About

Who We Are

The Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors (OVPR) provides strategic support to facilitate Department of Defense (DOD) research on the UT Austin campus. OVPR has a dedicated staff who engage with campus researchers and the defense innovation ecosystem to advance scientific discovery for the unique requirements of the DOD.

Research is conducted on UT Austin’s flagship Main Campus, home to 18 colleges and schools, and off-campus sites such as the 475-acre J.J. Pickle Research Campus (PRC) which features a Secure Research Environment available to faculty for projects requiring additional information assurance.

OVPR oversees the Applied Research Laboratories (ARL:UT), a Department of Defense University-Affiliated Research Center (UARC) and separate organized research unit (ORU). ARL:UT, the largest ORU at UT Austin, has a 78-year history of world-class research and expertise. Its facilities are located at the PRC and Lake Travis.

What We Do

• Steward UT campus DOD research partnerships with military departments and defense agencies including the Air Force, Army, Navy, Space Force, DARPA, DTRA and others. Interface with emerging nexus of DOD related endeavors in Austin, TX.
• Connect researchers to DOD needs, gaps, and project funding to bring world leading problem solvers to the nation’s toughest challenges.
• Provide comprehensive proposal development services for complex, center-scale DOD proposals through OVPR's Research Development Unit.
• Advise on best practices for financial management of DOD research projects.
• Assist investigators with security requirements for research that may require information assurance protections. This assistance is provided through OVPR's Office of Research Support and Compliance.
• Provide seed funding to stimulate research partnerships between Main Campus investigators and ARL:UT through the Creating Connections for National Security program.