Fostering discovery

Recognizing that unconventional or untested ideas can be difficult to fund through conventional sources, the University created the Dean for Research Innovation Funds to make such explorations possible.

These competitive innovation funds encourage faculty to explore bold new ideas in the humanities, social
sciences, natural sciences and engineering, as
well as foster collaborations between artists
and scientists or engineers, and enable new
industrial collaborations to tackle real-world
challenges.

Learn about previously funded projects in our report, Dean for Research Innovation Funds 2014-2023 (PDF or online), issued June 22, 2023, surveying the impact of the first ten years of the program. 

Explore the opportunities below to find fund descriptions, summaries of winning projects, and submission deadlines.