World-changing research is vital to the university’s core mission. We have already begun to reopen research spaces to allow faculty members to return to the critical research conducted on campus many had to put on hold in March. The number of researchers on campus will continue to increase as we develop methods for safely operating a greater number of spaces for academic scholarship, scientific inquiry and artistic expression.

UT has implemented a six-level plan to reopen research activity, with Level 5 being the most closed and Level 0 being the most open. In June, the university transitioned from Research Level 4 to Research Level 3, in which university leadership moved cautiously to allow up to 40% of researchers back on campus (including faculty, research staff, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students).

Beginning Aug. 26, some undergraduate students may participate in research on teams that have been approved for conducting research on campus.

To keep researchers safe, contact tracing logs will be maintained for all research spaces, with names and times of entry and exit. Principal investigators may use shift work as a way to increase social distancing among their researchers.

No remote research has been paused or restricted. Researchers whose work does not require the use of an on-campus lab, dedicated research space, or face-to-face interaction with study participants have continued their work as before.