The Arts at the University of Kansas
KU’s a2ru membership is co-sponsored by the Office of Research, The Commons, and the Spencer Museum of Art. Located in Lawrence, KS, the University of Kansas is the flagship university of the state of Kansas.
The Office of Research promotes research at the university, which addresses problems of worldwide significance, delivers solutions that make a difference to Kansas and the region, and promotes an inclusive community of responsible inquiry and innovation for students and scholars. From finding funding to assisting with proposal preparation and submission to managing awards, the Office of Research is the central body for aiding researchers with their external funding supports. The Office of Research oversees eleven recognized centers at the University, including: The Achievement and Assessment Institute, the Biodiversity Institute, the Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, the Center for Remote Sensing & Integrated Systems, the Hall Center for the Humanities, the Institute for Information Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering Research, the Institute for Policy and Social Research, Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, the Kansas Geological Survey, and the Life Span Institute.
The Commons at the University of Kansas is a catalyst for interdisciplinary inquiry and a space for unbounded learning, across systems of knowing. The Commons invites scholars, practitioners, and students into dialogue through projects and programs that address issues of global and local relevance. Signature programs include Red Hot Research, Educate & Act, and the Spencer Lecture.
The Spencer Museum of Art is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and participates in the Association of Art Museum Directors. The Museum’s vision is to present its collection as a living archive that motivates object-centered research and teaching, creative work, and transformative public dialogue. The Spencer facilitates arts engagement and research through exhibitions, artist commissions and residencies, conferences, film screenings, musical and dramatic performances, artist- and scholar-led lectures, children’s art activities, and community arts and culture festivals.
