A faculty retreat on March 8 will launch the new Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Initiative to expand collaborations between UNL and the University of Nebraska Medical Center faculty and strengthen competitiveness for federal funding.

Effectively researching challenges at the intersection of science, engineering and medicine requires a multidisciplinary approach. This new initiative aims to create diverse inter-institutional teams for research on disease prevention, treatment, detection, diagnosis and remote monitoring. The SEM Initiative website features more information and a detailed list of potential research areas.

The ultimate aim is to build teams that compete more successfully for grants from federal funding agencies, including the Department of Defense, National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. UNL’s Office of Research and Economic Development and UNMC’s Office of Research are sponsoring this initiative.

The March 8 retreat will bring together potential collaborators to discuss their research interests and explore ideas for potential collaborations. The retreat will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Omaha-La Vista Hotel and Conference Center, 12520 Westport Parkway, La Vista. Advance registration is required for the retreat, which is open to UNL and UNMC faculty. Click here to register online and learn more about the retreat on the SEM retreat website.

A request for applications will be issued for interdisciplinary seed grants after the retreat. Seed grants will provide up to $100,000 over a two-year period, with the goal of generating preliminary results to increase competitiveness for federal funding.

For more information, faculty can contact Steve Goddard, associate vice chancellor for research.