• Group of students viewing a virtual brain
The Schmid College of Science and Technology and the Fowler School of Engineering

ยป First-Year Foundations Course (FFC) - Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering

All undergraduate majors entering Schmid College of Science and Technology, and Fowler School of Engineering must fulfill their First-Year Foundations course requirement by participation in an FFC 100 section titled Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering. This course serves as the first part of the Grand Challenges Initiative, a program designed to engage students in team-based activities focused on solving the most pressing problems facing society. Interested students from outside of Schmid College of Science and Technology, and the Fowler School of Engineering are encouraged to enroll, as all projects will engage in interdisciplinary approaches in order to find new and compelling solutions.

Please contact Gregory Goldsmith, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, and Director, Grand Challenges Initiative with inquiries regarding the Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering FFC course.

Grand Challenges in Science and Engineering

Can we predict critical medical conditions before they occur? How do we stem the loss of bio-diversity? What is the role of artificial intelligence in creating a safer future? Solving these "grand challenges" will require breakthroughs that leverage innovative thinking across disciplines. In this course, small teams of students work together to understand a current challenge facing society, propose a potential solution, and effectively communicate what they have learned.


Toggle Section