The selection process of the “Grand Challenges Round 01” has been successfully completed and the funded teams are now undertaking the collaborative research outlined in their proposals. CU Denver is currently launching round 02 of the Grand Strategies this fall. Following from the GC01 “Ted Talk” presentations by the Principal Investigators of each funded team at Future Fest, there will be a subsequent “Kick Off” research symposium on October 28th at the Jake Jabs Event Center in the business school. This event, will once again gather faculty together from across campus to form new research collaborations for Round two of the Grand Challenges.
Click here to register for the Grand Challenges/Research Symposium
From the desk of Phillip De Leon, PhD:
Dear Faculty and Staff,
It is with great enthusiasm, as your new colleague, AVC for Research and Creative Activities, and Chief Research Officer, that I invite you to Future Fest to hear from the Grand Challenges Round 1 awardees. I also ask you to hold your calendars for participation in Round 2 of the Grand Challenges Research Symposium series.
I am impressed with the novel approach initiated last year for inviting ideas on grand challenge research areas. Many of you came to the inaugural Strategic Plan Research Symposia and shared your ideas about the kind of research and creative works CU Denver should invest in strategically to enhance our impact and elevate our national and international prominence. We had an outstanding response, and I want to thank all of you who participated.
Round 1 Winners Announced at Future Fest
The awardees of round one of the Grand Challenges will receive over $1 million in funding and will be announced at Future Fest on Oct. 13. I encourage you to attend because you’ll have the opportunity to hear from them directly. They will provide Ted-talk like presentations called Lynx Lectures about their anticipated research work during the festivities which run from 1-3 p.m. at the Lola and Rob Salazar Student Wellness Center.
But we’re only getting started on our way to achieving Goal 3 of our strategic plan, to be internationally known for our research and creative works.
Round 2 Gearing Up
I’m delighted to announce we have committed funding for a second round of CU Denver’s Grand Challenges initiative. Mark your calendars for the first of two sessions designed to help you prepare competitive formal proposals, which will take place on Oct. 28. The second session is scheduled for Nov. 18, and more information about that session will be forthcoming.
I encourage you to find out more details and register here by clicking this link.
How Round 2 Works
Faculty teams interested in having their ideas considered for Grand Challenge funding should attend two 3-hour symposium sessions. We will be following the format from last year, which is designed to solicit your best ideas and provides an opportunity to network with interdisciplinary researchers at CU Denver who can help make proposals even stronger when you submit. Last year’s participants told us the sessions were well worth it.
If you have a conflict and are unable to attend both sessions, we still want to hear from you. Please visit the Grand Challenges website for instructions on how to contribute outside these events.
I am so grateful to work in a place where individuals are so passionate about research and changing the world. I want to take a moment to thank Dean Martin Dunn of the College of Engineering, Design and Computing for helping set up this event last year.
In closing I also want to thank you for your commitment to students in the classroom, and for your work in our laboratories, creative spaces, and in our community. It is people who make the difference. Together we will build a world-class research enterprise that will change Denver and the world.
I look forward to seeing you on Oct. 28. Go Lynx!
Phillip De Leon, PhD
AVC for Research and Creative Activities and Chief Research Officer