Smithsonian and the University of Maryland Partner to Increase Interdisciplinary Research

College Park, Md. -- The Smithsonian and the University of Maryland have created a joint seed grant program to enhance existing collaborations and foster new projects between researchers and scholars at the two institutions. This joint competitive program is also intended to encourage new partnerships that will work across disciplinary boundaries. Four proposals have been selected for funding in this, the seed grant program's first year.

Nineteen proposals were originally submitted by research teams to the UM-SI Seed Grant Program Peer Review Panel -- this six-person panel had three people from each institution representing varied disciplines, such as arts and humanities, history, chemistry and life sciences.

The following are the four proposals selected for funding:

• Bringing the next generation phylogenomics to the Washington area Phylogenetics Consortium: This proposal will greatly benefit the community by providing important information about the genetics in a number of species using emerging technology.
• How vegetation dynamics drive ungulate movements: Transforming single species studies into global comparisons: This research will help establish a database to characterize movement and factors affecting ungulate (hoofed) species. The project has global implications for understanding the impact of land use, fragmentation in the environment, and will build a valuable database.
• American Voices: Uncovering the mystery of the American experience: This summer, D.C. high school students will work with UM theatre students to create performance pieces focused on famous historical leaders portrayed in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery collections, such as Thomas Jefferson, Abigail Adams, or Marian Anderson. The students will research the leaders, then pick a contemporary issue, women's rights, climate change, immigration, etc., then write a script of the historical leaders discussing the issue. Real actors will then portray the heroes in debate at the National Portrait Gallery.
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• Preservation of rare genotypes through innovative stem cell technologies: This project will have broad implications for the development of techniques to preserve the genetic material across a range of species. This approach will aggressively enhance the ability to not only preserve endangered and threatened species, but also give us the capability to reproduce the true genetic makeup of the species.

"We have a rich history of active research collaborations and training programs for students at the Smithsonian Institution," said Eva Pell, the Smithsonian's Undersecretary for Science. "Our relationship with the University of Maryland has been a strong one for many years and this grant program only enhances and strengthens that relationship, creating unique interdisciplinary research opportunities."

"The University of Maryland is very pleased to create this research partnership with the Smithsonian Institution," said UM President C. D. Mote, Jr. "These joint seed grants will enable researchers at the two institutions to join their unique strengths to initiate new work that will often lead to major initiatives. The projects are another example of our common commitment to education and discovery of great impact."

This joint seed grant program is the product of a Memorandum of Understanding that the Smithsonian and the University of Maryland announced in April 2009. The MOU enables the two institutions to establish additional cooperative relationships, like this program, with greater ease and flexibility. It also allows both institutions, their scholars, scientists and researchers to work together to increase contributions to science, share their knowledge with the public, and engage in the development and education of future generations.

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