Seed Grants
Mission: To promote promising ideas involving cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional research.
To learn more.
About
Over the last decade, the seed grant program has supported some 80 projects involving hundreds of students and researchers. It accounts for some of the successful research proposals that won external funding. Seed funds are given to creative teams of investigators working across disciplinary boundaries and universities with the understanding that these will lead to joint research proposals to external agencies.
To learn more about the $3M in Seed Grants awarded for collaborative research in 2022.
2022 Awards
In 2022, MPower awarded more than $3 million in seed grant funding to 17 collaborative, cross-campus research teams led jointly by UMB and UMCP researchers, The new research seeks solutions to the state’s most critical and high-profile issues. Selected teams demonstrate collaboration and high potential to provide a significant influence in six research areas of paramount importance to the state and the nation:
- Artificial Intelligence and Medicine
- Cybersecurity and Homeland Security
- Neuroscience and Aging
- Pandemic Readiness, Resilience, and Mitigation
- Racial and Social Justice
- Violence and Crime Reduction
In 2023, one of the joint collaborative teams leveraged their seed grant to further studies of domestic terrorism policies.
2020 Awards
In 2020, MPower challenged its world-class researchers to bring solutions that offer immediate action to address the COVID-19 pandemic and to prepare for future pandemics. Five teams received funding of $500,000 including:
- Two projects to support vaccine development
- One to develop a rapid testing method
- One to study the factors that impact vaccine acceptance among minority communities
- One to explore the use of an AI tool for delivery of child behavioral health services via telemedicine in rural Maryland communities.
A second challenge in 2020 funded research that contributes to commercialization of evidence-based medical devices that will lead to better detection, prevention, and control of COVID-19 and other pathogens.