Our stories. Your impact.

Gretchen Dietrich wants everyone to feel welcome at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts   The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) is working hard to meet people where they are and engage them in the wonder of art in a whole new way. Trained as an art historian and a lifelong art museum professional, Gretchen is committed to helping break down both the stigmas and barriers associated with the artworld. So it’s important to her that the U’s art museum serves the entire community—the campus, the city, and the state of Utah as a whole. “We’re working really hard…

Anke Friedrich BS’90 MS’93 is an endowed professor of geology at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich where she established a Master’s degree program in geology, led international student field trips involving U students, and set up student exchange programs with several international institutions, including the U. She is an adjunct professor at the U’s Department of Geology & Geophysics and in 2019 she received the department’s Distinguished Alumni Award. She played a crucial role in establishing one of the world’s first continuously operating space-geodetic networks, which served to monitor the tectonic activity around Yucca Mountain, the then-proposed nuclear waste repository site.…

For the tenth year in a row, research funding hit another landmark year, reaching $768 million in fiscal year 2023.

Bryan Hubain makes it his mission to help U of U students achieve their dreams   When Bryan Hubain, Ph. D. looks back on his childhood, the events that transpired—and profound, meaningful experiences—have informed who he is today. One of these experiences inspires some of his work at the University of Utah. During moments of his childhood on the island of St. Lucia, Bryan Hubain did not always have access to food. There were times when stale or moldy bread was all that was available. His mother would get creative by scraping the mold off, adding butter and cheese, and…

One person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease—and adults living in rural areas have a 19 percent higher risk of developing heart failure. Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the US since 1950 but thinking about two people dying nearly every minute because of it makes a statistic most Americans have heard at some point in their life feel quite startling. While these CDC statistics don’t appear to be going away any time soon, there is hope in science—particularly in the lab of Dr. Sarah Franklin. Dr. Franklin runs one of…

As the shrinking Great Salt Lake exposes an ever-growing area of its lakebed, wind-blown dust becomes more dangerous for those living in Utah’s most populous region. It also makes the snowpack dirty, which threatens the state’s most precious resource—water. In a new study, University of Utah researchers analyzed the impact of dust on snow during the 2022 season. They found that 2022 had the most dust deposition events and the highest snowpack dust concentrations of any year since observations began in 2009. The dust caused the snowpack to disappear 17 days earlier than if no dust had been deposited. The…

State's flagship to move away from "research for research's sake" and partner more with industry to get innovations into the marketplace.

A new documentary film produced by University of Utah Health tells the story of Jenna Murray, an Eastern Shoshone, and her journey to empowerment and reconnection with her roots.

Six-Time World Champion Bareback Rider Kaycee Feild discusses the importance of managing your mental wellbeing and how he lives “8 seconds at a time”. Love, Your Mind is a collaboration between the Huntsman Mental Health Institute and The Ad Council.

Since the launch of the reimagined U Career Success Center, Vice President Katie Hoffman-Abby and her team have accelerated their outreach to serve ever more students.

Perfectly preserved skin from a fossil of Zuul crurivastator, a dinosaur named after the dog from Ghostbusters, gives unprecedented insight into the social behavior of the dinosaurs.

The U continues to rise toward excellence, with an even stronger reputation as one of the nation’s leading research universities.

The University of Utah mourns the loss of David Pierpont Gardner, 10th president of the university. Gardner served in the role from 1973 to 1983 and led the U through a period of significant progress and growth.

World-renowned professor Marjorie Chan helps shape the future in Utah’s own backyard   When Marjorie Chan, distinguished professor of geology, describes 41 years of teaching and scholarship at the University of Utah, she talks about stories and books: “For a geologist, looking at a landscape is like reading a book. You follow the story as you uncover details and discover clues left behind,” she says. “It’s a lot like solving a detective mystery. You look for clues to experience the story it tells—and can learn what happened tens to hundreds of millions of years ago.”   Tales about the earth’s…

Paleontologist Randy Irmis seeks to solve mysteries dating back 300 million years. In August, he received a Fulbright Fellowship for collaborative research in Argentina.

The Presidential Scholar award supports the work of exceptionally promising mid-career faculty in academic units across campus by providing $10,000 in funding each year for three years to the award winners.

The American Psychological Association found that more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health program based on its Healthy Mind survey, which included the University of Utah. And earlier this year, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for action to address what he described as an “epidemic of loneliness.”  Loneliness, isolation and lack of social connection is a public health crisis, he said, experienced by about half the adults in the U.S., with impacts on physical and mental health. This is especially true among college-age people, the report said. Such findings are no…

The U’s Master of Legal Studies program helps strengthen communities through legal education   Carolynn Clark wants to make it possible for anyone to obtain a legal education.   Recognized with the prestigious 2022 Utah Council on Conflict Resolution’s peacekeeper award, Clark exemplifies the significance of ensuring legal accessibility for all. In addition to her role as a pro bono and reduced-fee mediator for divorce and family disputes at Utah Dispute Resolution, she imparts her expertise through teaching mediation and conflict resolution to both juris doctorate (JD) and MLS students at the S.J. Quinney College of Law. Carolynn’s experience in…

Professor Brenda Bowen examines what the traces left by an ever-changing planet can tell us about what’s to come   As a professor of geology and geophysics, Brenda Bowen wants her students to understand how long the planet Earth has been around and that there’s nothing static about its surface or subsurface. “Our planet is 4.6 billion years old and, throughout that time, it’s been continually changing. The only constant is change,” Bowen says. “The current configuration of where continents, mountains, and oceans are is just this moment in time.” Bowen is the chair of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences…

Through their creative excellence, artists, performers and scholars from this storied college have made significant impacts at the U and across the entire state of Utah.

After more than 50 years of sending interns to Washington, D.C., the University of Utah is officially opening a permanent physical home in the nation’s capital.

Right now, every dollar you donate up to $60,000 will be doubled by the President’s Match and tripled by the Trustees’ Triple Match, turning the first $60,000 we raise into $180,000 for scholarships.

The award recognizes his ongoing support and mentorship for the University of Utah’s Veteran Support Center (VSC).

Dean Elizabeth Kronk Warner was interviewed in a Washington Post article about U.S. News & World Report‘s annual law school rankings and Yale Law School’s 2022 decision to stop cooperating with the publication.

For far too long, oral health has been seen as a status symbol in this country. Having a healthy smile is considered a luxury, not a necessity.

Coming in at No. 1, the University of Utah is now the highest-ranked public college in the West, according to the Wall Street Journal’s latest round of rankings of U.S. universities.

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, qualifying candidates for president of the United States will take center stage at Kingsbury Hall for a moderated debate to be broadcast on all major television networks.

Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, a 1985 graduate of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah, was confirmed Tuesday by the U.S. Senate as the 16th Director of the National Institutes of Health

The University of Utah Food Drive, organized by the Student Alumni Board (SAB), is a longstanding tradition at the U. Started over 40 years ago, SAB is a campus organization with a focus on philanthropy, leadership development and connecting students with successful alumni. The board, led by senior Abukar Hassan, has 30 current members. Other campus organizations, including The MUSS, ASUU and LDSSA have also contributed to collecting donations over the years. This year, all donations will be given to the University of Utah Feed U Food Pantry, a change from previous years when donations went to the Utah Food Bank.…

This fall, the University of Utah welcomed new and returning students to campus. Including students like Nura and Ethan who rely on scholarships to achieve their dreams and make the most of their student journey at the U.

Time magazine’s annual list of the best inventions features 200 extraordinary innovations with the capacity to change people’s lives. To compile the list, Time’s editors solicit nominations and accept applications describing groundbreaking work in key fields—such as AI, green energy and sustainability—evaluating each contender on a number of factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition and impact. This year, Time has selected the Utah Bionic Leg as one of the best inventions of 2023, naming it in its “Experimental” category.  With its suite of motors, sensors, and controllers, the robotic prosthesis can better replicate the biomechanics of the human knee, ankle and toe, giving it the potential…

The Office of the President and Housing and Residential Education are excited to announce that incoming first-year students who apply for housing at the University of Utah by the May 3 deadline will have a bed guaranteed on campus.

UNICOS will serve as a state hub for industry and workforce development.

Artificial intelligence and semiconductor research on campus to get a big boost in bid to cement Utah's place as a tech hub.

Artificial intelligence and semiconductor research on campus to get a big boost in bid to cement Utah's place as a tech hub.

For advanced cancer surgeon Laura Lambert, hope is the best medicine.

The Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah (HMHI), and Huntsman Mental Health Foundation broke ground on the new Utah Mental Health Translational Research Building, east of HMHI in Research Park.

The next generation of student leaders want to make a difference in the world. The Impact & Prosperity Epicenter is the space to make that happen.

The University of Utah community mourns the loss of John A. Moran — U alum, business leader and philanthropist whose generosity helped establish the Moran Eye Center. “We are very saddened to learn of John Moran’s passing,” said Taylor Randall, president of the University of Utah. “John was a remarkable individual who believed that together we can accomplish the extraordinary, like restoring vision. His commitment to the University of Utah and his legacy through the John A. Moran Center demonstrates a lifelong belief in the power of doing the impossible.” Moran died on Sept. 23, 2023 at the age of…

“For 75 years, the College of Nursing has been dedicated to shaping the future of health care through the education and empowerment of our nurses,” said Marla J. De Jong, Ph.D., RN, CCNS, FAAN, dean of the college.

A new EDI report gives the division high marks for promoting belonging across campus.

U’s largest living-learning community complete   A little more “college town magic” came to the University of Utah’s campus this semester with the opening of the final wing of the university’s largest living-learning community.   Though the last installment of Kahlert Village is still awaiting some final touches, over 400 students have moved into the newest on-campus housing community for the Fall 2023 Semester. The new tower brings the total number of beds in Kahlert Village up to 1,422. “We know when students live on campus, they graduate faster. We know when students live on campus, they build deeper connections, not only…

The University of Utah community is saddened by the loss of alum John Warnock—a scientist, humanist and trailblazer in computer graphics.

The University of Utah community is saddened by the loss of alum John Warnock—a scientist, humanist and trailblazer in computer graphics.

The University of Utah community is saddened by the loss of alum John Warnock—a scientist, humanist and trailblazer in computer graphics.

The University of Utah community is saddened by the loss of alum John Warnock—a scientist, humanist and trailblazer in computer graphics.

When an opportunity arose to build a modern, 375-seat theatre within the renovation of the historic Einar Nielsen Fieldhouse, Pete jumped in with both feet.

Our alumni now foster the next generation of creative minds, grasping both the privilege and the responsibility of their work.

The expertise of my entire team, combined with the University of Utah hospital’s state-of-the-art resources is the reason I was able to make a full recovery.

Pride Week at the U  is an annual event honoring LGBTQIA+ histories, cultures and lives. Our queer and trans community at the University of Utah is—unstoppable. The history of the queer and trans community at the university is a proud piece of larger histories of LGBTQIA+ movements and resilience in the face of obstacles and opposition. Join us to celebrate our unstoppable community during Pride Week 2023 from March 27-April 1, for an exciting calendar of events  prepared for our campus, including drag shows, markets, talent competitions, queer prom and more. Among the many events planned will be Pride Plaza. “It’s…

With the start of a new school year at the University of Utah, I have the privilege of welcoming a new class of students. Our incoming first-year class is big, bright, and bursting with potential. At this time of year, I am also reminded that this is a university doing important work, making things happen, solving problems, and attracting talent and national attention. We are on the rise, and people all around the country see that. The secret is out. This is Utah’s time. Aside from welcoming new students, one of my other favorite jobs in my new role as…

Everything from the apps we use to do online banking on our smartphones to the algorithms that calculate credit scores uses financial technology (fintech). And Utah is developing a reputation as the epicenter of financial technology education and innovation.   Now, the University of Utah, in partnership with the Stena Foundation and founders Steve and Jana Smith, is leading out at the crossroads of fintech education with a new entrepreneurial laboratory—the Stena Center for Financial Technology. Using $65 million in “orchestrated” funding assembled over the next 10 years, the center will include industry-sponsored labs, a start-up incubator, venture funds and…

I fell in love with medicine at a young age.   I’ve always had the desire to help people. In high school, I started looking for ways to get involved, like volunteering at Primary Children’s Hospital. One summer, I emailed a bunch of professors at the U and asked, “Can I do research in your lab?” Someone got back to me and said yes. Then I found the PathMaker Scholars program at Huntsman Cancer Institute, where you get to live on campus, work in a research lab, and shadow doctors. I loved seeing how they made patients feel safe at…

The University of Utah is teaming with renowned designer Mehrdad Yazdani to imagine a new home for the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine. The result will change the way we see health care throughout Utah and beyond.   As long as Mehrdad Yazdani can remember, he’s had a sketchbook. Even as a child growing up in Iran, he would carry it around and draw the things he loved. In elementary school, it was soccer: sketches of his favorite teams, drawings of a goalie blocking a shot. Later he moved on to his favorite cartoon characters. But by high school…

When you exit the hospital, one story ends—and another begins. I wanted to share my experience with the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics, which I am incredibly grateful for. When I experienced a medical emergency during my pregnancy, the hospital’s exceptional care team saved my life and my baby girl, Avery’s. She was born premature and weighed only 1 lb. 9 oz. The NICU staff took fantastic care of her, and after 101 days, she was finally discharged. I am writing to let you know about U of U Hospitals and Clinics’ Here For You Fund, which allows you…

As a college athlete at Brigham Young University, Alan Day excelled as a pole-vaulter—clearing an impressive height of 16 feet, 1 inch as his personal best. After college, Alan continued to enjoy his favorite sports. Then, during an afternoon of wakeboarding, Alan tore his Achilles tendon. He had surgery to repair the injury and fully recovered. Several years later, he met the activity that would radically alter his life for the next two years. While celebrating his daughter’s birthday at a trampoline park, Alan landed awkwardly on a 45-degree trampoline and felt something tear. When the pain didn’t go away,…

Following the U.S. Supreme Court decision last Friday to uphold the First Amendment rights of a Colorado web designer to deny services to same-sex couples, we affirm that services at the University of Utah will continue as usual: with a commitment to serve everyone.

The University of Utah is monitoring three related nationwide data breaches traced back to MOVEit Transfer, a file transfer software used by third-party contractors. U Advancement records were exposed through software used by TIAA Kaspick. Human Resources benefits records may have been exposed through TIAA’s third-party vendor contract. And student records managed by the University Registrar through the National Student Clearinghouse, a software system for verifying degrees and enrollment, may also have been compromised. On June 29, a third-party vendor for University of Utah Advancement reported a data breach involving donor records. TIAA Kaspick alerted U advancement leaders about the…

The College of Nursing is eager to announce its Caregiver Scholarship— designed for students like me, Julie Bauserman. A scholarship for nursing students caught between tending to a loved one’s medical needs while trying to complete a degree program. When my husband and I got word that I was one of the six recipients, we felt immediate relief and gratitude. The scholarship money has allowed me to keep my work hours to a minimum. I’m more present in my schoolwork while spending time with my daughter, Sophia, who was born with Trisomy 18 and whose birthdays are never guaranteed. I…

You could make the case that we are living in a new Utah. The state is growing, diversifying, aging, and urbanizing, and all of those changes create a whole new set of dynamics. The University of Utah is poised to shape that future.

Explore the impact of Imagine New Heights: The Campaign for the University of Utah.

As part of its celebration on April 29th, the University of Utah premiered The Climbers, a short film projected onto the John R. Park Building in Presidents Circle.

Dean Kathryn Bond Stockton embraces the controversy—and reward—that welcoming challenges brings In 1987, Elton John had not yet publicly come out as gay. It would be another ten years before Ellen would come out. It was, as Kathryn Bond Stockton, dean of the School for Cultural and Social Transformation notes, a very different time. “Things were much more closeted,” she says. Dean Stockton, however, was unapologetically living authentically to her true self—even if doing so meant her dream of becoming an Episcopal priest would not be realized. Though she had completed a Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School, Dean…

A fundraising drive to construct an on-campus baseball stadium at the University of Utah is underway following a decision Tuesday by the university’s Board of Trustees that grants contingency approval for the project. The proposed stadium would be built on Guardsman Way at the site of the current Utah Baseball practice field, and could open as early as 2025. “I’d like to thank the Trustees for their approval to move forward with this important project to support our baseball program with a stadium on our campus,” said Director of Athletics Mark Harlan. “We have incredible engagement from donors, and we…

Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah celebrated the opening of its hospital expansion, the Kathryn F. Kirk Center for Comprehensive Cancer Care and Women’s Cancers, in a dedication ceremony on Monday. Located on the north end of Huntsman Cancer Institute, the 220,000-square-foot building increases the cancer hospital’s inpatient capacity by nearly 50% and adds exam rooms, surgical suites, screening facilities and other services, allowing more patients in the Mountain West to receive world-class cancer care. “Today, as we open this wonderful expansion, we recommit to providing the world’s best in compassionate, science-based care for our patients,” said Mary Beckerle,…

Imagine New Heights: The Campaign for the University of Utah broke records for participation and funds raised.   When the University of Utah launched a capital campaign in 2014, the initial goal seemed lofty—$2 billion to be raised over eight years. No one could have anticipated the changes that lay ahead. Over the next decade, Utah’s population began to soar, new sectors of the economy heated up, and the COVID-19 pandemic shook the world. Despite those and other challenges, or perhaps in response to them, the university would meet its goals two years ahead of schedule, then go on to…

For 35 years, the Tanner Humanities Center has brought the world to the University of Utah, inviting transformational writers and humanist leaders such as Margaret Atwood, Tony Kushner, Isabel Allende and Mohamed ElBaradei to exchange ideas with our faculty, our students and our community, and to provoke us to examine ever anew the complex history of human flourishing. The humanities begin in wonder and end in understanding. We have provided a home for a generation of fellows to produce research on human creativity and resilience in times of war, famine, oppression and peace, from medieval Europe to Imperial China to…

2023 Distinguished Alumni Award As the chief academic officer for Salt Lake Community College, Clifton Gregory Sanders PhD’90 provides executive leadership, strategic planning and budget oversight for Academic Affairs programs, services and personnel. Clifton also serves as a member of the college’s President’s Executive Cabinet. Previously, he was the school’s Dean of Science Mathematics and Engineering. Clifton is also a current mentor of graduate minority students at the U. He was named a Distinguished Alumnus by the U’s Department of Chemistry in 2017, received the Arts and Letters Distinguished Service Award by the Utah Academy of Sciences in 2011, and…

2023 Distinguished Alumni Award J. Charles Rich BS’62 MD’65 served as president of both the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and American Academy of Neurological Surgeons and was vice chairman of the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He was also a neurosurgical delegate to the American Medical Association House of Delegates, and was chief medical officer of the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games before joining the Utah Sports Commission Board of Directors. Chuck was president of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine’s Alumni Association for eight years, a member of the U Alumni Board of Directors for three…

2023 Distinguished Alumni Award James S. Hinckley, BS’71, MS’77 is chairman of the Hinckley Institute of Politics Board of Directors and Investment Committee, positions he has held since 1990. He was a member of the Chrysler Corp. West Region Dealer Council 1982 through 1990 and the Chrysler Corp. National Truck Advisory Board from 1988 through 1992. Jim was president of the Utah Automobile Dealers Association from 1988 through 1989 and was inducted into the Utah Automobile Hall of Fame in 2013. He is a sustaining member of the U’s National Advisory Council, and has been a member of the National…

Connie Hanks remembers the feeling of being in love on the University of Utah campus in 1962: driving around in Gordon Hanks’s old convertible, meeting during study hours and between classes in the library. The way the fall foliage on campus lit up her heart on beautiful autumn mornings. It was a magical time that made a lasting impression. Connie and Gordon’s love story has evolved over the years, extending to four daughters, four sons-in-law, and six grandchildren. And they count many University of Utah alumni and students as part of their family. For nearly three decades, the Hanks have…

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For 128 years, the University of Utah’s College of Engineering has been the state’s premier research and educational institution for engineering and computer science. Today, the college receives a major boost. The college is proud to announce a historic $50 million gift from the John and Marcia Price Family Foundation that will benefit future students, educational programs, research centers, and entrepreneurism, as well as the construction of a new $190 million computing and engineering building on the U campus. In November 2021, John and Marcia Price were the first to come forward and pledge significant funding for the new building.…

The University of Utah today announced a $15 million donation from The Kahlert Foundation to provide support for the university’s renowned School of Computing.

From Good Notes — The blog for University of Utah Health CEO Michael L. Good, MD Thanks to an historic $110 million gift from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation and the Nora Eccles Treadwell Foundation, today we broke ground on the new Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah. The building will open in 2025. The promise of a new home is driving innovation in our MD program. Design with a Purpose We are creating a new culture of learning at our medical school. This culture emphasizes group and individual learning, relationships, and…

Being accepted into medical school can be such a thrill. However, that thrill can easily be overshadowed by pending debt. Raquel Maynez, a scholarship recipient, and second-year medical student decided to attend University of Utah’s School of Medicine because of supporters like you. “Medical school is expensive, so having scholarships that help me avoid and minimize debt is incredible in terms of my mental health and then also my future career prospects.” Thanks to supporters like you, the majority of our students get awarded for their exceptional grades and community service with scholarships that help reduce tuition and other costs…

Sabah Sial, BS ’22 heads to Oxford as the first Rhodes Scholar from the U in two decades—thanks to dedication, hard work, and scholarship support from people like you.   Last year, Sabah Sial, BS ’22 received a Rhodes Scholarship to study finance at the University of Oxford, one of 32 awardees out of 2,300 students who applied. The last student from the University of Utah to receive the prestigious award was in 2002. “Being a Rhodes Scholar is a great honor, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the scholarships that preceded it,” Sial said. “The University of Utah,…

Ground will be broken this week on the Impact and Prosperity Epicenter. This newest addition to the David Eccles School of Business will be a multidisciplinary hub for innovation, impact, and prosperity, which will provide student housing and office space for the Center for Business, Health, and Prosperity and the Sorenson Impact Center. The $114 million project is made possible by the generous support of anchor donations from Jim Sorenson and Robert and Lynette Gay. The six-story building will include a dedicated gathering space on the first floor, known as The Forum, which will serve as the heart of the…

The geography that makes Utah unique—red rock deserts, greatest snow on Earth, cities amidst natural beauty—also makes us vulnerable to one of the biggest challenges of our time: Climate change, which can drive or exacerbate severe drought, wildfires, air pollution, water scarcity, and disappearing snowpack. Luckily, the University of Utah has a deep pool of experts who use the campus location as a living laboratory to address these immense challenges. A generous $20 million gift from Clay and Marie Wilkes will leverage the U’s location and interdisciplinary knowledge to create the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy. William (Bill)…

Introducing a new home to tomorrow’s medical leaders. Our graduates advance the standards of excellence in teaching, research, and patient care in today’s rapidly changing world of medicine.

Robert “Bob” Garff loved the University of Utah and was passionate about accelerating the rise of both the university and its students. It is with great sadness the U community notes that Garff, who was 77, passed away due to complications of COVID-19 on Sunday, March 29.