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Strategic Vision | Michigan Engineering

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Research

Accelerating Bolder Ideas

Michigan Engineering has set its sights on enhancing its culture of creativity, innovation and daring. We are implementing a unique approach to investing in faculty research as a key part of the plan.

Three new funding programs, enacted as part of the research pillar in our strategic plan, will enable researchers to explore the boundaries of creative thought and risk-taking.

The programs draw inspiration from entrepreneurial funding models, introducing three separate funding options that are analogous to early-, mid-, and late-stage funding for a startup business. However, the analogy is not one-to-one – commercial viability is not the main or only goal. Instead, it is about engaging in bold research.

We’re doing this to catalyze and incentivize faculty – especially teams of faculty – to pursue high-risk, high-impact ideas. Our hope is that these new funding mechanisms will give faculty the freedom to be more daring in pursuing new research ideas that are not yet ready for more traditional research funding agencies.

Steve Ceccio

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Vincent T. and Gloria M. Gorguze Professor of Engineering

The program builds on the existing success for funding research at Michigan Engineering. Faculty are already accomplished researchers and are good at attracting funding for their projects. These initiatives leverage this track record of success to broaden and define areas of scientific and technological leadership. They also create incentives for teams to form and help with the resources required to pursue transformational ideas.

“The intent is to reinforce and expand our research excellence and the capabilities of our faculty, better positioning teams to secure support from external partners,” said Alec D. Gallimore, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering. “We aim to help foster an ecosystem that celebrates bold thinking, embraces noble failures and engenders intellectual curiosity. I am excited to see what happens when we open new doors for our faculty to explore.”

Funding structures

We piloted and are now iterating and scaling up three innovative funding mechanisms that support research throughout its development.

An investment to advance a transformational idea that is high-risk, high-reward. The goal is not to launch a company, but to secure external investments to develop and expand the concept.

A one-time infusion of funds to get a mid-stage idea off the ground. It is similar to angel investors or accelerators in a startup funding model in that it provides a jumpstart.

These seed investments are meant to kickstart an idea that is earlier-stage or has not yet taken definite shape. It is intended for faculty with similar expertise or interests to break down boundaries and organize.

Research

Taking on the world’s biggest, most pressing problems through collaborative and innovative research.

Education

Educating the best engineers, who are capable of leading in a diverse, global community.

Culture

Foster a community based on our core values and rewards creativity and daring.

Research
Pillar
Timeline

June 2017

Leadership retreat

Next steps and measuring success 

Fall 2017

Announce funding models

Blue Sky, Clusters & Themes, Research Accelerator 

Dec 2017

Request for proposals

Faculty engage in idea-generation

May 2018

Evaluate proposals

50+ proposals by ~400 faculty members 

Aug 2018

Blue Sky and Research Accelerator 

First research projects selected 

Oct 2018

Clusters & Themes milestone 

Program and site launched 

April 2019

Blue Sky web presence

Launch project websites 

Summer 2019

Program evaluation

Conduct first-year program assessment

Late 2019

Additional evaluation

Overall program assessment

Fall 2019

Blue Sky progress

Projects mature as enter second year

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