Initiatives
Expertise in action
The University of Michigan is famous for its strength across many fields. Engineering is a key component in many initiatives which pull together expertise from across the college and the university.
Jump to:
American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute, Biointerfaces Institute, Graham Institute for Sustainability, Healthcare Engineering, I-Corps, Manufacturing Research, Plasma Science and Engineering, Ultrafast Optical Science, U-M Coulter Translational Partnership, Wireless Microsensing
Blue Sky Initiative
Fueling daring ideas
The Blue Sky Initiative gives research teams a chance to try big, daring ideas, show results and build momentum to solve society’s biggest challenges.

American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute
The Lightweight Innovations For Tomorrow center, a collaboration between U-M, the Ohio-based manufacturing research nonprofit EWI and Ohio State University, advances the use of lightweight metals in manufacturing.
Contact: Alan Taub, (734) 763-1024, alantaub@umich.edu
Biointerfaces Institute
Researchers at the Biointerfaces Institute explore the junctures between living cells and other surfaces to develop new technologies for understanding, diagnosing and treating disease.
Contact: (734) 763-7924, biointerfaces@umich.edu
Graham Institute for Sustainability
The Graham Institute for Sustainability systematically brings together and harnesses talents across all U-M schools, colleges and units.
Contact: Director Jennifer Haverkamp, jhaver@umich.edu. Assistant Director Andrew Horning, ahorning@umich.edu.
Healthcare Engineering
The Center for Healthcare Engineering and Patient Safety (CHEPS) aims to improve healthcare through a multi-disciplinary, systems engineering-based approach. The center brings together specialists in engineering, medicine, public health, nursing and more to tackle real-world problems.
Contact: (734) 763-0799, cheps-contact@umich.edu
I-Corps
The National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps) National and Michigan/Midwest I-Corps are transformational training programs that teach how to turn feasible early-stage technology into a commercial opportunity with real-world impact.
Contact: (734) 647-7460, midwesticorps@umich.edu
Manufacturing Research
The S.M. Wu Manufacturing Research Center develops advanced manufacturing and machining techniques, with special focus on microscale systems and machining, intelligent maintenance systems, and the application manufacturing approaches and procedures to healthcare.
Contact: Xianli Qiao, (734) 763-5295, qiao@umich.edu
Plasma Science and Engineering
The Michigan Institute for Plasma Science and Engineering (MIPSE) brings together teams of plasma researchers to investigate fundamental phenomena and translate advances in plasma science across medicine, manufacturing, microelectronics, medicine, green technologies and space exploration.
Contact: (734) 647-0197, mipse-central@umich.edu
Ultrafast Optical Science
Researchers at the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science (CUOS) develop optical instrumentation and techniques to generate, manipulate and detect ultrashort and ultrahigh-peak-power light pulses.
Contact: (734) 763-4875, cuos@eecs.umich.edu
U-M Coulter Translational Partnership
The Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, in collaboration with Michigan Engineering and the Medical School, created a $20 million endowment for the Coulter Translational Partnership. The partnership supports collaborative research that addresses unmet clinical needs and leads to improvements in health care.
Contact: Thomas Marten, Coulter Program Director, (734) 647-1680, tmarten@umich.edu
Wireless Microsensing
The Center for Wireless Integrated MicroSensing and Systems (WIMS2) advances the design, fabrication, and applications of microsensors and sensor-driven systems, including:
- Wearable, implantable and microanalytical devices
- Chemical and environmental sensors
- Infrastructure monitoring systems
Contact: (734) 764-6429, info@wims2.org