April 28, 2020 — The Graduate School at UTSA in partnership with the Office of the Vice President for Research, Economic Development, and Knowledge Enterprise will host the COVID-19 Transdisciplinary Team Grand Challenge, launching in May.
The challenge was designed to unite UTSA graduate students from a wide range of academic programs to work with community partners while problem-solving the many issues created by the pandemic. In light of the uncertain circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers around the globe now face the challenging task of solving myriad problems associated with its impact. Issues of this magnitude cannot be solved by researchers in an individual discipline alone. Instead, solutions will be best resolved by transdisciplinary scholars who bring a wider perspective and background to the table.
“Students will develop proposals for transdisciplinary concept projects to tackle issues stemming from the pandemic,” says Ambika Mathur, vice provost and dean of The Graduate School. “We are excited to see the innovation and academic excellence of our Roadrunner family come together.”
"We need to cultivate the next generation of researchers,” added Bernard Arulanandam, vice president for REDKE. “By partnering with The Graduate School on this opportunity, this is a great way for students to engage with the knowledge enterprise and address a real-world challenge. Innovation can often come from adversity.”
The transdisciplinary nature of this challenge makes it an exciting task, allowing UTSA students to work with other master’s and doctoral students at the university to address the very real problems facing society today. The top three winning teams will be granted individual scholarships and travel awards to attend a domestic conference in the next academic year.
Project proposals can cover a wide variety of topical areas, including economic or societal impacts, vaccine and treatment development, the preservation of civil and human rights, cybersecurity, communication strategies, scientific approaches toward understanding the biology of the infection, etc. Teams should include at least two discipline fields and have three to five student members per group.
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
All UTSA students, faculty, staff, alumni, and families are invited to march with the UTSA delegation in San Antonio's 38th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. March. Free transportation will be provided from the Main and Downtown Campuses.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy, 3501 Martin Luther King, Jr., San Antonio, TXJoin the UTSA Alumni Association for free coffee and breakfast to celebrate the start of the fall semester.
Sombrilla PlazaWarm up with a hot cup of coffee or a hot chocolate with Wellbeing Services to kick off the start of the Spring Semester! The Wellbeing team will be in the Window Lounge to welcome you to the first day of classes and highlight our events and programs for the semester.
Dreamers Resource Lounge, Main CampusJoin us in the HCAP Student Success Center for refreshments and get to know your HCAP Ambassadors, Peer Mentors, and staff!
HCAP Student Success Center (MS 2.02.36), Main CampusKlesse College is excited to welcome back our Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design students! Join us for a fun day full of community, food, and fun events. Food is free for all KCEID Students. Come get your T-shirts and connect with student organizations.
Atrium, Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering Building, Main CampusStop by the Alvarez Student Success Center to learn about our services, meet our staff, and grab some goodies! Students can earn Career Compass spirit points by taking a photo with our frame and uploading it to the app.
Alvarez Student Success Center (BB 2.01.08,) Business Building, Main CampusCome meet student organizations and learn about different volunteering opportunities at the Spring 2025 Get Involved Fair.
HSU Ballroom (HSU 1.104-1.106,) Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
