The University of Maryland has advanced two student-led projects – STEM Up and Remote Area Medical UMD – as its representatives for this year's Universitas21 (U21) RISE Showcase and Awards.
U21's RISE (Real Impact on Society & Environment) is an international showcase of student achievement in sustainability and social innovation. It is designed to accelerate the scale and impact of student-led projects by connecting them with a network of experts in academia and industry.
As UMD's representatives, each student team will create a project video pitch to feature in the showcase. U21 will review submissions from institutions across its international network and announce awards by July 2026. Selected projects will be eligible to win one of four prizes valued at $2000 per award.
The 4 award categories for the 2026 showcase include:
- Most Potential
- Most Collaborative
- Most Impact
- People’s Choice Award for Innovation
The video pitches will be viewable on the U21 website at the end of May. Check back to cast your vote!
Each year, RISE welcomes network members to submit projects that focus on addressing global challenges, as outlined by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. UMD is one of 31 members of the U21 network, which brings together research-intensive universities from six continents to share knowledge, learning and perspectives. To select the UMD representatives for RISE, under the banner of Maryland Global, the Office of International Affairs’ Global Learning Initiatives (GLI) hosted a campus-wide contest.
As winners of the UMD contest, in addition to serving as UMD's RISE representatives, these projects also each win $1,000 in total funding from GLI.
U21 RISE Nominees
STEM Up expands access to STEM education for girls and young women from underrepresented backgrounds by providing free mentorship, hands-on learning opportunities, and community-driven resources. Through tutoring programs, science workshops, educational toolkit drives, and global mentorship initiatives, STEM Up works to close persistent gender gaps in STEM by equipping participants with the skills, confidence, and support needed to succeed.
Project leader: Jehan Idsassi ‘28, Neuroscience and History
Remote Area Medical UMD advances health equity by delivering free, high-quality medical, dental, and vision care to underserved communities while training the next generation of service-driven healthcare leaders. Building on extensive clinical outreach and thousands of volunteer hours, the organization removes barriers to care and is developing a scalable, student-led model for community-centered healthcare access with both local and global impact.
Project leader: Aryaan Duggal ‘26, Biological Sciences
Voting for the People's Choice Award for Innovation is underway through July 9. Help support our student innovators by watching their project pitches and casting your vote.
Vote now!