
Research at the University of Illinois is essential to our mission. The Research IT group at Technology Services partners with research support professionals and units across campus to bridge the gaps that exist between researchers and technology.
Why work with Research IT?
- All consultations are free
- We can often connect researchers to free or cost-effective resources
- You can focus on your research goals rather than on keeping up with the latest technologies that enable it
Get Connected

Your NetID and password are required for many services and websites at the University. When you claimed your NetID, you should have also set a password recovery option. The recovery option will allow you to reset your password at any time.
Your password will expire once per year. You can see this expiration date at the NetID Center.
Two-factor authentication secures our University accounts by confirming your login using something you know (a password), and something you have (like a phone). University faculty, staff, and graduate/professional students are required to use 2FA for many University services and websites.
The DUO Mobile App allows you to confirm your login with a press of a button, and provides a login code if your phone loses internet connectivity.
You should always try to connect to the IllinoisNet network using your NetID and password.
All new faculty, staff, and students automatically receive Exchange (Outlook Online) email accounts when completing the NetID claim process. Please note it can take up to two hours after claiming your NetID before you can log in to your email inbox.
Access Microsoft Office 365 (type in your NetID@illinois.edu)
All faculty, staff, and students have access to Microsoft Office 365 for free. You can access apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint in your browser or download them to your computer.
Browse Free and Discounted Software at the WebStore
Other free and discounted software are available at our WebStore. Some software, including Adobe Creative Cloud, MATLAB, LabView, Mathematica, SAS, and ArcGIS are free for everyone. Additional free software may be available depending on your department/college.
Research IT services:
Find and access research technology resources, consulting, and training
One-on-one help
From consulting services to application and software development support, we have specialists who can work with you and your team to write programs, improve code, design databases and more to enhance your research capabilities and meet project milestones.
Research computing and storage
Research computing and storage needs are complex and multi-faceted. Campus options include high-performance computing, stand-alone computation systems, cloud computing and more.
Training opportunities
Need to grow knowledge in a particular software? Want to grow your network between other researchers? We’ve curated a cross-discipline event directory to fit all your needs.
Researcher Toolbox:
Data storage finder
Answer a few questions to find the storage resource that’s right for your research.
Web hosting finder
Answer questions to find the web hosting services that best meet your needs. Then, create a website for your research lab, class or group.
The research network
The Campus Advanced Research Network Environment is a section of the campus network designed to provide unrestricted high-speed access to off-campus locations for specific research purposes.
Illinois REDCap
Research Electronic Data Capture is a browser-based tool for collecting both high risk and non-high risk data. Illinois REDCap is provided at no cost to faculty, staff and students.
Research IT news
Sign up for the Research IT e-newsletter for announcements and updates about research technology resources, services and training. You can also access and read previous Research IT News editions.
Research privacy and security
Privacy and security are essential components of the university’s research enterprise. Some topics to consider when thinking about security in relation to research are:
- Issues related to devices: device physical safety and access, hardware backups
- Appropriate classification of the research data: FERPA, HIPAA, and other types of data have different legal handling regulations
- Understanding what tools or capabilities are required and associated in handling such data
IT services for privacy and security
If you or your research group is considering new technology for your research, you can get help vetting a product or company for security through our service:
Other services that apply to secure computing: