Campus News
CITRIS invites applications for research support through Interdisciplinary Innovation Program (I2P)
CITRIS and the Banatao Institute at UC Santa Cruz invite UC Santa Cruz principal investigators to apply for research support through the Interdisciplinary Innovation Program (I2P), previously known as the CITRIS UCSC Campus Seed Funding Program.
CITRIS and the Banatao Institute at UC Santa Cruz invite UC Santa Cruz principal investigators to apply for research support through the Interdisciplinary Innovation Program (I2P), previously known as the CITRIS UCSC Campus Seed Funding Program. Separate from the broader CITRIS Core Seed Funding initiative, which funds collaborative research between the four CITRIS campuses, the I2P focuses on strengthening interdisciplinary connections specifically on the Santa Cruz campus.
Through the program, we will provide funding of up to $40,000 for early-stage research that furthers the CITRIS and the Banatao Institute mission. This includes research on Information Technology that addresses current pressing societal challenges and has a strong potential for securing external funding. Project teams must include at least two UC Santa Cruz PIs from different academic disciplines and additional PIs are welcome. The program anticipates funding up to 3 projects in 2025.
The request for proposals will open on June 13, 2025, on the I2P program website. The submission deadline is August 15, 2025, and we will announce the awards in September 2025. The funds will be released directly after the announcement in September. To learn more about the research projects previously funded through the program, please visit the CITRIS UCSC website.
The 2025-26 program requests proposals with a focus in the following areas:
Society, Media and Technology
- Information technology has played a role in shaping many of the current challenges facing deliberation and discussion in democratic societies, from voter manipulation to social media and the spread of misinformation and disinformation, erosion of trust in professional journalism; the list goes on and on. Projects critically examining these processes and/or exploring how IT can counter these challenges are welcome.
Agricultural Technology – AgTech
- As changes to climate increasingly impact arable land, water and air, new approaches to food production become more critical. We welcome projects critically examining and exploring IT solutions to these challenges, including those aimed at improving working conditions, increasing productivity, and supporting more sustainable agricultural practices. Proposals that also consider the social impacts of automation—such as job displacement and community resilience—are especially encouraged.
Educational Technology – EdTech
- Information technology is argued to hold immense potential to create better, more equitable outcomes and opportunities for all students. AI in particular has proven to be a disruptive tool from both the side of teachers and learners. Projects developing innovative EdTech solutions to the challenges facing students, teachers and/or institutions of learning are welcome, as well as projects proposing innovative approaches to integrate AI tools into teaching and learning and those critically examining the implications of the use of educational AI technologies.
For more information, we invite you to attend the upcoming information sessions:
- Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 12:00-1:00 PM – click here to register
- Tuesday, June 24, 2025, 4:00-5:00 PM – click here to register
CITRIS and the Banatao Institute create information technology solutions for society’s most pressing challenges. Established in 2001, the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) leverages the interdisciplinary research strengths of four UC campuses – Santa Cruz, Berkeley, Davis and Merced – to advance the University of California’s mission and the innovative spirit of California. The institute was created to shorten the pipeline between world-class laboratory research and the development of cutting-edge applications, platforms, companies, and even new industries. For more information, visit the CITRIS website.