The UNC Charlotte Division of Research awarded grants to 14 University centers through an initiative called Ignite for Centers, which aims to strengthen multidisciplinary programs of research, public service or instruction.
Two-year grants of up to $50,000 annually were created to spur stronger collaborative relationships among researchers in different colleges. These investments include matching funds from colleges, resourcing 12 pilot centers and two UNC system-recognized centers. Each center is led by Charlotte faculty and staff, spans a variety of research areas and highlights creative interdisciplinary partnerships that provide new knowledge to societal problems of practice. All colleges are represented in both lead and participating roles.
“These awards allow us to recognize and invest in the research of our excellent faculty,” said John Daniels, interim vice chancellor of the Division of Research. “They are discoverers and leaders in an array of areas including STEM education, AI, pressing environmental questions and the arts–all areas aimed at shaping the future.”
The strategic plan for the Division of Research prioritizes accelerating growth of the University’s research enterprise.
“In the pursuit of achieving top-tier research university status, we strive to foster an environment that nurtures research opportunities for both our emerging and experienced faculty members,” said Deb Thomas, interim associate vice chancellor of research. “This entails not only creating avenues for newer faculty to engage in research but also expanding horizons for our seasoned professors to continue their scholarly pursuits.”
2023-24 Ignite Awards
- Center for Leadership Science
- Center for the Environment and Health
- Center for Innovation, Translational Research and Applications of Nanostructured Systems (CITRANS)
- Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (CSTEM)
- Charlotte Aviation Innovation and Research Institute
- CIPHER
- AI Institute for Human Digital Twin and Computational Health
- UNC Charlotte Violence Prevention Center
- Center for Migration and Diaspora Studies
- Center for Community-engaged Arts and Design Research (CADRe)
- Charlotte Center for Trustworthy AI for Model Risk Management (TAIM2)
- Center for Community, Heritage, and the Arts (CHArt)
- Center for Education Measurement and Evaluation (CEME)
- Center for Geospatial Sensing and Analytics (GeoSAN)
Learn more about the centers here.