Strategic Initiative Fund (SIF)

An investment in mission and vision-aligned initiatives demonstrating a commitment to our future and in service to the University of Michigan community and to the public.

Primary Impact Area

Tech

Great Lakes Maritime Initiative

This initiative will position the Great Lakes as a national hub for shipbuilding revitalization, maritime innovation, and workforce development. U-M is uniquely positioned to lead this effort, drawing on world-class expertise in naval architecture and marine engineering, decarbonization, and interdisciplinary strengths across engineering, business, policy, and sustainability.

By leveraging regional assets and advanced technologies, the initiative aims to translate research into real-world impact at speed and scale while building a comprehensive maritime talent pipeline and strengthening U.S. industrial competitiveness. GLMI will launch three core elements:

a U-M institute paired with an affiliated organization to pursue new funding opportunities
an integrated maritime workforce program that builds on the successful U.S. Navy BRIDGE model and uses a transformative shipbuilding metaverse as the foundation for cross-functional education and research
a Maritime Commercialization Lab that links U-M’s strengths with an established Detroit-based regional coalition to deliver cutting-edge research and education with rapid real-world implementation.