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The Institute of Diversity Sciences (IDS) recently awarded two grants to interdisciplinary teams of faculty and student researchers through its annual seed grant competition. The goal of these grants is to support STEM research that addresses pressing social problems and advances public interest. 

This year, IDS awarded two seed grants: one for $14,619 and another for $23,234, the latter jointly funded by the Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation (EMCNEI). Researchers supported by these grants come from seven departments at UMass Amherst.

Awardees will examine: 

1. How intravenous medication errors in intensive care units in hospitals disproportionately affect older adults and patients from diverse social class and racial and ethnic backgrounds, and
2. How geographic location, transportation, and cost shape unequal access to healthy and affordable food in Massachusetts. 

“At a time when higher education is facing real uncertainty—especially around research funding—it’s more important than ever to invest in research that addresses the needs of our communities,” says Nilanjana (Buju) Dasgupta, director of IDS. “These projects bring together faculty and students from multiple disciplines to tackle real-world problems with STEM theories and techniques. IDS is proud to be a launchpad for this kind of socially impactful research—work that might otherwise go unsupported in this political climate.”

Fatal Flaws: Investigating Hidden Dangers in IV Medication for Vulnerable Patients

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A single incorrect medication dose can be the difference between recovery and tragedy. Medication errors are among the most common—and deadliest—hospital mistakes, disproportionately harming older, poorer, and racially diverse patients in intensive care. This study brings together nursing, engineering, economics and health equity to examine how high-risk medications and complex clinical scenarios compromise medication safety and increase the potential for life-threatening harm.

How Far for Fresh Food? Mapping the Geographic Barriers to Healthy Eating

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For many Massachusetts families, the problem isn’t just affording healthy food—it’s getting to it. A grocery store may be just a few miles away, but without a car, it might as well be across the state. This project exposes the invisible barriers to food access, mapping how factors like cost, location, and transportation determine who can actually reach fresh, affordable meals—and who is left behind.