertainty can complicate project planning and add to administrative workloads. OR works with partners across the University to interpret these developments, advocate for ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s research needs and provide timely, practical guidance. Faculty, University leaders, peer institutions and national associations help inform this work.
We will continue to adapt our support and develop capabilities that help researchers navigate challenges and pursue emerging opportunities. We will also share updates through the Responding to Federal Policies website and other communications.
Across these efforts, our goal is to help you do your best work while upholding the integrity that earns public trust.
Thank you for the questions you pursue, the knowledge you create, and the care you bring to mentoring students and supporting one another. Your results give these investments their purpose. I look forward to what we will accomplish together this year.