UTRGV earns two international awards for research technology innovation

By Maria Gonzalez

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – SEPT. 17, 2026 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has earned two 2026 Stevie Awards for technology developed by its Research Analytics team to streamline research administration and provide researchers and university leaders with better access to current information.

UTRGV received a Gold Stevie Award for Educational or Research Institution of the Year in the Information Technology category of the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. The award recognizes UTRGV’s integration of digital platforms, automated workflows, institutional data, analytics and reporting across research administration.

ARGO, the university’s internally developed research administration platform, also received a Silver Stevie Award for Achievement in Digital Transformation Excellence in the International Business Awards.

Dr. Can Saygin, UTRGV interim provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs, senior vice president for Research and dean of the Graduate College, said the awards recognize work shaped by the university’s research needs.

“These recognitions reflect the strength of the work being led by Arya Singh and our Research Analytics team to modernize research administration at UTRGV,” Saygin said. “Rather than relying on disconnected systems, our team has developed an integrated infrastructure designed around the needs of our researchers and the institution.”

CONNECTING THE RESEARCH PROCESS

Arya Singh, assistant vice president for Research Analytics, said the team initially focused on improving research processes that relied on disconnected systems, email, spreadsheets and manual coordination.

“What began as an effort to simplify proposal administration has evolved into an integrated research technology ecosystem connecting workflows, enterprise data, analytics, dashboards, compliance information and decision support across the research lifecycle,” he said.

Launched in 2024, ARGO serves as a central platform for sponsored-program intake, proposal and award tracking, research analytics and regulatory workflows. Its role-based dashboards allow researchers, administrators, colleges and departments to view proposal activity, awarded funding, research expenditures and the status of pending work. 

Since its launch, ARGO has processed 2,163 proposals and awards across all UTRGV colleges and schools. The platform serves 255 departments, 1,130 faculty members and 258 administrative support staff, with access available to the broader university community.

Singh said ARGO has reduced proposal processing time by 80%. Its real-time reporting and advanced analytics also give users around-the-clock access to data that previously could take several days to obtain.

The platform has made it easier for researchers and administrators to follow proposals through each stage and monitor the status of research activity, Singh said.

“The biggest impact has been turning what was once a fragmented and largely manual process into a connected, transparent and data-driven operation,” he said. “End-to-end proposal processing has been reduced significantly, while providing researchers, administrators and leadership with much greater visibility into activity, status and performance across the research enterprise.” 

Singh said developing ARGO in-house allowed UTRGV to tailor the technology to its business processes and adapt it as the university’s research needs evolved.

“It has given us the flexibility to integrate institutional data, create role-based workflows and dashboards, maintain a fully auditable environment and rapidly develop new capabilities as the needs of our researchers and research administration teams evolve,” he said.

A six-member team led ARGO’s development with input from the Office of Sponsored Programs, Grants and Accounting, and colleges across UTRGV.

The team’s next steps include expanding the platform’s use of automation, artificial intelligence and analytics.

“I am proud of what our Research Analytics team has built, and our next chapter is focused on continuing to expand the ecosystem through intelligent automation, AI-enabled capabilities, deeper analytics and increasingly real-time decision support for UTRGV’s growing research enterprise,” Singh said.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

In feedback shared with UTRGV, International Business Awards judges highlighted the university’s decision to build ARGO internally. They also noted the platform’s ability to document approval histories, system logs and exceptions while providing university leaders with access to current information.

Saygin said the recognition extends to the employees and campus partners who contributed to the platform. 

“The Gold and Silver Stevie Awards provide external validation of that work, but more importantly, they recognize the people and the institutional collaboration behind systems that are helping us strengthen how UTRGV supports research and research growth,” Saygin said.

The Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence are open to public, private, nonprofit and for-profit organizations worldwide. Winners of the 2026 competition were selected through a two-month judging process involving more than 160 professionals.

The 2026 International Business Awards received more than 3,800 nominations from organizations in 78 nations and territories. Winners were evaluated by hundreds of professionals worldwide.

Winners will be recognized at the 2026 Stevie Awards ceremony Oct. 28 in Paris.

 

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UTRGV – THE FUTURE OF TEXAS

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is shaping The Future of Texas by delivering a high-quality, affordable university experience centered on student success, academic excellence, research, healthcare and community impact. With tuition among the lowest in Texas, UTRGV gives its 35,000 students the opportunities of a major university, including Division I athletics and a new football program, while delivering exceptional value for Texas families. The only university in Texas with schools of Medicine, Podiatric Medicine and Optometry, UTRGV serves South Texas across nine communities while driving innovation and developing the talent that will move Texas forward.