Mission

Established in 1984 as the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable (GUIRR) and renamed in 2024, the Government-University-Industry-Philanthropy Research Roundtable (GUIPRR, pronounced “gwipper”) focuses its work on the health and productivity of the United States’ research and innovation ecosystem centered on building increased collaboration across national scientific sectors.

GUIPRR is charged with improving the research enterprise of the United States by successfully identifying and resolving the cross-sectoral issues that prevent the national network of leading scientific institutions from reaching their full potential. This mission is achieved by convening senior-most representatives from government, universities, industry, and philanthropy to frame critical and timely scientific issues, followed – when appropriate – by executing activities designed to address specific cross-sectoral impediments to achieving a healthy, vibrant research ecosystem.

GUIPRR activities define and explore critical issues related to the national and global science and technology agenda that are of shared interest across institutions and frame foundational questions stemming from current debate and analysis to incubate ideas of impact and value to GUIPRR stakeholders. This forum is designed to facilitate candid dialogue among participants, to foster self-implementing activities, and, where appropriate, to carry awareness of consequences to the wider public.

GUIPRR provides a unique forum and network for dialogue and action among public and private scientific leadership across all GUIPRR partners, reflecting the diversity of the national science and technology enterprise.

Impact

GUIPRR institutions agree that the most pressing technological challenges within the United States cannot be solved by one company, university, philanthropic organization, or federal agency. Whether export controls and visa policy, the national infrastructure for innovation, or the fate of the science and engineering workforce, these challenges require multiple sectors to come together to forge a solution.

GUIPRR brings together scientific leadership from a multitude of sectors across the United States research and innovation ecosystem, including government, universities, industry, philanthropy, venture capital, private equity, and banking, to craft these overarching solutions.

While many organizations advertise prestigious membership lists, GUIPRR is unique in that it has the leadership of federal agencies and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at the table and carefully curates its institutional partners to include leading institutions and individuals oriented toward progress and action.

The GUIPRR Council and staff see careful curation of topics and institutional partners as fundamental to crafting a protected, neutral space for candid dialogue across scientific sectors, allowing any individual partner institution to champion a project, and providing all required staff and monetary resources for project execution.
The result is unparalleled access to breaking information, leading to rapid insight and solution-oriented dialog. The requirement that each project have a “champion” before proceeding also ensures buy-in from at least one major organization or entity, leading to clearly defined milestones and outcomes for the roundtable's work.

What Makes Us Different

GUIPRR provides a forum like no other, where a unique mix of sectors comes together to understand how each thinks. The participants are senior leaders within their organizations, representing a diversity of perspectives and institutional cultures. GUIPRR offers a neutral convening space in a closed-door environment for frank discussions that build bridges and spur accelerated activities.

Within GUIPRR meetings, webinars, and other GUIPRR activities, leaders in science and technology from the federal government, academia, philanthropy, and business discuss and act on scientific matters of national and global importance. These include issues relevant to the development of public-private partnerships, the academic research enterprise, training of the scientific workforce, the effects of globalization on domestic research, and pressing matters of emerging scientific and/or technological importance that can benefit from greater, more effective cross-sector collaboration.

GUIPRR-initiated collaborations across the diverse GUIPRR partners have a continuing record of success in improving the effectiveness of U.S. science and technology and its application to national goals. Looking to the future, this approach—reflecting the initiative of its partners—will remain relevant in an increasingly interdependent world.

GUIPRR Partners

The participation of the federal science and technology leadership in an open dialogue and informal exchange of ideas precludes GUIPRR from making formal recommendations or offering specific advice to federal agencies. Instead, the roundtable seeks to stimulate new approaches by directly engaging government, university, industry, philanthropy, venture, banking, non-profit leaders, and other scientific institutions in their respective spheres.

There are two formal categories of GUIPRR partnership:

• Council Members include all three presidents of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; the heads of major federal R&D agencies (for non-R&D agencies, the head of the largest R&D-performing subdivision); university presidents and industry/philanthropic CEOs, as appointed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. GUIPRR Council members are appointed to staggered three-year terms, except for the federal agency officials, who serve as long as they are in office. Appointees to the GUIPRR Council, although they represent their home institutions, are chosen based on their individual contributions to the national scientific community.
• GUIPRR Partners represent universities, industry, philanthropy, and other sectors that comprise the United States scientific and innovation network. These institutions often have a history of partnerships and dedication to the national research enterprise. They act as couriers, delivering the most current ideas and issues facing the national research ecosystem across sectors into GUIPRR discussions and helping disseminate GUIPRR-generated ideas back to the research community.

Operating Format

GUIPRR holds three meetings a year that convene the entire membership for exposure to new issues. At these meetings, outside experts provide their unique perspectives and promote cross-sector dialogue amongst the GUIPRR partners. The intent is to catalyze support and action across government, universities, industry, and philanthropy to meet critical science and technology needs.
In addition to its meetings, GUIPRR has projects that operate at the working group level throughout the year. These projects typically report to the entire membership at the three annual meetings. Because GUIPRR can undertake a wide variety of issues, its funds are finite, and the format for potential projects is so varied, GUIPRR relies on its partners to set its vision.

Projects, topics, and activities are self-nominated and championed by individuals. However, the GUIPRR Council, in conjunction with the GUIPRR Board Director, controls the number of projects undertaken at any given time. GUIPRR provides all staff support for approved projects, including fundraising. Once a project is completed, the task force that self-assembled to complete it dissolves.