2025 Presidential Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grants Awarded 

The Iowa State University Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) has awarded $100,000 in 2025 Presidential Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grant program (PIRS) funding to support university scholars focused on innovative and high-impact research projects.  

The PIRS program, administered by the OVRP, was established in 2017 with funds from the Office of the President and an endowment from the Mary G. Miller estate. The annual award supports faculty members pursuing innovative, high-risk-high-reward research with an interdisciplinary focus and strong potential for external funding. Two teams were recently selected to receive $50,000 each in 2025 PIRS funding, to be used over the course of two years. 

E.J. Bahng, associate professor of Education, in collaboration with Bowen Weng, assistant professor of Computer Science, and Jundi Liu, assistant professor of Industrial Engineering, will explore the use of robots and virtual reality to enhance social-emotional learning in informal educational settings. Jun Cui, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, along with Alina Kirillova, assistant professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and David Cantor, professor and Ruan Chair in Supply Chain Management, will use their funding to develop sustainable recycling solutions for polymer matrix composites, particularly focusing on wind turbine blades.  

“Our office is thrilled to support the innovative work of these two research groups,” said Vice President for Research Peter Dorhout. “The approaches these principal investigators and their teams are pursuing have the potential to make significant contributions to their respective fields and beyond, ultimately benefiting society as a whole.” 

Using Robots and Virtual Reality to Teach Social Skills 

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is crucial for youth to develop essential life skills such as empathy, collaboration, and responsible decision-making. These skills are not only vital for personal growth but also for academic and professional success, particularly in STEM fields. Bahng’s team intends to collaborate to provide an immersive and story-driven virtual reality (VR) platform using human-robot engagements that will help young users develop these skills.

“A pivotal realization for us is that robots aren’t just machines—they function as cultural tools, shaping how learners interact, engage, and build relationships,” said Bahng. “Through aesthetic experiences, we explore how technology can evoke curiosity, wonder, and deeper emotional connections in learning. By integrating VR and human-robot interaction, we aim to create immersive, learner-centered environments where technology doesn’t replace human connection—it enriches it.” 

The goal is to develop a project for informal learning spaces, such as libraries, community centers, and afterschool programs, environments that are often more flexible and responsive to an array of learning needs, making them ideal for engaging individuals of all ages and backgrounds.  

This approach not only makes learning more enjoyable but also allows for repeated practice in a safe, controlled environment. The team’s interdisciplinary effort aims to refine this technology, build strong community partnerships, and generate preliminary results that will pave the way for further external funding and broader implementation, particularly from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program. AISL is committed to funding research and practice, with continued focus on investigating a range of informal STEM learning (ISL) experiences and environments that make lifelong learning a reality.  

Recycling Wind Turbine Blades with Magnetic Microparticle Technology  

Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) are essential across industries due to their excellent mechanical strength and resistance to chemicals and heat. One significant application of PMCs is in wind turbine blades. As the first-generation blades are being decommissioned, there is a growing need for efficient recycling solutions to prevent landfill waste, reduce environmental impact, and support sustainable practices as wind energy infrastructure expands globally.

Cui’s research team proposes an innovative approach to recycling these blades. Their method involves incorporating magnetic microparticles during the initial fabrication of PMCs. At the end of the product’s life, targeted microwave irradiation generates localized heat inside the material, selectively decomposing the polymer matrix while preserving the filler material. Another approach involves applying magnetic particles as a coating to existing PMCs, enabling gradual thermal decomposition from the exterior. 

This project aims to develop sustainable recycling solutions for thermoset resins and PMCs across various sectors. The team’s interdisciplinary effort will refine this technology, build strong community partnerships, and generate preliminary results that will pave the way for further external funding and broader implementation. The wind turbine blade recycling market, valued at $1.86 billion in 2022, is projected to grow to $5.6 billion by 2033, highlighting the increasing demand for effective recycling methods. 

“This project exemplifies the power of multidisciplinary collaboration,” explained Cui. “Together our team has expertise in metallic materials, polymers and supply chain sustainability, enabling a holistic approach to drive innovation in this important recycling and upcycling effort.” 

The Presidential Interdisciplinary Research Seed Grant Program (PIRS) is open to full-time, tenured/tenure-eligible, and term faculty with the rank of assistant professor, assistant teaching professor, clinical assistant professor, and adjunct assistant professor, or higher ranking faculty from any discipline. PIRS supports the initial development of innovative research, with up to $50,000 in funding designated for selected teams to pursue high-risk, high-reward projects over a two-year period. The awards are designed to support projects that help researchers from different disciplines collaborate on groundbreaking research, including collecting data, organizing workshops, and building partnerships with other organizations.