The world’s most compelling and difficult problems are complex. Addressing the challenges of climate change, for example, requires thinking about weather patterns, relationship of disease and environment/diet, coastal architecture, energy use, city planning, human communication, the role of truth in media, international relations, big data and many other fields. (See https://www.globalgoals.org for the types of topics of particular interest for the U-LINK initiative.)
A key purpose of research universities like the University of Miami is to serve as centers of inquiry in which scholars from multiple disciplines can work together to pursue innovation, in areas where the world needs them most. The diversity inherent in UM’s 11 schools and colleges should provide unique advantages in exploring and addressing these types of problems.
U-LINK seeks applications from interdisciplinary teams that may combine researchers from across UM’s three campuses. We encourage proposals that tackle problems aligning with the University’s strategic plan, such as addressing environmental challenges, engineering smart/connected cities, promoting health and wellness, cultivating a culture of belonging, and applying the potential of big data to global issues.
