On Monday, June 9, concluding a yearlong, first-of-its-kind process, President Sarah Mangelsdorf announced that the University is investing $8.5 million in four new transdisciplinary research centers, marking a significant commitment to funding research that addresses humanity\u2019s most complex challenges.<\/p>\n
Establishing new transdisciplinary centers is also a key indicator of success for Boundless Possibility<\/em>, the University\u2019s 2030 strategic plan. Creating centers and institutes that are unique to Rochester in areas where the University can conduct consequential research is part of a commitment to leveraging the University\u2019s distinctive strengths to reinvigorate its research ecosystem<\/a>.<\/p>\n “I want to thank all our faculty who participated in this process for sharing their ideas, strengthening our institutional connections, and shaping the future of research at the University,\u201d Mangelsdorf said. \u201cIt’s clear that the spirit of innovation and collaboration is alive and well at Rochester. Each project represents ideas and frontiers that have great potential and deserve our attention and support.”<\/p>\n The four newly funded centers are poised to explore urgent and emerging questions that demand collaborative inquiry and bold thinking:<\/p>\n SoundSpace<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Award: $4 million over five years<\/p>\n Combining Rochester\u2019s strengths in music, engineering, and science, Soundspace will push artistic and technical boundaries while exploring the intersection of music, sound, and technology. The team will focus on developing a best-in-class hub for research, education, performance, and public engagement.<\/p>\n Extended Reality Research and Application (EXTRRA)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Award: $2 million over five years<\/p>\n Focusing on extended reality\u2014virtual reality, augmented reality, and everything in between\u2014EXTRRA integrates optics, computing, neuroscience, and education to develop immersive platforms that improve learning, accessibility, and workforce training. Its vision is to reshape how individuals engage with digital and natural environments.<\/p>\n University of Rochester Resilience Research Center<\/strong>\u00a0(UR\u00b3C)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Award: $2 million over five years<\/p>\n The faculty members behind UR\u00b3C are studying the “ordinary magic” that enables some people to recover and thrive following adversity faster or better than others. They aim to identify the sociocultural factors and other mechanisms that perpetuate stress-related health issues, enabling the development of novel interventions that prevent or reverse those conditions.<\/p>\n Center for Coherence and Quantum Science (CCQS)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Award: $500,000 over two years<\/p>\n A group of University scientists and engineers aim to advance quantum technologies through light-matter interaction. By pooling their skills and resources, they are pushing the frontiers of quantum science and classical coherence while also enabling practical application within optical science and optical engineering.<\/p>\n Big bets and a bold initiative <\/strong><\/p>\n The creation of these centers comes at a pivotal time for research universities. In a shifting landscape of public trust and funding constraints, Rochester is betting on transdisciplinary research<\/a>.<\/p>\n Going beyond cross-disciplinary scholarship, transdisciplinary research requires faculty to work in a way that builds on each other\u2019s ideas to reshape their respective fields or create a new one altogether.<\/p>\n To ignite the kind of research that would drive discovery while strengthening the University\u2019s service to humanity and national standing, the Office of the Provost<\/a>, in cooperation with Office of the Vice President of Research, created a multi-phase proposal process. In April 2024, the provost\u2019s office issued a request for proposals to receive one-year planning grants, garnering an impressive 42 submissions. An anonymous committee of 10 distinguished scholars from across the University, Steve Dewhurst, the\u00a0vice president for research<\/a>, and then-provost David Figlio, chose 10 proposals.<\/p>\n Narrowing the field was simply a matter of resources. Dewhurst explains that if we try to fund too many ideas \u201cNo one will ever get enough money to do something distinctive,\u201d adding that \u201cIf we pick too few, we\u2019re placing our bets too narrowly.\u201d<\/p>\n Phase two of the process sought comprehensive proposals\u2014including those from teams who did not receive planning grants\u2014for funding to establish a new transdisciplinary center or institute. All 10 planning grant recipients and three additional teams submitted plans for competitive review. Nearly 60 evaluations from external reviewers, along with input from a faculty panel and deans led to the selection of Soundspace, EXTRRA, UR\u00b3C, and CCQS.<\/p>\n A model for future investment<\/strong><\/p>\n The transdisciplinary research initiative is the first time the University has ever used input from external experts to determine funding for large-scale internal research and scholarship across the institution. In addition to phase-two feedback, four external reviewers\u2014all members of the National Academies and representing distinct scholarly domains\u2014were invited to sit in on the four awardees\u2019 final presentations on June 9, and to provide feedback on each of the proposals.<\/p>\n \u201cThis initiative is about building our global reputation through transdisciplinary research,\u201d said Nicole Sampson, the provost of the University of Rochester. \u201cBy engaging external reviewers, we sought to spread the word about the fantastic research and education happening at Rochester ever further.\u201d<\/p>\n The reviewers:<\/p>\n Health\/Climate<\/strong><\/p>\n Jony Kipnis<\/a>, Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Immunology<\/p>\n Washington University in St. Louis<\/p>\n Natural Sciences<\/strong><\/p>\n Richard Alley<\/a>, Evan Pugh University Professor of Geosciences<\/p>\n Penn State University<\/p>\n Social Sciences\/Humanities<\/strong><\/p>\n John Aldrich \u201975 (PhD)<\/a>, Pfizer-Pratt University Professor of Political Science<\/p>\n Duke University<\/p>\n Tech\/Engineering<\/strong><\/p>\n Howard Stone<\/a>, Neil A. Omenn \u201968 University Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering<\/p>\n Princeton University<\/p>\n Aldrich expressed how glad he was to have played a part in the process. \u201cI can’t overstate what a wonderful idea this is,” he said. “The courage and commitment of the leadership team to do something bold in research right now is inspiring.”<\/p>\n More information on this process can be found on the provost’s website<\/a>. You can also learn about all 10 planning grant recipients on the Boundless Possibility<\/em> blog, Better Things<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On Monday, June 9, concluding a yearlong, first-of-its-kind process, President Sarah Mangelsdorf announced that the University is investing $8.5 million in four new transdisciplinary research centers, marking a significant commitment…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":442,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[182,242],"tags":[252],"class_list":["post-55292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-announcements","category-university-messages","tag-transdisciplinary"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n