Thank you for moving research forward

From: Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
Sent: Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, 2:45 p.m.
To: One KU research community

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past 18 months, researchers across the country have faced an extraordinary period of uncertainty. Shifting federal priorities, evolving requirements, delays in funding decisions and changes in the broader research landscape have created challenges for investigators at every career stage and in every discipline.

Yet throughout this period, the KU research community has remained remarkably resilient.

We are deeply grateful that so many of you continued to pursue new opportunities, develop ambitious ideas, build partnerships, mentor students and trainees, and submit proposals, even when the path forward was not always clear. Your commitment to discovery, scholarship, creativity and service has strengthened our research enterprise during a time when persistence mattered more than ever.

That commitment is reflected in your actions. Since January 2025, KU researchers across all campuses have submitted more than 3,000 proposals requesting approximately $2.9 billion in funding. These numbers represent far more than applications or dollars. They represent new ideas, new possibilities and a collective belief that research continues to matter and make a difference.

We have also seen researchers respond creatively to changing circumstances. Many have refined their research agendas to align with emerging funding priorities, explored support from foundations and other sponsors, leveraged internal seed funding to generate preliminary data and demonstrate feasibility, and developed new partnerships with community organizations, industry collaborators and colleagues across disciplines and campuses. These efforts have opened doors to new opportunities and expanded the impact of KU research.

While challenges remain, your adaptability, ingenuity and determination continue to position KU for success. The strength of our research enterprise has never rested on a single funding opportunity or sponsor. It rests on the talent, creativity and commitment of the people who drive discovery every day.

To recognize that spirit, we invited several researchers to engage in a recorded conversation about their experiences navigating this period of change and uncertainty. We hope their reflections and reasons for optimism resonate with your own experiences and serve as a reminder of what this community can accomplish together.

Thank you for continuing to move research forward. Thank you for supporting one another and mentoring the next generation of scholars. Most of all, thank you for pursuing new knowledge and discoveries that benefit Kansas, the nation and the world.

With gratitude,
Matthias & Shelley

Matthias Salathe
Chief Research Officer
& Senior Vice Chancellor

Shelley Hooks
Vice Chancellor for Research