We are excited to announce the 2026–2027 Faculty XR Awards and are actively seeking proposals! We encourage researchers interested in AR and VR technology to submit their ideas. This initiative will pair faculty with a team of XR developers to design, develop, or prototype an XR application that enhances teaching, research, or creative scholarship.
What will the future of your field look like?
XR applications, including virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and spatial reality, are transforming research and creative practices across various disciplines. We invite researchers to explore the potential impact of these technologies in their fields. The XR Awards aim to promote innovation and scholarship by supporting the development of immersive tools that can make a lasting difference in areas such as the arts, business, healthcare, humanities, natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences.
Award Overview
Funding is available for up to 10 applications, each with a maximum budget of $10,000. The award process consists of two rounds:
- Letter of Intent (LOI) – Due July 1, 2026
- Product Requirements Proposal (by invitation) – Due Sept. 15
How do I submit?
More instructions on how to submit your LOI may be found here:
https://xr.miami.edu/research/faculty-xr-awards/index.html
FAQs
- Who can apply? Full-time faculty
- Do I need app development experience? No, your team will handle design and development.
- Who owns the app? You do, subject to UM’s IP policies.
- Can I use my team? Yes, if they are UM staff/students.
- What’s the development budget? Approx. $10,000 per project.
- Can hardware be included? Yes, but it must be donated to the library after use.
- Can I submit more than one proposal? No, one per applicant.
- May I extend a previously funded XR award? No.
- Where can I view past examples? Visit our website: https://xr.miami.edu/research/faculty-projects/index.html
If you have questions, please contact:
Thomas C. Merrick
txm2025@miami.edu
Senior Project Manager | XR INITIATIVES
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
School of Communication
Department of Interactive Media
