Led by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research with support from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the Igniting Interdisciplinary Innovation (I³) initiative was launched in November 2025 to bring together researchers from across disciplines to develop transformative research ideas aligned with, or complementary to, UW–Madison’s RISE initiatives in Artificial Intelligence, Earth and Health. The program was also designed to position teams to compete for future large-scale external funding opportunities.
“The enthusiasm and participation we saw throughout the I³ process demonstrate the extraordinary breadth of expertise across UW–Madison and the tremendous potential that emerges when researchers work across traditional disciplinary boundaries,” said Vice Chancellor for Research Dorota Brzezinska. “These projects represent innovative approaches to complex societal challenges and exemplify the collaborative spirit that drives discovery and impact at UW–Madison.”