Please note: The Jumpstarting Tomorrow program is no longer active.

White robot holding an iPad

The Research Development Office (RDO) within the University of Iowa Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) sought applications to seed interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research communities that advance research, creative activities, and scholarship through grants of up to $150,000.

Jumpstarting Tomorrow, a hybrid pilot grant/community-building program, will support innovative and collaborative teams that could become the vanguard for future strategic research investments by the university. The initiative was made possible through $2 million in funding to RDO from the first round of disbursements related to the UI utility public-private partnership (P3).

Program Information

Program Information

Research Areas

Any area of scholarly inquiry was welcome. However, research areas were encouraged to strive for convergence research that incorporated diverse campus perspectives. The National Science Foundation (NSF) defines “convergence research as having two primary characteristics: 1) research driven by a specific and compelling problem, and 2) deep integration across disciplines”.

  • Research driven by a specific and compelling problem. Convergence research is generally inspired by the need to address a specific challenge or opportunity, whether it arises from deep scientific questions or pressing societal needs.
  • Deep integration across disciplines. As experts from different disciplines pursue common research challenges, their knowledge, theories, methods, data, research communities and languages become increasingly intermingled or integrated. New frameworks, paradigms or even disciplines can form sustained interactions across multiple communities.

Community Building

Awarded teams are expected to help coalesce interested researchers into intellectual communities around their topic. Community building activities may range from journal clubs, networking events, speaker series, or ideation activities to name a few. The emerging communities will be supported through a competitive feasibility grant program.

Budget

The maximum research/community building awards were $150,000. Teams also assisted with distribution of an additional $50,000 in community feasibility grants.

Round 1 Awards

Round 1 Awards

See executive summaries here. View more information on Round 1 awarded teams here.

Addressing Health Disparities and Biases in AI and Machine Learning Tools

PI:

Co-PIs:

View the project webpage.

Decarb 2040 – Positioning Iowa as an energy exporter in the coming era of deep decarbonization

PI: 

Co-PIs:

View the project webpage.

Iowa Initiative for Scientific Imaging and Conservation of Cultural Artifacts (IISICCA)

PI

  • Milan Sonka (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering)

Co-PIs

View the project webpage.

Jumpstarting a Quantum Simulation Program at The University of Iowa

PI:

Co-PIs:

Public Libraries for Disaster Resilience: Assessing Libraries’ Community Impacts in Times of Climate and Socio-Economic Crises

PI:

Co-PIs:

View the project webpage.

Round 2 Awards

Round 2 Awards

See executive summaries here. View more information on Round 2 awarded teams here.

Infection Control on Medical Implants

PI:

  • Eric Nuxoll (Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Engineering)

Co-PIs: 

Iowa Healthy Lakes Initiative: A multi-dimensional approach to measuring, informing, and solving Iowa's Harmful Algal Bloom Challenge

PI:

Co-PIs:

View the project webpage.

Move-ome: mapping 24-hour activity cycles in midlife to promote lifelong cognitive health and resilience

PI:

Co-PIs:

NEXT Stages: Live Performance with 3D Video in Shared Virtual Worlds

PI:

Co-PIs:

Organizational Diversity Initiatives: Understanding Adoption Patterns and Impact

PI:

  • Amy Colbert (Management and Entrepreneurship, Business)

Co-PIs:

View the project webpage.

Understanding the Nasal Complex as a Fundamental Portal to Human Health

PI:

Co-PIs:

View the project webpage.