University of Maryland Innovation Gateway

Areas of Impact

• Grand Challenges
  

  Grand Challenges

  The Grand Challenges Grants Program is the largest and most comprehensive of its type ever introduced at the University of Maryland, supporting projects that address emerging societal issues, including climate change, social injustice, global health, and education disparities. This program is a Fearlessly Forward strategic initiative designed to accelerate solutions to humanity’s grand challenges within our communities and around the globe through education, research, scholarship, creative activities, and service.

• Arts for All
  

  Arts for All

  Art + Technology + Social Justice

  The Arts for All initiative partners the arts with the sciences, technology and other disciplines to develop new and reimagined curricular and experiential offerings that nurture different ways of thinking to spark dialogue, understanding, problem solving and action. It bolsters a campus-wide culture of creativity and innovation, making Maryland a national leader in leveraging the combined power of the arts, technology and social justice to collaboratively address grand challenges. Read more about how UMD is harnessing the power of the arts to spark civic dialogue, increase community engagement and activate social change.

• Climate Change
  

  Climate Change

  Addressing Climate Change for a Sustainable Earth

  Led by Ellen Williams, Distinguished University Professor of physics and director of the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, the initiative brings together leaders from departments around campus focused on Earth system science. This discipline encompasses all the connections of climate change—from how the oceans store carbon to atmospheric reactions near the boundary of outer space to human impacts on ecosystems. The project is designed as a step toward the creation of a new school for translating Earth science and climate science research into action for the region, nation and world. Read more about Addressing Climate Change for a Sustainable Earth.

• Global FEWture Alliance
  

  Global FEWture Alliance

  Global FEWture Alliance: Food-Energy-Water Solutions for a Changing Climate

  Worldwide, 1.3 billion people are food-insecure, 770 million lack adequate access to energy sources, and 2 billion lack access to safe drinking water. Climate change magnifies these challenges, and communities of color often bear the heaviest burdens. The Global FEWture Alliance, led by Amy Sapkota—MPower Professor of environmental health in the School of Public Health, and director of the CONSERVE Center of Excellence—acknowledges that our vital resources of food, energy and water are inextricably linked. Read more.

• Literacy and Equity
  

  Literacy and Equity

  Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity

  The project aims to close opportunity gaps that have contributed to longstanding societal inequities even as they threaten to create new ones. Literacy is an unequally allocated resource, Bolger said, and the need to transform literacy is particularly apparent in Maryland. The state once boasted strong reading scores, but has now been surpassed by states including Mississippi, which struggled in last place nationally until it made a concerted literacy push in recent years. Read more about Maryland Initiative for Literacy and Equity (MILE).