ANN ARBOR—Nadine Naber was in Egypt last year researching the country’s revolution when she observed that women’s groups spent most of their time dealing with emergencies—sexual violence, protests, blackouts, food shortages.

Nadine Naber takes a break in a cafe in Egypt, where she has been studying the role of women in the Arab Spring. Photo courtesy of Nadine NaberThey rarely had a chance to interview women about their role in the revolution and document their personal stories so that activists, researchers and policymakers could use the information to find solutions to the poverty and violence.

But now, Naber will be able to play a key role in helping women’s groups share their stories in a public digital archive. The associate professor in women’s studies and the program in American culture at the University of Michigan is receiving a $31,000 grant to set up the archive.

The funding comes from the Third Century Initiative, a $50 million fund established by U-M’s president and provost to develop innovative, multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and scholarship over five years.

Naber’s project is one of 15 that received funding earlier this month from a component of the initiative called Global Challenges for a Third Century, which seeks to inspire ideas about how to tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges.

The projects—involving dozens of schools, colleges and units across campus—were selected through a competitive process that considered more than 115 proposals.

“One of the crucial ways to learn about the role of women in the revolution is through their own stories,” Naber said. “What personal stories bring to light are the many crisscrossing issues that impact women’s lives—poverty, multiple forms of violence, dictatorship, corruption, political participation and representation.”

Other projects funded by GCTC include using mobile phones to improve science labs in Africa, creating diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, using art as an economic engine, developing sustainable transportation, improving educational outcomes for low-income students enrolled in career-technical programs, and enhancing legal systems with technology.

The recipients were chosen by the Office of the Provost based on recommendations of the Global Challenges Advisory Committee, comprised of eight faculty members across campus.

Related Links:

• Descriptions of the funded projects: http://provost.umich.edu/thirdcentury/global.html
• Proposals are now being accepted for the program’s second round: http://provost.umich.edu/thirdcentury/global-rfp.html
• In March, grants were awarded by another component of the initiative, Transforming Learning for a Third Century, which creates innovative student learning experiences: http://ur.umich.edu/1213/Mar11_13/4405-transforming-learning-for
• TLTC is also currently accepting proposals: http://provost.umich.edu/thirdcentury/student-rfp.html