UGA Research Institute

The UGA Research Institute (UGARI) serves as the organizational foundation for growing UGA’s applied research partnerships with U.S. mission agencies and industry. Created in Spring 2022, UGARI facilitates and supports research teams of faculty, research staff and students in meeting the needs and requirements of mission agencies and industry such that all participants receive value, long-term relationships are developed, and UGA programs benefit.

Organization Around Centers of Activity

UGARI’s objective is to facilitate research with multiple mission agencies and industries across multiple sectors. Given the common operational needs to execute effectively on contract work combined with the distinct applied research needs and requirements of different sponsor organizations, UGARI will be organized around a core of operational support functions, with centers of major sponsor-specific activity formed around that core. This enables UGARI to organically grow along with sponsor relationships, such as with DOE and DoD.

Savannah River Center of Activity

The Savannah River Center of Activity (SRC) is UGARI’s first center of activity and has the following vision and mission:

Vision

The UGARI-SRC will facilitate and sustain the growth of a vibrant and productive joint research, education and outreach ecosystem contributing to the missions of UGA, the Battelle Savannah River Alliance (BSRA), Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), and the Department of Energy (DOE).

Mission

To facilitate collaborative opportunities that allow UGA faculty to lead or participate in research supporting the SRNL mission for DOE and other stakeholders.
To assess and guide UGA in developing strategic areas of investment for faculty with joint appointment with SRNL.
To provide administrative support for faculty participating in collaborative SRNL research, including allocation of committed funding for graduate, undergraduate or postdoctoral personnel; allocation of available office and laboratory space and equipment at UGA’s Savannah River Ecological Laboratory (SREL); and coordination of available graduate student housing near the Savannah River Site.

Programs

We offer a set of programs for faculty to assist in building strong, long-term collaborative relationships with partners through our Research Collaboration Assistance Program (ReCAP).