AIM Seed Award Program to Support AI-Related Research and Course Development

The University of Maryland announced on Friday a new seed award program designed to support the development of cutting-edge, interdisciplinary artificial intelligence-related research projects and courses.

The $1.3 million in grants will be administered by the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM), a collaborative hub launched last spring to conduct research, offer innovative and experiential learning opportunities for students and focus on responsible and ethical AI technology to advance the public good. UMD and its philanthropic and industry partners plan to invest more than $100 million in the institute over the next 10 years.

Members of the UMD community are invited to submit proposals in two categories:

• Research awards in three different tracks: Cross-College Collaborative Awards, Individual Faculty and Student Awards, and AIM Fellows
• Course Development Grants or Experiential Learning and Community-Engaged Course Development Grants for AI-related courses

The research awards will prioritize scholarly and scientific projects that align with AIM’s four focus areas—accessibility, sustainability, justice, and learning and creativity—as well as foundational computational advancements in areas such as speech, language, robotics, multimodality and advanced computing for AI. The maximum amount awarded for a research grant will be $300,000.

“These awards are evidence of AIM's commitment to supporting innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to AI research and education,” said Sheena Erete, AIM associate director of research and an associate professor in the College of Information. “By supporting projects that prioritize collaboration and societal impact, we are not only advancing AI research at UMD but also redefining what it means to engage in AI research that creates meaningful change for communities in Maryland and beyond.”

The curriculum development awards encourage applications for courses that are interdisciplinary in their approach to AI, intersect with AIM’s four focus areas and introduce AI-focused courses to existing majors or minors on campus. The maximum amount awarded for a course development grant will be $25,000.

“These course development grants highlight AIM's dedication to fostering the development of innovative courses, community-engaged and experiential learning opportunities, and interdisciplinary educational programs in AI across all colleges and departments,” said Neda Atanasoski, AIM associate director of education and professor and chair of the Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. “Our educational mission to tackle the grand challenges posed by AI development across diverse sectors of society is one of the defining hallmarks of our institute.”

The deadline for submitting a proposal is Feb. 17, and recipients will be announced in late spring 2025.

Story by Maryland Today