InterDisciplinary Exchange & Advancement Initiative (IDEA) solicits proposals from associate professors to support innovative research, scholarly, and interdisciplinary collaboration around a theme at UMass Lowell. 
Each IDEA proposal includes a project leader and a diverse group of faculty and other researchers from across the university (up to six post-doctoral participation people in addition to the project leader) who share research and/or creative activity interests and will develop a plan for research and creative activity. 
The collaboration may take a variety of forms such as developing a proposal for a campus research center, a proposal for a funded proposal, a performance or exhibit, a book proposal, or a new academic programmatic area. It is expected that the principal investigator and her/his collaborators will complete planning for one activity within 6 months of receiving the award and that the collaboration will result in a product within the following six months. Other products may result from the IDEA collaboration, but the project leader is required to bring one project to completion within a year. In addition, each IDEA leader will participate in leadership development provided by the Center for Women and Work. 
The project is funded by the Provost’s Office, the Vice Chancellor for Research, and the NSF ADVANCE Making WAVES team. 
To learn more, or to submit an application, visit the Research and Innovation Opportunities Portal.