Grand Challenges Day to showcase interdisciplinary research and collaboration

The University of New Mexico community is invited to learn about innovative interdisciplinary research during Grand Challenges Day on Friday, Oct. 2, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Student Union Building Ballroom C.

The event will feature a keynote presentation by Melinda Morgan. Morgan is a regents' professor in Geography and Environmental Studies, and lead principal investigator of the Transformation Network, a partnership between eight western universities and a broad coalition of Indigenous, governmental, and utility organizations that aims to foster resilience in communities and ecosystems across the Western United States. She will address a range of topics including team science study findings at UNM, the path from original Grand Challenge teams to multi-state network, and an interactive session where current and forming teams can envision their next steps.

Lobos will also hear from the program's two newest Level 2 teams as they begin their Grand Challenges journey and receive final reports from three teams completing the Level 2 program.

"The Grand Challenges program is part of a wider effort to build a culture of collaboration across the university's campuses and branches," said Grand Challenges Senior Program Manager Tracy Wenzl. "We hope the UNM community will join us to hear about ongoing interdisciplinary research and consider getting involved in future opportunities."

UNM's Grand Challenges program brings together researchers, educators, students and community partners to address complex issues facing New Mexico and beyond through interdisciplinary collaboration.