PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Bold research requires sustained momentum. To give early discovery room to grow, the Division of Research launched Track 2: Research Innovation Awards within the expanded 2026 Division of Research Seed Program, which quadrupled last year thanks to generous donor contributions.
Research Innovation Awards help teams turn early-stage concepts into major promising, long-term research programs. Following a competitive Phase I pilot period that ended October 31, researchers presented their initial data and future vision to a panel of academic leaders at Brown, who selected six standout teams to advance to Phase II. In addition, one established team with significant foundational progress was granted an expedited Phase II award.
"Phase II funding allows our teams to expand on their early results, scale their models, and build the foundation needed to capture major external grants,” said Vice President for Research Greg Hirth. “By advancing these projects out of the initial pilot phase, we are helping our researchers move towards translating their ideas directly into real-world solutions.”
Across campus, the seven Phase II initiatives represent a broad spectrum of creative problem-solving.
Phase I to Phase II Awardees
Exploring artificial intelligence and animal behavior, Daphna Buchsbaum (Cognitive and Psychological Sciences) leads Human–Animal Collaboration as a Model for Human–Robot Collaboration. Awarded $200,000 for Phase II, her team studies nonverbal communication and cooperation between humans and dogs as a model for designing safer, more effective human-robot interactions. Expanding on the interdisciplinary team with partners like the Army Research Lab from Phase I, the group will use Phase II to run a workshop observing animal behavior at the Wilds Conservation Center, laying the groundwork for a new field of study and major federal grant applications.
In climate research, Meredith Hastings (IBES/DEEPS) directs NEST-AI: Integrating Environmental Sensing and AI for Urban Heat Decision Support. Backed by a $200,000 Phase II award and advancing initial Phase I sensor tests, the team is deploying an expanded network of environmental sensors and AI models. The platform will provide city leaders with real-time data to help mitigate extreme urban heat and protect vulnerable communities.
Focusing on public health, Aditya Khanna (Behavioral and Social Sciences) leads Building a Cross-Campus Systems Science Platform for Alcohol-Attributable Cancer Prevention. Awarded $200,000, the project addresses alcohol use as a major preventable risk factor for cancer. Having developed initial computer risk models in Phase I, the team will use Phase II funding to construct a user-friendly risk projection tool, analyze how social networks and policy interventions affect alcohol consumption and cancer risk, and prepare a large NIH center grant proposal.
Advancing engineering and eldercare technology, Kimani Toussaint (Engineering) leads the multidisciplinary AI-Assisted Aging-in-Place Sensor Testbed. With $200,000 in Phase II funding, the team is developing smart optical sensors paired with AI to help older adults live independently while preserving their privacy. Following successful lab tests in Phase I, Phase II will shift to testing the sensors in real residential environments, aiming to enable independent living for older adults while assisting caregivers.
Expedited Phase II Awardee
Rounding out the group of Division of Research funded Phase II recipients is an expedited award granted to an already advanced interdisciplinary team that skipped Phase I to immediately scale their work.
Tackling ocean-based wind energy, Kenny Breuer (Engineering) leads Dynamics of Offshore Wind Turbines alongside co-PIs Baylor Fox-Kemper (DEEPS) and Brad Marston (Physics). Awarded $200,000 for Expedited Phase II, the team is studying how offshore wind farms interact with ocean wind and weather conditions. Having already gained strong initial momentum, the team will combine computer models, atmospheric sensors, and physical testing to improve turbine performance and advance the region’s growing clean energy network.
Life Sciences Advisory Council Funded Awardees
The Life Sciences Advisory Committee (LSAC) at Brown provided funds for two of the awarded projects. LSAC is a cross-disciplinary group created to help advance Brown’s life sciences strategy by identifying opportunities for collaboration and investment across the University. Funding for Phase II awards was directed toward projects that incorporate AI into life sciences research.
“We saw the LSAC funds as an opportunity to strengthen connections between computer science and the broader life sciences community, including the affiliated health systems,” said Mukesh K. Jain, MD, senior associate provost for life sciences, who convenes LSAC and is also the dean of medicine and biological sciences and senior vice president for health affairs. “Together, these projects demonstrate the potential to apply AI and computational approaches to important life sciences challenges while advancing interdisciplinary collaboration.”
LSAC provided funds for an interdisciplinary team led by Anne CC Lee (Pediatrics) that is developing NeoIMPACT, a mobile AI-driven clinical decision tool for health workers in low-resource settings. With $225,000 in Phase II funding for Artificial Intelligence Enabled Clinical Decision Support for Maternal and Newborn Health, the team will use data on neonatal sepsis and birth asphyxia gathered in Phase I to develop machine learning models and create a working prototype of NeoIMPACT. The platform will help frontline providers identify childbirth complications and ensure timely medical care.
LSAC also funds Leveraging Electronic Health Records and Artificial Intelligence for Pediatric Psychiatry Emergency Services, led by Liz Chen (Biomedical Informatics). To help address the youth mental health crisis, the team will leverage electronic health record data, digital health technologies, and artificial intelligence to design clinical decision support tools for pediatric psychiatry emergency services. With $225,000 in funding, Phase II will concentrate on creating a clinical registry, evaluating patient outcomes, and co-designing scalable tools to enhance pediatric crisis care.
Community Collaboration and Engagement
This cohort of Phase II projects reflects the collaborative, interdisciplinary nature of research at Brown. Essential to the success of many Research Innovation Awards is a commitment to community-engaged research. The Division of Research thanks the Swearer Center for Public Service for helping teams develop strong community partnerships that directly serve societal needs.
Learn more about the Division of Research 2027 Internal Funding Opportunities.