The inaugural UMN–SNU Seed Grant projects tackle pressing scientific frontiers. (Clockwise from left) Advanced iEEG foundation modeling and cognitive AI assistant frameworks; the dynamics of buoyancy-driven gas venting in fluid-saturated media; and coupled geomechanics for subsurface water and sustainable energy systems—all anchored by a central commitment to cross-border research collaboration. Photos courtesy: Adobe Stock.
The Global Programs and Strategy Alliance (GPS Alliance) and the Research and Innovation Office (RIO) are pleased to announce the first four project winners under the new UMN–SNU Research Partnership Seed Grant Program. Designed to catalyze international scientific collaboration, this initiative supports joint research between UMN and Seoul National University (SNU) faculty to tackle urgent global challenges through innovation.
The partnership is grounded in the belief that maintaining global competitiveness in science and technology requires robust, cross-border collaboration. For this initial 2026 funding round, the selected projects span four UMN departments in two colleges in critical interdisciplinary fields, including artificial intelligence, data science, and sustainable water and energy systems.
The projects received a total of approximately $160,000 in funding for one year. Each project is backed by $20,000 from UMN and up to $20,000 (₩30,000,000) in matching funds from SNU. These seed investments are designed to establish the infrastructure, benchmarks, and preliminary data necessary to secure future external funding from agencies like the NSF, NIH, DOE, and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF).