Discovery with Purpose

Reason For Action

AIM Statement

Redesign how USU aligns its research efforts around strategically focused, areas that address real-world challenges and advance Utah and national economic, environmental, and technological future.

Establish an institutional portfolio-based framework that aligns research expenditures, research-based graduate program growth, infrastructure investment, and external partnerships toward high-impact domains where USU has, or could develop, distinctive strengths.

Key Requirements

Solutions must include:

• Research domains must be aligned with National & Utah-first impact with measurable return
• Portfolio concentration must leverage and build upon existing strengths and develop new strategic strengths
• Research-based graduate program growth
• Investment decisions must be transparent and strategically justified
• Complementarity and partnerships with peer institutions must be intentional and visible
• Research metrics must balance funding volume with impact
• Evaluate return on public, private, and industry research investment (funding leverage, partnerships, workforce pipeline, economic contribution)
• Define how research visibility and impact extend beyond Logan
• Ensure research activities are conducted with a high level of integrity and ethical responsibility