About the Office of Vice Provost for Research & Innovation

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The Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) at Vanderbilt oversees the advancement of the university’s research and innovation portfolio. OVPRI offers a suite of services, resources, and activities to catalyze and develop faculty-led research and innovation as well as build research and innovation partnerships with government, private sector, and non-profit entities. The office includes proposal development and sponsor relationship building support, internal funding programs to galvanize research and innovation, pre-award sponsored research services, entrepreneurship training, cross-college research centers and institutes, and technology transfer and commercialization across Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. To achieve its mission, the office collaborates deeply with faculty governance committees such as the Vanderbilt University Research Council (VURC).

Offices

  • Research Development and Support (RDS)

    RDS supports faculty members through coordination of funding opportunities, competitive proposal development, strategic development of sponsor relationships, and diversification of funding portfolios.

    RDS Resources

  • Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA)

    SPA provides university-level pre-award support for grant and contract proposals to external funding agencies, non-financial post-award administration and management support, pre-award data reporting, and management of the Vanderbilt Electronic Research Administration (VERA) system.

    SPA Resources

  • Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education (ACCRE)

    ACCRE is Vanderbilt's go-to resource for both high-performance computing and research IT services. The center supports a wide range of research fields and enhanced research-focused IT services.

    ACCRE Resources

  • Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC)

    RIC aids faculty, students, and staff in fulfilling regulatory, legal, and ethical research obligations. It also tracks federal regulations, oversees export compliance, and facilitates research involving Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC)

    RIC Resources

  • Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization (CTTC)

    CTTC’s mission is to provide professional commercialization services to the Vanderbilt community, thus optimizing the flow of innovation to the marketplace and generating revenue that supports future research activities, while having a positive impact on society. Services include assistance with invention disclosure, patenting, licensing, material transfer agreements, and support for new ventures involving Vanderbilt intellectual property.

    CTTC Resources

  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory Partnership

    Vanderbilt University is one of the core partner universities in association with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the U.S. Department of Energy’s largest science and energy laboratory conducting research in energy and security. This relationship offers opportunities for Vanderbilt University faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students to access ORNL’s world-class facilities as well as develop collaborations with ORNL researchers.

    Learn More About Our ORNL Partnership

OVPRI Leadership

  • Elizabeth J. Zechmeister, Ph.D., Senior Associate Provost for Research & Development and Interim Chief Research Officer
  • Richard Willis, Ph.D., Senior Associate Provost for Research Operations
  • Bob Webster, Ph.D., Senior Associate Provost for Commercialization & Technology Transfer

Governance

Working closely with faculty and staff, OVPRI governs university research through various committees, including environmental health and safety groups and the Vanderbilt University Research Council (VURC). Here is a list of all committees that work together to govern research at Vanderbilt:

Compliance Governance

Advisory Groups

  • Internal Awards Review Committee (IARC) - Visit the Internal Funding Programs page to learn more about internal awards, or email ovprfunding@vanderbilt.edu.
  • Vanderbilt University Research Council (VURC) - charged by Provost Cybele Raver, comprises faculty from all 10 colleges and oversees research planning and operations. It aims to foster growth, streamline administrative processes, and ensure compliance, while enhancing support services. The VURC also focuses on leveraging interdisciplinary research to improve external funding and elevate Vanderbilt's global research profile. Council members are distinguished experts known for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Members of the VURC