VCU Convergence seeking proposals to spark transdisciplinary collaboration
Internal seed funding will support faculty teams developing research, curricula and student learning opportunities tied to complex societal challenges.
Virginia Commonwealth University faculty are invited to apply for new team planning grants designed to catalyze cross-disciplinary collaboration through VCU Convergence.
The internal funding opportunity will support faculty teams developing transdisciplinary research, interdisciplinary curriculum, and transformative learning opportunities for students across five convergence themes:
- Health Outcomes
- Human Factors of Artificial Intelligence
- Neuroscience (including Neurodegeneration)
- Mental Health
- Sustainability
VCU Convergence brings together faculty, students and partners from across the university to address complex societal challenges that cannot be solved by a single discipline. Often described as “wicked problems,” these issues require collaboration across fields and sectors to develop meaningful and lasting solutions.
Upcoming virtual information sessions will be held:
Supporting collaboration across disciplines
The planning grants are designed to help faculty build new partnerships across schools, colleges and campuses while exploring shared intellectual interests and research questions.
Projects must involve at least three full-time faculty members from two or more VCU schools or colleges, with preference given to teams that include collaborators from multiple campuses.
Funding of up to $10,000 per project will support activities that help teams plan and launch new initiatives aligned with VCU Convergence.
Grants aim to support work in three key areas:
Transdisciplinary research
Teams may develop collaborative research partnerships, generate preliminary work that can seed external grant proposals or produce peer-reviewed scholarship and creative inquiry across disciplines.
Interdisciplinary curriculum development
Faculty teams may design or enhance team-taught courses, develop new academic offerings such as minors or certificates, or explore new training opportunities such as microcredentials.
Transformative learning opportunities
Projects may create experiential learning opportunities for students, including undergraduate research, service learning or vertically integrated projects that bring students into real-world problem solving.
Key dates
The deadline to submit proposals is April 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. EST. Selected projects will run from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with funding provided through the Office of the Provost.
Faculty interested in applying are encouraged to attend an upcoming pre-proposal webinar to learn more about the opportunity and the application process.
Categories VCU Convergence