As part of the University of Michigan College of Engineering’s new internal research funding approach, the Blue Sky Initiative is designed to give research teams a chance to try big, daring ideas, show results and build enough momentum to secure significant investment from partners such as federal agencies or corporations.
Introduced in late 2017, the Blue Sky Initiative supports transformational concepts – high-risk, high-reward ideas. Selected research teams will progress through a series of defined milestones to consistently assess the development of their concepts. The initiative will give teams the resources to aggressively pursue an idea to either reinforce or define Michigan’s leadership position in a wide range of areas.
Successful projects will explore and secure external investments to develop and expand the concept through external partners.
- Alec D. Gallimore, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering, Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Professor, an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, and professor of aerospace engineering