We Take on Humanity's Grand Challenges

The 50 Grand Challenges Grants projects are accelerating solutions to humanity’s grand challenges within our communities and around the globe through education, research, scholarship, creative activities and service. The program also provides unique learning opportunities and research experiences for students, including internships, new courses, field data collection, technical training, co-authorship of publications, research presentations and study abroad.

Since launch, the projects have demonstrated an unprecedented cumulative impact:

• $25M in external funding has been secured by Grand Challenges grantees, doubling since the previous year

• 100% of colleges and schools across campus are involved, and each is involved in at least two projects

• 29,300 external stakeholders have been engaged, tripling since the previous year

• 2,650 internal stakeholders have been engaged, including 835 faculty, 315 staff, and 1,505 students

• 88% of Grand Challenges projects have provided student engagement opportunities

• 300 partnerships have launched or expanded

• 100% of Maryland counties have been impacted

The Maryland Democracy Initiative is a nonpartisan program launched in 2023 with funding from a Grand Challenges Impact Award.

• • Civic Engagement Across the Curriculum, a professional development program designed to support the integration of civic engagement experiences into any course, regardless of discipline. In its pilot year, the program supported 12 instructors from seven schools and colleges as they integrated community-focused strategies and experiences into 19 courses serving over 900 students, in disciplines as varied as art, kinesiology and sociology, during the fall and spring semesters.
    
  • With support from MDI and under the leadership of Merrill College’s Local News Network, more than 100 journalism students designed, distributed, and analyzed a survey of every candidate running for school board in the state. The students’ research and reporting resulted in an interactive guide for voters and five in-depth stories about their key findings. Their work filled a critical need for voters who want to make informed choices at the ballot box and supported overtaxed local newsrooms with innovative tools and data.
    
  • Disinformation in Elections and Voter Mobilization Research – MDIs interdisciplinary team of scholars are researching disinformation in U.S. ethnic media during the 2024 election and how it could exacerbate existing inequities in the democratic process. MDI also leads research about methods to engage new voters and to activate potential voters who may be disengaged.
    
  • The Maryland Civic Education Coalition, co-founded and led by MDI, this statewide group of more than 375 individuals 70 organizations includes classroom teachers school district leaders, policymakers, civic partners, scholars, community members, and students in K-12 and higher education who work together to advocate and support high quality civic education and service learning experiences for all Maryland students.

MDI has received financial support from Marsha ’64 and Henry Laufer, most recently a $6 million gift to support projects to boost civic literacy and democratic engagement in K-12 classrooms, higher ed and beyond, including the creation and dissemination of teaching materials, research on effective instructional methods and development of training for educators at all levels to incorporate civic learning opportunities. The Laufers also gave two $100,000 gifts funding voter research and mobilization efforts and establishing the Laufer Democracy Internship Program.

In spring 2024, the university launched the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM) dedicated to developing the next generation of artificial intelligence education, technology and leaders.

AIM fosters an inclusive interdisciplinary environment, bridging faculty and students from non-traditional and traditional technical fields. AIM has gathered nearly 200 university affiliates across colleges and schools, and announced it would begin the hiring of 40 faculty positions over 10 years.

AIM has collaborated with partners across campus on programs and events serving over 300 members of our campus community, including the launch of its own Distinguished Lecture Series. In December 2024, they launched a grant program to support the development of cutting-edge, interdisciplinary AI-related courses, and a seed award program to support the development of innovative, interdisciplinary research projects that leverage AI to address our most pressing societal issues. They received nearly 140 applications across both programs.

The AIM team has hosted and collaborated on programs and events serving over 250 members of our local, state, and national communities, and developed partnerships at the local, state and national level. Partnerships with organizations like the Prince George’s County AI Taskforce, National Federation of the Blind and the Maryland State AI Clinic Pilot Program address societal needs, influencing policy and education.

AIM is currently developing Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence degree programs.
 

Through its Climate Action Plan, the university strives to meet the following ambitious targets for all scopes of emissions:

• Carbon neutrality (net-zero carbon emissions) by 2025

• Zero-Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) fleet by 2035

• Fossil-fuel free central energy plant by 2035

In 2024, the Office of Sustainability published the third comprehensive update to UMD’s Climate Action Plan (CAP 3.0) to reach net zero carbon emissions. With 37 strategic pathways to implement in its next phase of climate action, UMD continues to work to decarbonize and engage relevant audiences. Plan pathways address power, heating & cooling, refrigerants, agriculture, fleet, land use management, solid waste, air travel, commuting, purchasing, education and research. 

Collaborating departments leading implementation of CAP 3.0 pathways have made significant progress:

• Gained approval to move forward with the NextGen Energy Program to modernize the campus’ aging energy system 

• Placed 51 electric vehicles (EVs) into service on campus, and completed an EV infrastructure master plan outlining charging infrastructure and investments required to support full fleet electrification 

• Achieved a 12% decrease in energy consumption from existing facilities compared to 2018, leaving only 8% to achieve the 2031 target of a 20% reduction 

• Submitted a proposal for $1.15M in funding from Maryland Energy Administration to support solar panel installation on campus and workforce development programming 

• Completed a Campus Bikeways Project feasibility report and began installation of new campus bike lanes

• Facilitated a faculty and academic staff work group to design an annual process for assessing students’ sustainability literacy.

The university is on track to meet each of its goals.

The 1856 Project investigates the history of the African American experience on campus and in the surrounding community, analyzes documentation on the University of Maryland’s history, and publishes findings to campus stakeholders and the public.

In 2024, the project launched an initiative that empowers ten scholars, including University of Maryland affiliates and community members, to conduct year-long research projects focused on the history of the Maryland Agricultural College (MAC), the university's predecessor.

The project also launched its first Annual Research event. It showcased research findings from various project participants, including 1856 Project members, Summer Research Initiative participants, and community historians, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Prevent Gun Violence: Research, Empowerment, Strategies & Solutions (PROGRESS) educates and engages students and faculty, and partners with colleagues and community leaders, to transform scientific knowledge into community actions. 

In 2024, PROGRESS appointed 12 PROGRESS Scholars and awarded three seed grants to advance innovative ideas in gun violence research that have the potential for high impact. The projects cover the topics of social media, traditional media, and geospatial artificial Intelligence. PROGRESS also received Community Project Funding through the Department of Justice's Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants program. 

PROGRESS has advised officials throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. on policy matters, and partnered with organizations such as the Alliance of Concerned Men, Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence and Maryland’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy.

UMD is leading the development of a vibrant, globally-leading regional innovation ecosystem that accelerates the development and transition to use of quantum technologies. UMD’s position as the Capital of Quantum is bolstered by Governor Moore’s announcement of a $1 billion quantum initiative anchored in College Park.

The university has invested $100 million in the last three years to broaden and deepen its quantum enterprise. Progress was made on many fronts in 2024:

• The National Quantum Laboratory added two new Fellows, renewed its partnership with IonQ and initiated a new partnership with Xanadu.

• The Mid-Atlantic Quantum Alliance has continued to grow to 48 members, including five new members in 2024, and launched Sensing and Computing sub-groups focused on life-sciences.

• The Quantum Startup Foundry has supported more than 40 entrepreneurs and startups in accelerating quantum technologies’ time to market.

• In collaboration with Arts For All, the Quantum & Arts program launched seven projects covering a wide range of artistic media, including AR/VR, music, dance, computational poetry, and sculpture.

The university also recently launched a Master of Science in quantum computing program and a minor in quantum science and engineering.

At xFoundry@UMD, students engage in immersive competitions and projects aimed at cultivating the mindset and skills of a founder. Through these experiences, students develop essential qualities such as adaptability, resourcefulness, risk tolerance, and resilience—attributes critical for success in any career. Working closely with teammates, students learn to navigate ambiguity, think creatively under pressure, and effectively tackle complex problems.

In 2024, over 350 students—from 56 different undergraduate and graduate programs—participated in xFoundry activities, and 33 events drew more than 1,900 attendees. The inaugural XPLORE event drew over 350 attendees, including 150 engaged students, 14 insightful speakers, and three expert pitches, all focused on identifying the next big challenge to tackle.

The inaugural Grand Challenge Competition, focusing on school safety, launched with 87 students in 14 teams, representing 26 different programs, working together to develop cost-effective solutions.

In partnership with the UMD Department of Fire Protection Engineering, “Crossfire”—a multidisciplinary team of 14 faculty and more than ten students from 8 disciplines—competed in the XPRIZE Wildfire Competition. Selected as one of 29 semifinalists from a worldwide applicant pool, Crossfire earned a share of the $750,000 milestone prize.

The 2024 Public Art Competition exemplifies xFoundry’s fusion of art and engineering. The resulting installation, set to debut at the 2025 NextNOW Fest, will invite viewers to engage, inspire curiosity, and celebrate creativity’s role in addressing grand challenges.

• Inspire multidisciplinary collaboration to address grand challenges such as climate change, social injustice, global health, education disparities, poverty, and threats to our democracy.
• Place interdisciplinary grand challenges at the center of our curriculum, further integrating our education and research missions.
• Prepare and energize the next generation of critical thinkers and change agents through integrated, experiential, and high-impact learning experiences focused on grand challenges in and outside the classroom.

• Expand partnerships with government agencies, policymakers, and community leaders that allow our faculty, staff, and students to contribute meaningfully to our democracy and society.
• Provide internships, fellows programs, and other place-based experiential learning opportunities for students to directly engage in local, state, national, and global grand challenges.

• Recognize and reward activities that are visionary, translational, and powerful.
• Communicate the real-world impact of our research, scholarship, and creative activities.
• Highlight the accomplishments of our graduates.
• Strengthen the integration of Intercollegiate Athletics into the fabric of the university and leverage its reach and visibility to share research and academic accomplishments.