Researching a Global Pandemic

Research to serve the world.

It is a simple phrase that illustrates our vision for research and scholarship at the University of Michigan. From social justice and driverless vehicle technologies to substance abuse and carbon neutrality, researchers across our three campuses use their passion and expertise to find solutions to the many important challenges facing our society.

The rapidly changing COVID-19 pandemic has transformed our lives in many ways, including the way in which our research enterprise operates. But when the novel coronavirus prompted the university to temporarily pause activity, our community once again exemplified its commitment to serving the world through research and scholarship.

Researchers across disciplines collaborated to identify treatments for the virus, improve personal protective equipment and explore how COVID-19 has exacerbated health inequities within our communities. These are indeed challenging times, but the generation of scientific knowledge across our campuses will continue to play a critical role as we work together to find solutions to this pandemic.

COVID-19 is just one example of our ongoing contributions to the public good, and I am confident the university is well prepared to meet many other challenges that we face in this world of rapid change.

I encourage you to learn more about the impact and importance of research and scholarship led by U-M in our Fiscal Year 2020 Research Annual Report.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Cunningham, M.D.
Vice President for Research (2019 – March 31, 2024)