The University of Chicago Convocation

Arete lowers barriers for launching research initiatives

Arete at the University of Chicago is designed to serve as a catalyst for transforming the nature of knowledge creation for the 21st century. It is a network of dedicated faculty, staff, and University leaders committed to developing new ways to help University faculty address the world’s most compelling global and societal questions that are too complex to be answered by a single individual, a single lab, or even a single discipline.

Through experimenting with new approaches to support research, such as Arete, the University of Chicago is becoming more deliberate and strategic in how it harnesses its intellectual resources and supports research teams tackling complex problems of serious intellectual weight and public import.

The word arete was historically used in Greek culture to indicate a virtue that implied excellence in all things and the ability to reach the highest levels of human potential. Arete at the University of Chicago seeks to push the limits of the scientific enterprise by leveraging the expertise of our faculty and fully utilizing the range of research development supports and services the University possesses to launch innovative and ambitious research initiatives.