The University of New Mexico (UNM) Grand Challenges program has announced a new Request for Proposals (RFP) for its Level 2 initiative. The program is inviting interdisciplinary research teams from across UNM’s campuses to apply for the opportunity to address significant problems facing New Mexico.
Two informational sessions will be held in February for interested researchers. The first session is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 12, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Physics and Astronomy Interdisciplinary Science building (PAIS), room 1010. The second session will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 12 to 1 p.m. via Zoom.
Grand Challenges are defined as problems of global, national, and regional importance that require collaboration across different academic disciplines to develop solutions.
A group of approximately two to five teams with varied expertise will be selected through a competitive process for the two-year program. Each team may receive up to $200,000 in funding to support program development and will benefit from facilitation, mentoring, and other resources provided by the Office of the Vice President for Research and other UNM units.
Participation in Level 1 of the Grand Challenges program is not required to apply for Level 2.
Further details and the complete RFP are available online. Questions can be directed to grandchallenges@unm.edu.
UNM serves more than 24,000 students across its main and branch campuses as of spring 2023, according to its official website. The university also boasts over 200,000 alumni worldwide, including fellows of national academies and contributors to major publications (source). As a cultural resource in New Mexico, UNM offers libraries, museums, galleries, and performance spaces while promoting diversity and community engagement (source). Its campus features Pueblo Revival architecture and is recognized as a nationally known arboretum with popular locations such as the duck pond (source). UNM has also received recognition among top public schools nationally in various U.S. News & World Report categories (source).
