Think Big! 

TDAI's faculty-led yearlong research programs are 18-month-long efforts designed to catalyze bold, transformative research with the potential to shape the future of data science and AI in science and society. Teams whose proposals are selected receive up to $150,000 and in-kind staff assistance to execute programming that spark conversations, collaborations and extramural proposal development for a center of excellence that distinguishes TDAI and The Ohio State University. Each interdisciplinary team is led by two co-PIs who serve as TDAI Faculty Fellows and members of the institute's leadership team.

Check out the current yearlong programs: 

• Geometrization of AI: Bridging the Gap Between Geometric Structures and Statistical Models, led by Dena Asta and Subhadeep Paul
• Joint Human-AI Systems in an Agentic World, led by Srini Parthasarathy and Mike Rayo

Call for proposals

TDAI is accepting applications through June 14, 2026, for programs that will launch by October 2026. All science, scholarship and/or creative expression topics are welcome, with special consideration given to ones related to TDAI’s strategic research directions:

• Health and Well-Being
• Foundations of AI and Data Science
• Responsible and Ethical AI and Data Science
• Climate, Environment and Sustainability

Some examples of program components:

• External speakers or faculty in residence
• Seminars/workshops that facilitate connections among potential OSU collaborators
• Seed funding for prototypes or proofs of concept
• Research symposia and poster sessions
• Community-engaged working groups
• Facilitated ideation and teaming sessions

Requirements 

TDAI Big Idea Research Programs are required to:  

• Be led by two faculty PIs and an active organizing committee that meet regularly, are TDAI members or affiliates, and represent two or more distinct disciplines.
• Build a working coalition of researchers with related research interests who represent distinct disciplines that span two or more colleges 
• Consist of clearly connected components that catalyze new interdisciplinary ideas and collaboration around a socially and/or scientifically significant topic
• Contain explicit AI or data science components that enable big data-enabled knowledge and discovery
• Launch by October 2026 and conclude within 18 months

Process and Timeline

• Proposals are due June 14, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
• Teams will be notified in July 2026.
• The 18-month funding period will commence September 1, 2026. Deferred starts are not permitted. Funding and in-kind support for months 13-18 is contingent upon the completion of milestones for months 1-12 and availability of funds.
• Implementation of program components is expected to launch no later than October 2026.

Evaluation Process and Criteria

Eligible proposals will be scored on the criteria below by TDAI faculty leadership, subject matter experts, university administrators, and community partners as appropriate. Applicants are strongly encouraged to address these criteria explicitly in their proposal.

Strategy

The focusing question and proposed program: 

• Leverage unique combinations of research strengths that differentiate Ohio State
• Map to extramural priorities and opportunities
• Consist of clearly connected components that together result in the program’s intended outcomes

Intellectual Merit

The focusing question and proposed program:

• Are academically compelling and clearly stated
• Have potential to catalyze science, scholarship and/or creative expression at Ohio State that shape the future and understanding of data science and AI in science or society
• Have explicit AI or data science components 
• Include ethical considerations of the research and broader implications

Engagement

The proposed activities are designed to engage members of:

• TDAI 
• Ohio State
• External communities

Members of the organizing team represent:

• Multiple distinct disciplines and colleges
• Multiple different career stages
• Varied backgrounds

The intended program audience/participants represent:

• Multiple distinct disciplines and colleges
• Multiple different career stages

Outcomes and Evalutation

The proposal:

• Clearly states intended outcomes that are worthwhile and justified
• Includes a clear definition of success and relevant, meaningful metrics to assess progress
• Identifies one or more extramural opportunity or funding source whose priorities pertain to the program’s intended outcomes

Timeline and Milestones

The proposal includes: 

• An 18-month timeline with three phases:

1. Planning (up to 2 months)
2. Programming, commencing no later than October 2026
3. Extramural Proposal Writing, including specific extramural opportunities if known

• Relevant, meaningful milestones
• An actionable plan to kick off autumn semester programming no later than October 2026

Proposal Instructions

Be sure to reference the Evaluation Process and Criteria section above when drafting your proposal.

Required format

Proposals must be single-spaced with 1/2-inch margins and 10-point Arial type and include the following sections:

• Full Proposal Title
• Program Name (if different from proposal)
• Keywords
• Contact PI | Name, title(s), college(s)/department(s), email
• Non-Technical Summary (1/2-page limit) | Use accessible lay person terms without jargon
• Organizing Committee  (1-page limit) | List Multiple Principal Investigators’ (MPI) names, titles, college(s)/departments, and relevant research interests, followed by name, title(s), college(s)/department(s), relevant research interests of each committee member
• Program Description (4-page limit)
  1. Topic: Explain the Big Idea focusing question of your proposed program and why it is potentially transformational for science or society.
  2. Programming: Outline the proposed activities, including timeframes and intended outcomes. Describe how your proposed program engages TDAI, university and external community members.
  3. Impact: Describe the potential impacts of your proposed program for TDAI, the university, and science or society.
• Outcome and Metrics (1/2-page limit) | Specify your intended outcomes and how you will measure success for the program. List one or more extramural opportunity or funding source whose priorities align with the focusing question and intended outcomes of your proposed program.
• Timeline and Milestones
  1. Provide an 18-month timeline that contains three phases:
     1. Planning (up to 2 months)
     2. Programming, commencing no later than October 2026
     3. Extramural Proposal Writing, including specific funding mechanisms if known
  2. Provide 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month milestones that assess progress toward the program’s intended outcomes. Funding and in-kind support for months 13-18 is contingent upon the completion of 12-month milestones and the availability of funds.

Note: Do not include a budget. 

How to submit

Save your proposal as a single PDF file and submit by Monday, June 14, 2026, 11:59 p.m. using your name.# email address. Click here to submit your proposal

Contact

For questions, email Jenny Grabmeier, MA, TDAI Director of Research Strategy and Team Science Facilitator | Click here to email Jenny