Research at The University of New Mexico is at an all-time high – faculty, staff, and students are ready to put all their work on full display for the annual 2023 Research and Discovery Week. The week, Nov. 4-11, is dedicated to showcasing UNM’s entire research enterprise, while promoting resources and opportunities available to all UNM researchers.

“There are so many wonderful traditions at The University of New Mexico, and I’m hoping Research and Discovery Week becomes among the most cherished as it’s really a unique opportunity for people from all over New Mexico to engage with our students and faculty about research and discoveries that are happening right now at UNM and that will one day impact all our lives,” said UNM Vice President for Research Ellen Fisher.

UNM’s Office of the Vice President initiated the event last year in hopes of enhancing the visibility of the striking, sometimes surprising, and always inspiring research activities that happen every day on UNM campuses, while strengthening collaboration across communities, ultimately helping diversify the research, innovation, and creativity that make UNM a premier research institution.

The year will contain a lineup of events and opportunities for students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members. It will be the perfect chance to visit main campus and participate in conferences, workshops, lectures, and open houses all centered around research happening at UNM.

Last fiscal year, UNM faculty, staff, and students conducted state-of-the-art research across a spectrum of disciplines, attracting more than $405 million in contract and grant funding. Research funding at UNM supports nearly 4,500 jobs (Nearly 2,300 at main/branch campuses and nearly 2,200 at HSC), while distinct research awards across the University currently total nearly 1,600.

Research and Discovery Week will also feature highlighted events and several keynote lectures:

The New Mexico Research Symposium | Saturday, Nov. 4
The New Mexico Research Symposium (NMRS) is an annual conference hosted by New Mexico EPSCoR and the New Mexico Academy of Science. The event will include student oral paper and poster presentations, a keynote speaker, and the Rio Grande Research SLAM for postdoctoral researchers.

Assistant Professor Brandon Ogbunu | Monday, Nov. 6
The Yale University Assistant Professor will lead a lecture entitled “Mending a Broken Biology: Diversity, Disinformation, and a New Direction.”


Nothing About US Without Us Workshop | Monday, Nov. 6
This virtual panel discussion with harm reduction advocates examines community-academic research partnerships by investigating issues around power imbalances between the researcher and the researched cognitive social justice, and inequitable participatory burdens.

Professor Touré Reed | Tuesday, Nov. 7
The Illinois State University Professor and author of Toward Freedom: The Case against Race Reductionism will present a lecture entitled “Is it Race or Racism? Why Binary Analytical Frameworks for Inequality Haven’t Served Us Well."

Professor Jane Buikstra | Tuesday, Nov. 7
In an event hosted by UNM’s Museum Research Traineeship Program, Buikstra will lead a lecture entitled “Lessons from the Past: Ancient Diseases and Health Today.”

Understanding Child Matreatment in New Mexico | Wednesday, Nov. 8
Join the UNM Child Health Grand Challenge Team for an engaging workshop and roundtable discussion about child maltreatment in New Mexico.

Professor Xiaoyang Zhang | Thursday, Nov. 9
UNM’s Center for Advancement of Spatial Informatics Research & Education (ASPIRE) hosts Professor Zhang for a lecture about innovations in near real time modeling of biomass burning emissions from wildfires and how these tools improve air quality forecasting and smoke predictions at a regional and global scale.

Graduate Studies Shared Knowledge Conference | Thursday, Nov. 9
The Shared Knowledge Conference is a yearly event designed to celebrate and showcase UNM graduate students and their outstanding research and scholarship. The event’s LoboBITES Competition and Poster Showcase provide venues for students to share their work with our larger suurounding communities, bridge borders that too-often divide academia from the larger world, spark conversations, and even forge lasting collaborations.

Riley Schaeffer Endowed Lecture in Chemistry | Friday, Nov. 10
UNM Chemistry & Chemical Biology is pleased to welcome Akif Tezcan as the 2023 Schaeffer Lecturer. Tezcan’s lecture entitled “Protein Self-Assembly by Chemical Design,” will be followed by a reception.


Visit the R&D website for registration details. A variety of events are free and open to the public.