Grand Challenges 2.0: Engineers Partner to Unlock Solutions

Headshots of 13 engineering faculty members

Faculty members from the A. James Clark School of Engineering are leading or participating in seven of the 11 high-impact, interdisciplinary research projects funded by Grand Challenges Grants 2.0. The Grand Challenges program brings together researchers from across the University of Maryland (UMD) to work together on solutions for pressing global concerns, ranging from community wellness and literacy to nutritional safety, aquatic resource management, ecological durability, and the advancement of principled, reliable innovations.

On June 25, 2026, UMD announced an investment of $15 million over three years across 11 projects with faculty representing more than 40 disciplines across campus—including 14 engineering researchers in the Clark School.

“The Grand Challenges program allows our talented researchers to focus on creating solutions to hard problems that have a big impact on society. Regardless of the kind of challenge, we partner with colleagues across disciplines to find the most effective solutions, and winners of the Grand Challenge 2.0 grants reflect this philosophy,” said Clark School Dean Samuel Graham. "I am proud of my engineering colleagues who will be working with others from across our campus to innovate for the public good. We look forward to the impact that these projects will have on the people of Maryland, and our country and world.”

Cross-Discipline Projects that Include Engineering Faculty

You can visit the Grand Challenges Grants webpage to view all projects and additional details for each project.

Sustainable and Ethical AI Infrastructure

Grant type: Impact Award
Colleges represented: ENGR, PLCY, BGMT, AGNR
PI: Distinguished University Professor Eric Wachsman, Materials Science and Engineering
Co-PIs: Associate Professor Paul Albertus, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Professor Anand Patwardhan, Public Policy; Professor and Associate Dean Yueming “Lucy” Qiu, Public Policy; Professor and Associate Dean Wedad Elmaghraby, Decision, Operations and Information Technologies; Associate Professor Joshua Linn, Agricultural and Resource Economics

The Sustainable and Ethical AI Infrastructure initiative will integrate cross-disciplinary expertise to not only provide input to help guide the State of Maryland’s policy for AI and quantum data center deployment in the coming years, but to chart a national and global path toward sustainable and ethical AI infrastructure.

The team will share its work with the public and will engage policy makers in the state and beyond to help ensure a more ethical and sustainable infrastructure for AI and quantum data centers.

AI for Precision Cancer Treatment

Grant type: Team Grant
Colleges represented: ENGR, CMNS
PI: Professor Teng Li, Mechanical Engineering
Co-PIs: Assistant Research Professor Lianping Wu, Mechanical Engineering; Associate Professor Xiaodi Wu, Computer Science.

The AI for Precision Cancer Treatment team will coherently integrate quantum computing and machine learning into the rational design of single-atom catalysts for cancer detection and therapy.

Sustainable Precision Aquaculture Network for Shellfish (SPANS)

Grant type: Team Grant
Colleges represented: ENGR, AGNR
PI: Professor Miao Yu, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Co-PIs: Professor Nikhil Chopra, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Professor Yang Tao, Bioengineering; Agent Hemendra Kumar, University of Maryland Extension; Principal Agent Associate Matt Parker, University of Maryland Extension; Principal Agent Don Webster, University of Maryland Extension

The Sustainable Precision Aquaculture Network for Shellfish (SPANS) is a strategic initiative to transform the shellfish aquaculture industry from an isolated, high-risk craft into a networked, digital powerhouse.

Women’s Health Interdisciplinary Research Collaborative (WHIRC)

Grant type: Institutional Grant
Colleges represented: SPHL, EDUC, ENGR
PI: Associate Professor Marie Thoma, Family Science
Co-PIs: Associate Professor Jioni Lewis, Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education; Professor Alisa Clyne, Bioengineering; Assistant Professor Ang Li, Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Women’s Health Interdisciplinary Research Collaborative (WHIRC) will foster interdisciplinary research, educate future leaders, and inform policy and practice to drive actionable and transformative change and improve the lives of women across their lifespan.

Predictive Biology Hub for Human and Environmental Health

Grant type: Impact Award
Colleges represented: CMNS, AGNR, BSOS, ENGR
PI: Professor Joshua Weitz, Biology
Co-PIs: Professor and Chair Evan Economo, Entomology; Professor Meredith Gore, Geographical Sciences; Distinguished University Professor William Fagan, Biology; Assistant Professor Nikolas Francis, Biology; Professor Michelle Girvan, Physics; Associate Professor Philip Johnson, Biology; Associate Professor Haizhao Yang, Mathematics; Assistant Professor Nan Xu, Bioengineering

The goal of the Predictive Biology Hub for Human and Environmental Health initiative is to build the next-generation of predictive tools to mitigate pandemics, improve human health, and sustain vital ecosystems.

Gut Healing Smart Pill

Grant type: Team Grant
Colleges represented: AGNR, ENGR
PI: Assistant Professor Younggeon Jin, Animal and Avian Sciences
Co-PIs: Distinguished University Professor Reza Ghodssi, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Institute for Systems Research; Assistant Research Scientist Justin Stine, A. James Clark School of Engineering; Associate Professor Katharina Maisel, Bioengineering

The Gut Healing Smart Pill team brings a unique approach to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by activating the gut's own built-in repair system. The challenge is delivering the right treatment to exactly the right location within the intestine to avoid off-target effects on healthy areas. The team will address this challenge by building a smart swallowable capsule, about the size of a large vitamin, that can sense damaged sections of the gut as it travels through the intestine, using a technology called bioimpedance, which measures the electrical properties of the gut wall, and deliver healing therapy to the areas that need it.

The Air We Share

Grant type: Team Grant
Colleges represented: ENGR, CMNS
PI: Distinguished University Professor Donald Milton, Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health
Co-PIs: Professor Jelena Srebric, Mechanical Engineering; Associate Research Professor Kathleen McPhaul, Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health; Assistant Professor Huang Lin, Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Distinguished University Professor Maureen Cropper, Economics; Professor Anna Alberini, Agricultural and Resource Economics; Distinguished University Professor Abba Gumel, Mathematics, Institute for Health Computing

The Air We Share team will build enduring infrastructure, develop the next generation of leaders in airborne infection and indoor air research, cement UMD’s long-term reputation and visibility as a leading institution for airborne infection control, and establish new standards for the air we share in healthcare settings and everywhere we spend time indoors.

About the Grand Challenges Grant Program

The Grand Challenges Grants Program is the largest and most comprehensive of its type ever introduced at UMD, supporting collaborative projects that address emerging societal issues.

In 2023, UMD awarded the first round of grants, funding 50 projects across four categories. In 2026, UMD launched Grand Challenges Grants 2.0 to support ambitious new collaborations to advance high-impact research. Nearly 80 proposals from every college and school were submitted involving 400 researchers. Eleven projects were funded across three categories.

Published June 25, 2026