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Announcements From the VPR

Research Insights

Hello & Welcome from the New VPR

First, let me say how thrilled and honored I am to be serving as the University of Georgia Vice President for Research. Having served as a UGA faculty member since 2016, I’m well aware of the quality of the work our faculty, staff and student investigators produce, and it’s a privilege to serve the UGA research community in this role.

Hello everyone,

First, let me say how thrilled and honored I am to be serving as the University of Georgia Vice President for Research. Having served as a UGA faculty member since 2016, I’m well aware of the quality of the work our faculty, staff and student investigators produce, and it’s a privilege to serve the UGA research community in this role.

Let me also acknowledge that we begin 2021-22 with some of the same uncertainty we faced a year ago. We’re all anxious about the ongoing pandemic and how it will affect our health and that of our families, students, friends—and, yes, our research programs. Many of you continue to face significant challenges to your work due to COVID-19. I can’t promise that I will erase those challenges in the weeks and months ahead, but I can pledge that the Office of Research (OoR) will do all we can to support you.

Over the past couple of years, there have been multiple surveys, gathering feedback on OoR processes and services—thank you to all of you who provided input—I’ve been carefully reviewing that data; much of this year will be devoted to being responsive to your suggestions and our own self-assessment. When we can fix or improve something, we will. When we’re unable to address a problem, I’ll be upfront about that and the reasons why.

Finally, I want to expand and improve our channels of communication to better exchange information and opportunities. We will spend this fall working on the major Office of Research internal communications vehicles, and every month I will send a personal message highlighting a process or policy improvement, spotlighting a particular OoR office or individual, explaining a research office function, or simply singing the praises of you, our terrific investigators, and the work you do.

Thank you again for the privilege of serving as UGA’s Vice President for Research. We are here in OoR to help you succeed. If you have a question or concern, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Karen Burg
Vice President for Research
Harbor Lights Chair in Biomedical Research