Interdisciplinary Frontier Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellows Program

Research and Innovation

Collage of diverse students collaborating on research

Many of the most challenging problems we face require an interdisciplinary approach, and the University of Delaware has a long tradition of interdisciplinary research and education. Nowhere is this commitment more evident than at UD's Graduate College, which hosts a portfolio of interdisciplinary programs that span the University's other colleges.

Drawing on its proficiency in building and conducting interdisciplinary programs, while adhering to its mission to achieve excellence in graduate education and graduate research, scholarship and creative expression, the Graduate College's Interdisciplinary Frontier Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellows Program creates opportunities for transformative interdisciplinary research and discovery that existing mechanisms cannot readily support.

creativity and exploration in research

What is going to glue a mechanical engineer to a philosopher? What is going to glue a biologist to an artist? What is going to glue a mathematician to a sociologist? UD Frontiers make these dissimilar fields stick.

Projects funded by the Interdisciplinary Frontier Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellows Program leverage graduate students and postdocs as the "glue" between departments to encourage collaboration and explore ideas they would normally not have the time or resources for. By chartering unknown territory, these explorations lay the groundwork and pave the way for developing larger, externally funded projects.

Do you have an idea?

Have you been inspired by casual lunchtime conversations with colleagues from another department? Do you see a unique application for your research that steps outside of your discipline? We invite you to submit a proposal.

Imagine a world where ...

Imagine a world where we can feed the world while protecting the planet. When the disciplines of civil and environmental engineering, earth sciences, and plant and soil sciences coalesce, we may not have to imagine this world. With your support, a world where these and other seemingly incongruous domains unite can be a reality.

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