Igniting Interdisciplinary Innovation Initiative: A matchmaker powering interdisciplinary RISE research

UW–Madison’s main campus spans 939 acres with 420 buildings and 13 schools and colleges. And that’s just the main Madison campus.

There are also dozens of UW–Madison field stations, research spaces and centers found elsewhere across Wisconsin. UW–Madison even leads an international research collaboration at the South Pole, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory.

UW–Madison is distinct for its breadth of research that spans the social sciences, medicine, humanities, and STEM fields, and is home to 51,822 students and 27,293 faculty and staff (https://www.wisc.edu/about/facts/)

So how do you find a needle in this humongous haystack?

“One challenge I often hear about at UW–Madison is that it’s difficult to make connections, given its size,” says Cindy Czajkowski, senior associate vice chancellor for research.

To answer this challenge, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research has launched the Igniting Interdisciplinary Innovation Initiative (I³ ) to play matchmaker.

The goal is to bring researchers from many disciplines together to spark collaboration, ignite ideas, and develop bold solutions to societal problems that no single field can solve. I³ isn’t just a speed dating exercise with a fast-paced whirlwind of encounters. It provides opportunities for dedicated time to meet with other researchers who may be from a different discipline, but with common interests in solving big societal challenges that cross or complement UW-Madison’s RISE theme areas—AI, THRIVE and EARTH.

“Complex challenges—like climate resilience, trustworthy AI, and human health—can’t be solved within disciplinary silos,” says Czajkowski.

I³ creates the space and resources for researchers to form new collaborations, explore transformative ideas, and position UW–Madison for leadership in securing large-scale funding.

“Meeting in person creates opportunities to interact in ways that email and virtual platforms simply can’t match,” Czajkowski says. “Live conversations spark ideas by allowing researchers to build on each other’s insights in real time, and can often lead to entirely new ways of thinking.”

Running through May 2026, the program features structured collaboration events and seed funding for projects that pursue exceptionally innovative approaches to key societal challenges, such as:

• Reducing environmental contaminants and mitigating their effects on human health and planetary resilience: technologies, processes and policies
• Curing disease and improving health and well-being: mechanisms, diagnostics, treatments and health systems
• Building the workforce and manufacturing of the future: emerging materials and technologies, education/skill development, and public policy
• Designing robust food, water, and agriculture systems: production, distribution, affordability and access
• Developing future energy infrastructure: efficiency, reliability and accessibility

Successful I³ teams will likely:

• Involve faculty across multiple departments and schools/colleges
• Include a mix of junior and senior faculty
• Comprise faculty who have not previously collaborated
• Include participation by RISE hires

 

Strong I³ projects will likely:

• Leverage existing institutional strengths, infrastructure, facilities, or centers and expand an established research direction into new domains, funding pathways, or collaborations, or
• Identify an emerging field or theme aligned with new capabilities and opportunities and position UW–Madison for early leadership in a developing national or global area
• Advance the Wisconsin Idea

 

What sets this initiative apart from others sponsored by the OVCR is the process. 

Interested researchers are asked to attend an online 1-hour I³ Information session, participate in one or more topic-focused incubation sessions, and collaborate as a team to develop and submit a proposal. Finalists will be invited to pitch their ideas at the spring 2026 I³ Showcase, where selected teams will receive I³ funding up to $250,000.

The lead Principal Investigator (PI) must be a UW–Madison tenure-track faculty member or a researcher with permanent PI status. CHS faculty, research professors, and other academic staff without permanent PI status may participate as co-PIs.

Visit the initiative web page for details and application process.

For questions about incubation sessions or proposal preparation, please contact the appropriate divisional AVC. Technical questions should be sent to competitions@research.wisc.edu.