Earlier this year, the University of Vermont joined the ranks of the nation’s top-tier research institutions by achieving an R1 Research Activity Designation, cementing what the community already knew: UVM is a leader in world-class research. Last week, the Office of the Vice President of Research invited all students, staff, faculty, and the wider community to continue that celebration during its fourth annual Research Week.
From April 21st to the 25th, the UVM community experienced and celebrated a vibrant showcase of innovation, creativity, scholarship, and research across campus and disciplines. From undergraduate research and accessible Ph.D. level presentations to planetary health research slams and open houses at the Vermont Advanced Computing Center, Howe Library, and more, there were countless opportunities to learn about the groundbreaking research happening right now at UVM.
Electrify Vermont Summit
The 2025 First Annual Electrify Vermont Summit brought together various stakeholders working to electrify Vermont's heating, transportation, lawn care, and other sectors to address greenhouse gas emissions. Attendees explored the latest technologies, heard from experts, and networked to support electrification efforts and reduce emissions.
VACC Open House
The Vermont Advanced Computing Center — located in South Burlington — hosted an open house and tour, inviting members of the UVM community to learn about one of the most powerful computer clusters in the region.
WeR1UVM Celebration
The UVM community gathered on Wednesday to celebrate the university achieving its historic "R1" research designation — categorized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Vice President for Research Kirk Dombrowski, interim President Patricia Prelock, and researchers across disciplines spoke on the meaning and significance of R1 and what the future holds for UVM's research enteprise.
The UVM community gathered on Wednesday to celebrate the university achieving its historic "R1" research designation — categorized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Vice President for Research Kirk Dombrowski, interim President Patricia Prelock, and researchers across disciplines spoke on the meaning and significance of R1 and what the future holds for UVM's research enterprise.
Student Research Conference
UVM students from all disciplines are involved in meaningful research that is both fascinating and impactful. The annual Student Research Conference was an opportunity for them to share their research, creative endeavors, and scholarly activity to the broader UVM community; all while creating new connections and fostering a community of intellectual curiosity.
Three Minute Thesis Competition
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition challenged Ph.D. students to present their research in just three minutes and the aid of one slide. The competition assists Ph.D. students with fostering effective presentation and research communication skills: it asks Ph.D. researchers to consolidate their ideas, crystallize their research discoveries, and capture the imagination of their audience. Competitors were judged on comprehension, content, engagement, and communication. This year's winner was Leslie Spencer (pictured below), a PhD student in the Food Systems Graduate Program and Gund Fellow, who presented on saving wild bees.
Invention 2 Venture (I2V)
On Thursday, UVM Innovations hosted its annual Invention 2 Venture conference, which pulled together dynamic experts academic researchers, students, entrepreneurs and business leaders from across Vermont and New England to talk about how to protect, develop and finance the next generation of research and discovery. I2V also honored and awarded researchers, faculty, and staff for their invention disclosures and licensing achievements.
School of the Arts Celebration
The School of the Arts shared samples of the faculty and student research, scholarship, and creative work done across its programs in Studio Art, Music, Theatre, and Dance through exhibitions, performances, and presentations, including a performance by UVM's a capella group, Viridescent.
Planetary Health Research Flash Talks
On Friday, UVM Researchers from across campus and disciplines delivered three-minute flash talks on planetary health, an initiative that harnesses UVM’s existing strength in the health of human societies and the natural environment across the areas of education, research, policy, outreach, and service.
Library Open House
To finish Research Week, UVM Libraries hosted a special research open house to showcase the libraries’ services and resources that support research at UVM, like VR headsets, the writing center, a podcasting studio, and more.
Engage with Research
Participating in Research Week was a fantastic opportunity to learn about groundbreaking research, connect with the academic community, and support the pursuit of knowledge, but faculty, staff, and students can still engage with the research at UVM. Learn More About UVM Research
