Grand
Challenges
Harnessing the power of UC Davis to holistically tackle wicked problems
Significance
Focuses on a challenge the campus community recognizes as a wicked problem
Global Solutions Start Here
Addressing our planet’s most complex issues requires new perspectives and visionary action. Grand Challenges is catalyzing our campus community to go beyond team science to holistically tackle wicked problems. We draw upon UC Davis’ enduring strengths, capacity for innovation and culture of collaboration — bringing together world-class researchers from all areas of study to address the Earth’s most daunting challenges.
Big Picture, Grass Roots
Built from a foundation of grassroots work and prioritized by leaders across UC Davis, Grand Challenges cultivates and champions work to understand and find innovative solutions to complex issues. The work done by our campus community will serve as a global model and enable our world to move forward with equity and resilience.
Selection Criteria
The above challenges have been selected for our initial efforts. Your nominations and suggestions for other challenges are welcome. To be selected, challenges must meet the following criteria:
Impact
Moves the needle toward better solutions using transdisciplinary collaboration
Expertise
Capitalizes on the talents of our campus and UC Davis’ unique strengths
Inclusivity
Provides opportunities for all disciplines, schools, and colleges to have a role
Nominated Challenges
Howard-Yana Shapiro and Alfred Chuang to Co-Chair Advisory Board
We are excited to announce Alfred Chuang and Howard-Yana Shapiro have accepted roles as co-chairs of the UC Davis Grand Challenges External Advisory Board. Chuang is the Founder and General Partner at Race Capital and sits on Chancellor May’s Board of Advisors. Recognized by Andreessen Horowitz as the “Silicon Valley CEO’s CEO,” Chuang has shown […]
Professor Christine Kreuder Johnson Appointed New Director for the UC Davis Institute for Pandemic Intelligence
UC Davis Grand Challenges is pleased to announce Professor Christine Kreuder Johnson as the new Director of the Institute for Pandemic Intelligence (IPI). Dr. Johnson has been serving as a Champion for the Grand Challenge on Emerging Health Threats since inception in 2022. The Institute for Pandemic Intelligence was also founded as part of the […]
CEPI teams with UC Davis to identify viruses most likely to emerge
CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and University of California, Davis have announced a new partnership agreement to advance and expand the application of “SpillOver,” a viral ranking app that directly compares the risks posed by hundreds of animal and human viruses. The database ranks hundreds of virus, host, and environmental risk factors to […]
