The academic strength of the College of Letters and Science at UC Davis lies in its diverse research community. The interplay between the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences helps us advance knowledge and address society’s most pressing problems.  

To encourage new interdisciplinary collaborations, the college will launch the L&S Unites Initiative, which will support collaborative research projects from faculty across two, preferably three, of the college’s historic divisions.

“Though this initiative won’t formally launch until fall 2023, we’re encouraging our faculty to use the summer to brainstorm potential collaborative projects,” said Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Lori Lubin. “Think outside of the box, explore new ideas and avenues, and reach out to potential faculty partners in other divisions to start building L&S Unites teams!”  

L&S Unites will provide two-year awards of up to $150,000 to harness the strengths across the college, cultivate multidisciplinary collaborations, and create the infrastructure to take advantage of upcoming opportunities. The goal is to create long-term impact and visibility for the college by addressing current social, political, economic and/or environmental grand challenges; exploring novel and innovative ideas; entering into emerging research areas; and much more. The possibilities are limitless.

More information about this ambitious initiative will be provided in the fall when prospective teams will be asked to submit initial “white papers.” The college’s Research Support Committee will evaluate these white papers. The teams of faculty members with chosen interdisciplinary projects will be asked to submit full proposals, which will include program motivation, proposed activities, sustainability plans and potential for long-term impact, budget and budget narrative.