Elevating Every Mind in Research
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) supports research, scholarship and creative work across all three campuses. We do this by launching initiatives and providing essential services that help researchers succeed.
Our goal is to actively create enabling contexts that expand access and create opportunities to address complex global challenges and improve lives.
To fulfill our mission to catalyze, support and safeguard U-M research – and our vision to serve the public good – we are building a dynamic environment fueled by bold ideas, a wide range of talents and many ways of thinking. When everyone in our research community has the support to contribute fully, we unlock innovation and create solutions that make a lasting difference in Michigan and beyond.
Why This Matters
Research excellence doesn’t emerge by chance—it’s cultivated. As OVPR catalyzes, supports and safeguards U-M research across all three campuses, we’re not only investing in ideas—we’re investing in people. Culture is the bridge between mission and execution. It shapes how we collaborate, communicate and make decisions.
It determines who thrives, defines how research ideas are generated and decides whose ideas move forward, and how effectively we meet the complex challenges of our time. When we build environments that reflect fairness, opportunity and collaboration, we not only elevate all individuals—we enhance the quality, reach and impact of U-M research.
Guiding Principles
OVPR will continue to advance our efforts to improve the experiences and increase the success of all research faculty and staff with the following guiding principles:
Dedication
Dedication to our mission is the driving force behind our pursuit of excellence, anchoring our commitment to supporting and catalyzing research that changes lives and improves the human condition. Our dedication ensures that we uphold the highest standards of academic excellence, integrity and respect. It compels us to develop research policies and practices that honor the dignity of every staff member, scholar, scientist, artist and innovator within our community.
Impact
Impact is the ultimate measure of our efforts. It drives us to move beyond ideas and into action, creating solutions that benefit communities, industries and policymakers. True research impact isn’t defined by publications, patents or grant dollars alone—it’s reflected in the trust placed in us to tackle society’s challenges and in how we ensure our work reaches those who need it most. Through this lens, every breakthrough becomes more than academic; it becomes a step toward a better future.
Collaboration
Collaboration is a catalyst for discovery and change. Progress in research depends not only on individual expertise but on the ability to work across disciplines, roles and perspectives. In OVPR, we prioritize connection and coordination, recognizing that the most transformative ideas often emerge from shared effort. By strengthening relationships within and beyond the university, we create the conditions for more ambitious questions, more creative solutions and more meaningful outcomes.
Empathy
Empathy for all we serve is at the heart of our research enterprise, which seeks to be both excellent and responsible. Empathy requires recognizing the challenge of limited access to and past exclusion from research opportunities, resources and career advancement. It calls us to work to actively create enabling contexts that ensure that every researcher and staff member, regardless of background, identity or institutional standing, has the support needed to contribute, innovate, lead and thrive.
Inspiration
Inspiration fuels innovation and discovery. In OVPR, we often draw inspiration from our research community’s unique talents and stories and celebrate the creativity that emerges from our collective experiences. We are inspired by the generation of new ideas and opportunities and committed to ensuring every member of our research community has the confidence and support to pursue them.
The Approach: Five Culture-Driven Priorities That Advance OVPR’s Mission
This strategy connects OVPR’s research mission to five core priorities that shape our internal workplace culture and our external impact across the research enterprise and beyond. These priorities are designed to align daily work with long-term, OVPR-wide goals, creating the conditions for people and ideas to thrive:
Align Operational Excellence and Research Impact Through Shared Expectations, Collaborative Research Practices and Workplace Culture
Our Why: To create a research enterprise where every person, process, and policy is optimized to accelerate discoveries that are consistently translated into real-world outcomes.
A shared sense of purpose begins with clarity, both within OVPR and in our service to the broader research community. Internally, we must define and reinforce consistent expectations around inter-unit collaboration, leadership, and operational excellence, ensuring that teams are aligned in how they catalyze, support, and safeguard U-M’s research mission. Externally, we must set and uphold clear standards for how we partner with faculty researchers, offering coordinated, high-quality support that enables discovery and innovation. By clarifying roles, responsibilities, decision-making processes, support mechanisms, and opportunities across all levels, we reduce friction, strengthen partnerships, and create the conditions for research teams and staff alike to thrive.
Strengthen the Research Culture by Expanding Access to Research Opportunities and Fostering a Culture of Belonging and Excellence
Our Why: To elevate both the quality and creativity of our research by drawing from a broader range of experiences, ideas, and perspectives.
Strong, trust-based relationships are essential to OVPR’s success within our teams and across the broader research community. Cultivating strong connections and responsive partnerships with research faculty helps ensure broad and transparent access to research support, resources, and collaboration opportunities. At the same time, investing in clear communication, coordination, and mutual support strengthens workplace culture and empowers staff to deliver their best. Trust, mutual respect, and a shared sense of purpose are not soft skills; they are strategic priorities that elevate research outcomes. By fostering environments where individuals feel valued and connected, we advance a culture of belonging and excellence across the entire research ecosystem.
Facilitate Talent Development and Broaden Pathways for Growth and Leadership Across the Research Ecosystem
Our Why: To cultivate a pipeline of visionary leaders and skilled contributors equipped to shape the future of research.
The advancement of innovative, transformative research at U-M depends on the myriad of talents and lived experiences of OVPR staff and faculty researchers. However, the pathways to growth, leadership, and lasting impact are not always visible or accessible. We must expand opportunities for professional development, leadership preparation, and career mobility to ensure that staff can contribute meaningfully and envision long-term futures within OVPR. These intentional efforts will promote everyday excellence, unlock potential, retain talent, and strengthen our collective capacity to lead transformative research.
Build Culture as Infrastructure for Research Excellence
Our Why: To build the internal capacity needed to support and safeguard research excellence and elevate both the quality and creativity of our research across all U-M campuses.
Behind every breakthrough, innovation, and discovery is a culture that makes it possible. Culture is the invisible infrastructure that shapes research excellence. It is the force behind how ideas are shared, how teams solve problems, and how people navigate complexity together. At OVPR, we recognize that research excellence depends not only on talent and resources but also on the values and habits that guide our daily work. Embedding culture into our operations means making culture a visible, intentional part of how OVPR operates, establishing shared expectations, building trust, and creating space for learning and improvement. When teams are aligned by purpose and empowered by values, we create an environment where integrity, innovation, and impact can thrive—day in and day out.
Elevate Accountability and Impact through Data and Storytelling
Our Why: To translate metrics into meaning and illuminate the human outcomes behind our research investments.
Research success and impact aren’t measured only by publications, patents, and grant dollars. They are a reflection of the trust placed in us to pursue solutions to problems impacting society, and of how we prioritize who sees and benefits from our work.
Advancing research with integrity and purpose requires clear accountability. By using data to track progress, identify gaps, and drive continuous improvement, we make our impact visible and our goals actionable. Storytelling brings this data to life, connecting metrics to real-world experiences and reinforcing the values that guide our efforts. Together, data and narrative align daily work with our broader mission, strengthening research outcomes, building a culture of transparency and trust, and deepening our collective commitment to making a meaningful difference.