GROCS - Grant Opportunities [Collaborative Spaces] - provides collaborative space, equipment and funding for students to engage in interdisciplinary research of their own design. In its first 5 years, the program provided $275,000 to 100 students and 26 faculty advisors participating in 26 projects.

GROCS receives around 50 project proposals each Fall Semester. A review panel selects 4 - 6 projects to fund during Winter Semester. Selected projects meet four criteria:

• a vision for enhancing academic activity (teaching, learning or research)
• collaboration as a means to improve the quality of academic activity
• digital media as a tool for enhancing academic activity
• interdisciplinary perspectives among the team members

Selected teams receive an unrestricted cash grant of $2,500 per student team member, work space in the Duderstadt Center's Design Lab One and a stipend for special equipment.

Visit the GROCS blog regularly, or send email to grocs.info@umich.edu.