For those who haven’t heard by now — or were otherwise besieged by early-semester tasks  — Indiana University just launched the most ambitious research program in its history. Through a $300 million investment over the next five years, IU’s Grand Challenges program aims to address some of the world’s most pressing issues — such as global water supplies, future energy needs, disease, harnessing and protecting big data and climate change.

Preliminary proposals for the first two Grand Challenge initiative have been requested from faculty teams, with funding expected to begin next fall. As many as five such projects may be funded by IU between now and the university’s bicentennial in 2020.

“As one of the nation’s leading research universities, Indiana University has a special opportunity — and responsibility — to drive large-scale research, discovery and innovation to help address some of the most pressing challenges facing our state, nation and world today.”

— IU President Michael A. McRobbie

Interested parties have a Nov. 9 deadline to submit preliminary proposals to the office of Vice President for Research Fred H. Cate. Finalist teams would be notified no later than Jan. 8, 2016 — and be asked to submit their final proposals by April 17.

A second Grand Challenges town hall meeting is set for Friday, Sept. 18, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at IU Bloomington’s Whittenberger Auditorium. The initial meeting was held May 11.

Read more about the Grand Challenges initiative here.

Proposal requirements are available here.