GRAND CHALLENGES SCHOLARS

The Grand Challenges Scholars Program (GCSP) is designed to provide UD Engineering undergraduate students with the opportunity to be immersed and engaged in the most pressing societal concerns of our time. GCSP provides a developmental framework for students to focus on academics and extracurricular activities organized around the National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges, which broadly include Health, Security, Sustainability and Joy of Living.

As a UD GCSP student you will engage in coursework and experiential opportunities that integrate five core educational components:

  • Hands-on project or research experience
  • Interdisciplinary curriculum
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Global dimension
  • Service learning

Scholars will receive formal designation as an NAE Grand Challenges Scholar at graduation.

Rebecca Clements

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Year graduated: 2021

Preferred pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Current position: Biomedical engineering PhD student at Northwestern University

Tori Reiner

Major: Biomedical Engineering

Year graduated: 2022

Preferred pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Alex Newkirk

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Year graduated: 2022

Preferred Pronouns: He/Him/His

Applying to Grand Challenges Scholars program

Who is eligible to apply?

GCSP is open to any admitted or currently enrolled student whose major is in the college of engineering. Admitted students can apply to the program in the summer prior to their freshmen year.  Currently enrolled students in the college may apply to the program through the office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education.

How do I apply to GCSP?

Admitted students can access the essay prompts to apply through their My Blue Hen Home student portal. Students may apply to multiple scholars and fellows programs, but will only be admitted to one program. Currently enrolled students who wish to apply should contact the office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education.

Core Advisors

Biomedical Engineering

Sarah Rooney
sirooney@udel.edu

Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Yushan Yan
yanys@udel.edu

Civil & Environmental Engineering

Shangjia Dong
sjdong@udel.edu

Computer & Information Sciences

Chris Rasmussen
ras@udel.edu

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Rick Martin
rdmartin@udel.edu

Materials Science & Engineering

Ismat Shah
ismat@udel.edu

Mechanical Engineering

Lucas Lu
xlu@udel.edu

Challenges

ADVANCE PERSONALIZED LEARNING

A growing appreciation of individual preferences and aptitudes has led toward more “personalized learning,” in which instruction is tailored to a student’s individual needs. Given the diversity of individual preferences, and the complexity of each human brain, developing teaching methods that optimize learning will require engineering solutions of the future.

MAKE SOLAR ENERGY ECONOMICAL

Currently, solar energy provides less than 1% of the world’s total energy, but it has the potential to provide much, much more.

ENHANCE VIRTUAL REALITY

Within many specialized fields, from psychiatry to education, virtual reality is becoming a powerful new tool for training practitioners and treating patients, in addition to its growing use in various forms of entertainment.

REVERSE-ENGINEER THE BRAIN

A lot of research has been focused on creating thinking machines — computers capable of emulating human intelligence — however, reverse-engineering the brain could have multiple impacts that go far beyond artificial intelligence and will promise great advances in health care, manufacturing, and communication.

ENGINEER BETTER MEDICINES

Engineering can enable the development of new systems to use genetic information, sense small changes in the body, assess new drugs, and deliver vaccines to provide health care directly tailored to each person.

ADVANCE HEALTH INFORMATICS

As computers have become available for all aspects of human endeavors, there is now a consensus that a systematic approach to health informatics — the acquisition, management, and use of information in health — can greatly enhance the quality and efficiency of medical care and the response to widespread public health emergencies.

RESTORE AND IMPROVE URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure is the combination of fundamental systems that support a community, region, or country. Society faces the formidable challenge of modernizing the fundamental structures that will support our civilization in centuries ahead.

SECURE CYBERSPACE

Computer systems are involved in the management of almost all areas of our lives; from electronic communications, and data systems, to controlling traffic lights to routing airplanes. It is clear that engineering needs to develop innovations for addressing a long list of cybersecurity priorities

PROVIDE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER

The world’s water supplies are facing new threats; affordable, advanced technologies could make a difference for millions of people around the world.

PROVIDE ENERGY FROM FUSION

Human-engineered fusion has been demonstrated on a small scale. The challenge is to scale up the process to commercial proportions, in an efficient, economical, and environmentally benign way.

PREVENT NUCLEAR TERROR

The need for technologies to prevent and respond to a nuclear attack is growing.

MANAGE THE NITROGEN CYCLE

Engineers can help restore balance to the nitrogen cycle with better fertilization technologies and by capturing and recycling waste.

DEVELOP CARBON SEQUESTRATION METHODS

Engineers are working on ways to capture and store excess carbon dioxide to prevent global warming.

ENGINEER THE TOOLS OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY

In the century ahead, engineers will continue to be partners with scientists in the great quest for understanding many unanswered questions of nature.

Program Expectations

1. Grand Challenge Project

The purpose of the Grand Challenge Project (GCP) is for the scholar to engage in novel, in-depth work related to the Grand Challenges. To satisfy this requirement, a student must consistently engage with the same project focused on a Grand Challenge thematic area for a substantive time period during their upperclassmen years. The GCP is intended as a capstone experience within the GCSP program.

To fulfill this requirement, students must:

  • Complete 4 credit hours capstone (senior) engineering design experience at 400-level or above that aligns with one or more Grand Challenge areas.

OR

  • Complete 6 credit hours of optional independent study (300 or 400 level) with UD faculty on the same research project that aligns with a NAE Grand Challenge area.

OR

  • Two winter/summer optional internships with UD faculty on the same research project that aligns with a NAE Grand Challenge area. One internship and 3 credit hours of independent study may also satisfy this requirement.

Examples:

Tori, a biomedical engineering student, fulfilled this requirement through Engineering Senior Design (BMEG 460), with a project that was focused on equal access to healthcare in South Africa. Tori also worked on a summer research project focused on developing new medicines for cataracts in the lab of Justin Parreno. She continued this research project with an additional 3 credit hours of independent study.

 

Rebecca, a biomedical engineering student, met this requirement by completing her senior thesis (UNIV 401 and 402). Her project, “Brain Age Estimation using Artificial Neural Networks and Magnetic Resonance Elastography”, also directly addressed the Grand Challenge of “Reverse-engineer the brain.”

2. Interdisciplinary Curriculum

Given that the Grand Challenges themselves are inherently interdisciplinary, GCSP students must complete a minimum amount of coursework that involves interdisciplinary technical expertise and collaboration.

To fulfill this requirement, students must:

  • Complete 2 credit hours of Introduction to Engineering (EGGG 101), which inherently requires substantive interdisciplinary collaboration related to Grand Challenges.

OR

  • Complete 2 credit hours of equivalent introductory First-Year Experience course that aligns with Grand Challenges and requires group work.

AND

  • Complete 3 credit hours of 300 or 400 level coursework that involves interdisciplinary, project-based teamwork on Grand Challenges issues. Students may choose courses from the pre-approved list developed by the GCSP Committee.

Examples:

Rebecca, a biomedical engineering student, fulfilled this requirement by taking EGGG 101, Introduction to Engineering. During this course she completed multiple group projects with engineering students from other disciplines, including a prototype of a kinetic energy harvesting system and a password protection app. Lectures in EGGG 101 also introduced her to concepts from other majors and provided insights into business and entrepreneurship.

 

Rebecca also took BMEG 330, Biomedical Instrumentation, and with her interdisciplinary team developed an adaptive paintbrush to help people with limited dexterity learn how to paint and participate in art therapy. This project also directly addressed the Grand Challenge of “Advance Personalized Learning.”

 

Along with taking EGGG 101, Tori, a biomedical engineering student, met this requirement by taking LEAD 340, Leadership Internship. During this 6 credit hour course, she completed an year long team project that focused on theory, creativity, innovation and community.

3. Entrepreneurship

GCSP students must build awareness and experience in entrepreneurship, defined as the commercialization of a product, process, service, through formal coursework and experiential learning. GCSP students may extend other GCSP core requirements, such as the Grand Challenge Project, into their entrepreneurial experience.

To fulfill this requirement, students must:

  • Complete 3 credit hours of 300 or 400 level coursework in the UD Entrepreneurship program (ENTR course designation).

AND

  • Summer/winter internship involving active entrepreneurship and/or commercialization efforts of new technology in one of the Grand Challenge thematic areas. Capstone (Senior) engineering design may count towards this requirement so long as the faculty instructor certifies that the project involves an entrepreneurship and/or commercialization effort.

Example:

Two engineering students complete a winter internship (MEEG 366) to advance their novel construction-themed toy design, created in an earlier design class, to a minimum viable prototype, appropriate to “pitch” in a start-up competition. At the conclusion of the internship, the students are awarded a small grant for customer discovery and enroll in ENTR 350: Introduction to Entrepreneurship, to learn the Lean Start-up Method for creating a viable commercialization plan for their product.

 

  • Participate in UD Service Learning Scholars Program, including winter/summer internship and 3 credit independent study with faculty supervision. The UD Service Learning Program was recognized nationally with the Community Engagement Classification from the distinguished Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

OR

  • Complete at least two years of active involvement in student organizations or established NGOs that engage with underserved communities in proximity to UD. Student must provide evidence of active involvement (at a level equivalent to an organizational officer, project manager, etc.) as a written statement endorsed by organizational leadership.

Examples:

Tori, a biomedical engineering student, fulfilled this requirement with ENTR 350, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, and worked on an entrepreneurship-focused project for one academic year. Tori also completed an internship with a nonprofit organization for a full academic year that focused on teaching entrepreneurship and promoting environmental and personal health.

 

Alex, an honors mechanical engineering student, met this requirement by taking ENTR 350, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, and worked as part of a team to develop a real-world business product offering. Alex also completed a summer internship with Exelon/Delmarva Power on a project to certify photovoltaic applications in Delaware, which directly connects to the grand challenge of “Make solar energy economical.”

4. Global Dimension

GCSP students must engage with organizations and/or research and service projects outside of the U.S.

To fulfill this requirement, students must:

  • Complete at least two years of active involvement in student organizations or established NGOs that engage with communities outside of the U.S., e.g., Engineers Without Borders or Red Cross. Student must provide evidence of active involvement (at a level equivalent to an organizational officer, project manager, etc.) as a written statement endorsed by organizational leadership.

OR

  • Summer/winter internship on faculty-supervised research that engages with communities outside of the U.S. Student must submit a statement describing engagement, which is to be endorsed by the faculty supervisor for the research.

Examples:

Alex, an honors mechanical engineering student, met this requirement thanks to his work as project manager for the University of Delaware’s Engineers Without Borders chapter. The project was focused on providing safe, potable drinking water for a community in the municipality of Inabanga in the Philippines. Alex did extensive work on this project since his freshman year and also traveled to Inabanga for physical implementation and site training.

 

Rebecca, a biomedical engineering student, met this requirement through an internship at Hologic, a global medical device company focused on women’s health.

5. Service Learning

GCSP students must also commit to serving their local community, that is, in proximity to UD.

To fulfill this requirement, students must:

  • Participate in UD Service Learning Scholars Program, including winter/summer internship and 3 credit independent study with faculty supervision. The UD Service Learning Program was recognized nationally with the Community Engagement Classification from the distinguished Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

OR

  • Complete at least two years of active involvement in student organizations or established NGOs that engage with underserved communities in proximity to UD. Student must provide evidence of active involvement (at a level equivalent to an organizational officer, project manager, etc.) as a written statement endorsed by organizational leadership.

Examples:

Tori, a biomedical engineering student, met this requirement from her involvement in the Blue Hen Leadership Program. As a member of this group for four years, she volunteered at sites across the city of Newark, including the Newark Bike Project. She also worked as a peer mentor to first-year students and helped them during their transition into college.

 

Alex, an honors mechanical engineering student, was an active member of Engineers Without Borders’ local “Reachout” branch. He also worked with local schools in New Castle on walk-to-school days, volunteered during the rare plant auction, and helped local Girl Scouts troops to meet this requirement.

 

Rebecca, a biomedical engineering student, met this requirement by participating in two UD Alternative Break programs, which are service learning experiences available to undergraduates during spring and winter breaks. She also was the academic chair and co-vice president for Alpha Omega Epsilon, a social and professional sorority for STEM majors. Through that group she helped organize and plan Engineering Discovery Day, an outreach event that provided high school girls with the opportunity to learn about engineering.

Contact

For more information contact the office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education at coe-gcsp@udel.edu.