Welcome

Tackling society's Grand Challenges - together

Researchers and students in the community showing their research in action

Bold, purpose-driven discovery

Wayne State’s Grand Challenges initiative unites researchers, students and partners to confront the most pressing issues facing society today — health, artificial intelligence, sustainable environments and smart mobility. Together, these teams turn bold ideas into real-world solutions, developing new therapies that improve lives, advancing ethical and powerful AI tools, designing sustainable urban neighborhoods, and creating technologies that make movement safer and smarter. From the heart of Detroit, they create solutions that shape the future of our city — and the world beyond.

Explore the Grand Challenges

Research facts

432

Wayne State has 432 patents issued (U.S. and foreign) since FY15.

75th

Ranked 75th by NSF among public research universities for R&D expenditures in FY24

$94.4 million

NIH awards rose nearly 11% from FY17 to FY24

$291.7 million

Wayne State reported $291.7 million in research expenditures in FY24

Key research areas spotlight

Water

Healthy Urban Waters (HUW) is a program at Wayne State University that promotes and delivers research, education, technology development and public engagement on water resources in the urban environment. The focus area is the Huron to Erie corridor, although WSU's expertise and application extends throughout the Great Lakes watershed. HUW aims to engage and empower the public, faculty and students in creating a sustainable urban environment based on sound science.

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