Please note: The Jumpstarting Tomorrow program is no longer active.
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
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.
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.
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.
PI:
- Guadalupe Canahuate (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering)
Co-PIs:
- Thomas Casavant (Biomedical Engineering, Engineering)
- Mary Charlton (Epidemiology, CPH)
- John Buatti (Radiation Oncology, CCOM)
PI:
- Charles Stanier (Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Engineering)
Co-PIs:
- Jerry Anthony (Urban and Regional Planning, Graduate College)
- Marc Linderman (Geography and Sustainability Sciences, CLAS)
- Wei Li (Finance, Business)
PI
- Milan Sonka (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering)
Co-PIs
- Paul Dilley (Religious Studies, CLAS)
- Daniel Maze (Art History, CLAS)
- Thaddeus Wadas (Radiology, CCOM)
PI:
- Ravitej Uppu (Physics and Astronomy, CLAS)
Co-PIs:
- Aditi Bhattacherjee (Chemistry, CLAS)
- Joe Gomes (Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Engineering)
- Xueyu Zhu (Mathematics, CLAS)
- Thomas Folland (Physics and Astronomy, CLAS)
PI:
- Lucie Alice Laurian (School of Planning and Public Affairs, Graduate College)
Co-PIs:
- Iulian Vamanu (School of Library and Information Science, Graduate College)
- Jennifer Glanville (Sociology and Criminology, CLAS)
- Phuong Nguyen (School of Planning and Public Affairs, Graduate College)
- Haifeng Qian (School of Planning and Public Affairs, Graduate College)
- Kang Zhao (Business Analytics, Business)
Round 2 Awards
Round 2 Awards
See executive summaries here. View more information on Round 2 awarded teams here.
PI:
- Eric Nuxoll (Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Engineering)
Co-PIs:
- Jacob Elkins (Orthopedics & Rehabilitation, CCOM)
- David Stolz (Internal Medicine, CCOM)
- Dominique Limoli (Microbiology & Immunology, CCOM)
PI:
- Corey Markfort (Civil and Environmental Engineering, Engineering)
Co-PIs:
- Xun Zhou (Business Analytics, Business)
- Greg LeFevre (Civil and Environmental Engineering, Engineering)
- Peter Thorne (Occupational and Environmental Health, CPH)
- Elise Pizzi (Political Science, CLAS)
- Susan Meerdink (Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, CLAS)
PI:
- Michelle Voss (Psychological and Brain Sciences, CLAS)
Co-PIs:
- Lucas Carr (Health and Human Physiology, CLAS)
- Kara Whitaker (Health and Human Physiology/Epidemiology, CLAS/CPH)
- Chooza Moon (Nursing, Nursing)
- Nathaniel Jenkins (Health and Human Physiology, CLAS)
PI:
- Daniel Fine (Dance and Theatre Arts, CLAS)
Co-PIs:
- Joseph Kearney (Computer Science, CLAS)
- Tyler Bell (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering)
- Bryon Winn (Theatre Arts, CLAS)
PI:
- Amy Colbert (Management and Entrepreneurship, Business)
Co-PIs:
- Ion Vasi (Sociology and Criminology, CLAS)
- Michele Williams (Management and Entrepreneurship, Business)
- Cassie Barnhardt (Educational Policy and Leadership Studies, Education)
PI:
- Sarah Vigmostad (Biomedical Engineering, Engineering)
Co-PIs:
- James Buchholz (Mechanical Engineering, Engineering)
- Xiaoyang Hua (Otolaryngology, CCOM)
- Brian Dlouhy (Neurosurgery, CCOM)
- Eric Hoffman (Radiology, CCOM)
- Ching-Long Lin (Mechanical Engineering, Engineering)
- Sajan Lingala (Biomedical Engineering, Engineering)