Collaboration

The RDO excels at fostering interdisciplinary bonds by orchestrating diverse channels for collaboration. From campus-wide Innovation Labs and Ideas Labs to networking surveys and speed networking events, we strategically unite researchers, providing resources that catalyze connections, empower interdisciplinary synergy, and promote vibrant academic collaboration.

UI Research Services Fair

The Research Services Fair (RSF) is a vendor-style fair that provides an opportunity for researchers to learn about campus resources and services available for their research and scholarship activities. During the last RSF, over 60 campus units introduced their services to approximately 400 faculty, staff, and students. This year’s event will be hosted at Kinnick Stadium.

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Networking Surveys

To help facilitate networking and collaboration, the RDO has created Networking Surveys. The goal of the Networking Surveys is to create a directory to help identify potential collaborators for your ideas and projects. This collected information is being posted online, so that you may easily communicate with others as desired.

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Upcoming Networking Events

UI Research Services Fair

Thursday, October 8, 2026 12:00pm to 4:00pm

Kinnick Stadium

About the Research Services Fair

The Research Services Fair connects faculty, postdocs, staff, and trainees with the many resources available to support research and scholarship at the University of Iowa. This year's event will be hosted at Kinnick Stadium.

Fair Attendees Will:

Learn about campus’ cutting-edge instruments and technology as well as many other services available in support of funding applications and research programs

Interact with centers, institutes, core facilities, and other...

Winning Service Contracts and Grants Panel Session

Tuesday, November 3, 2026 9:00am to 10:00am

Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building

Unlike traditional research grants focused primarily on generating new knowledge, service-oriented awards support the delivery, implementation, expansion, or evaluation of programs and services for defined populations. These awards provide opportunities to apply university expertise to address community and agency needs and may differ from traditional research grants in how opportunities are identified, partnerships are developed, proposals are structured, and success is measured.

This session is...

Large Grant Development Opportunity Symposium

Thursday, November 12, 2026 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Iowa Memorial Union (IMU)

The OVPR invites the University of Iowa research community to the inaugural Large Grant Development Opportunity (LGDO) Symposium.

About the Symposium

The symposium highlights the progress of the inaugural cohort of LGDO Phase 1 awardees as they share how institutional investment has enabled them to develop ambitious interdisciplinary research initiatives.

Each research team will deliver a brief lightning presentation describing:

their research vision,

progress achieved during Phase 1,

lessons learned...

Training Grants: Developing Researchers, Strengthening Research

Friday, November 13, 2026 10:30am to 11:30am

Medical Education Research Facility

Training grants offer an opportunity to do more than support individual trainees. They can help faculty build research communities, strengthen graduate and postdoctoral training, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and expand institutional research capacity.

Join the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Graduate College for a faculty panel discussion exploring training grant opportunities across federal agencies, including the NIH T32, NSF EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program (EGFP...