AIM Seed Grants Support 22 AI Research Projects
Research by Associate Professor Sinéad Farrell Among Awarded Projects
From developing futuristic packaging that guards food freshness and safety, to improving speech therapy for neurodiverse people, to developing novel sea ice monitoring techniques, 22 new artificial intelligence (AI) research projects were awarded through a new University of Maryland seed grant program, totaling about $1.5 million.
The grants are administered by the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM), a collaborative hub that the university launched last spring to conduct research, offer innovative and experiential learning opportunities for students, and focus on responsible and ethical AI technology to advance the public good. UMD and its philanthropic and industry partners plan to invest more than $100 million in the institute over the next 10 years.
"This year’s AIM research seed awards fund bold, interdisciplinary projects that embody the institute’s mission: to advance innovative artificial intelligence research through our four pillars of accessibility, social justice, sustainability and learning,” said Sheena Erete, AIM associate director of research and College of Information associate professor. “We are proud to support scholars who are expanding what’s possible through thoughtful, inclusive and impactful research.”
The grants were awarded in several categories, with funding from AIM and matching funds from campus units.
Cross-College Collaborative Awards ($100,000-$300,000)
AI-Driven Sensor Fusion for Arctic Sea Ice Mapping
Art Associate Professor Cy Keener, Geographical Sciences and Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Associate Professor Sinéad Farrell, and Computer Science and UMIACS Assistant Professor Christopher Metzler plan to develop advanced AI-driven photogrammetry and sensor fusion techniques to enhance long-term coastal monitoring efforts. They will identify scientifically significant Arctic sea ice regions and then develop low-cost and accessible sensing platforms to survey the areas and form high-resolution 3D reconstructions of the ice above and below the sea surface.
Full List of Projects on Maryland Today
Image: Nearly two dozen AI projects from a host of disciplines and departments across the UMD campus were funded through a new seed grant program administered by the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM). Illustration by iStock, published in Maryland Today
Published on Wed, 05/28/2025 - 11:18