The near-term strategic objective for research is to identify and develop five or six innovative, interdisciplinary research projects at Illinois in one or more of the iSEE’s thematic areas to address fundamental challenges in sustainability, energy, and environment. One of iSEE’s primary missions is to support “actionable research” – science that progresses toward solutions to grand world challenges that can have near-immediate and lasting impact. To achieve this, iSEE will deploy Illinois’ world-renowned academic strengths and interdisciplinary collaboration under its five research themes. Research projects in three of these thematic areas – Water and Land Stewardship; Secure and Sustainable Agriculture, and Energy Transitions – were launched in 2014. Two or three more will be developed and funded in 2015.