As an urban, public research university, UWM serves southeastern Wisconsin by fostering and supporting research with a significant regional, national and international impact.

Campus-Level Research Support

The Office of Research and the UWM Research Foundation provide campus-level support for research that enhances the mission of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and spurs economic growth. Their complementary services span the spectrum of research activities, from linking research ideas to potential sponsors through funded projects to the commercialization of research innovations.

Research support services fall into three major areas:

  • The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) provides administrative support for sponsored projects, including proposal development and submission, award acceptance, and post-award administration. OSP also supports the transfer of technology to the marketplace, and develops policies that protect investigators, subjects, and the institution.
  • The UWM Research Foundation (UWMRF) support commercialization and management of intellectual property by providing consultations on industry partnerships, assessing and protecting intellectual property, and assisting with the commercialization of research.
  • Internal grants that support early-phase research, such as the Research Growth Initiative (RGI) and the Research and Creative Activities Support (RACAS) programs, and support for Collaborative Team Development. UWMRF also provides targeted support for collaboration with corporate partners through its Catalyst Grant program.

Within Academic Affairs, additional research support is provided by:

  • The UWM Graduate School works with academic programs to recruit and develop graduate students. The Graduate School also funds travel awards for graduate students to present their creative scholarly activity.
  • The UWM Office of Undergraduate Research offers a range of programs to link undergraduate students with faculty mentors. Programs include funding for students research and travel grants to support presentation of their work.
  • Nearly 100 UWM Research Centers and Institutes support collaborative research, scholarship, and outreach programs that generate millions of dollars of extramural research awards each year, advancing the mission of the centers and institutes and the University.

 

Research Initiatives

One of UWM’s strategic goals is to grow the university’s research profile. This will require expanding our interdisciplinary research activities and external collaborations with our regional partners. This goal leads to a series of ongoing initiatives:

  • Developing data analytics to assess our research outcomes and help frame resource allocation decisions.
  • Extending proposal development activities to connect potential research teams and facilitate the submission of excellent multi-PI projects.
  • Making targeted investments to develop new interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations and expand current partnerships.
  • Planning and constructing new research facilities, and managing current space to allow the full development of current research programs and interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research.
  • Evaluating our current research compliance infrastructure in light of current requirements, and creating policies and procedures that are easier to understand and implement.