Science Foundation Ireland.
SFI chooses researchers through merit review by distinguished scientists. SFI awards normally range from 100,000 euros to 1.0 million euros per year and SFI can make decisions on proposals within 60 days of receipt.
SFI's new funding programmes are as follows:
SFI Fellow Awards
Normally ranging up to 1 million euros per year for up to five years
- Funding such items as researcher salaries and the necessary research equipment
- Helping Irish research bodies and industry recruit and retain outstanding researchers
SFI Centres for Science, Engineering, and Technology Grants
- Normally ranging from 1 to 5 million euros per year for programme support as well as matching funds for related new buildings
- Supporting research partnerships that link scientists and engineers with their industrial counterparts
E.T.S. Walton Visitor Awards
- Named after Ireland's 1951 Nobel laureate in physics
- Normally ranging up to 200,000 euros per year, including salary, laboratory and moving expenses
- Bringing international researchers to Ireland for periods normally ranging up to one year
SFI Investigator Programme Grants
- Normally ranging up to 250,000 euros per year, with higher awards to exceptional recipients
- Funding such items as salaries for research equipment and salaries for support staff
- Focusing on rewarding great researchers in Ireland's Workshop and Conference Grants
Facilitating internationally focused workshops and conferences in Ireland
SFI-funded research scientists and engineers are investigating the fields underpinning biotechnology and information and communications technology. Their objective is to contribute towards advancing human understanding of science and engineering problems and issues, and generate results that foster Ireland's industrial development.
Information Communications Technologies (ICT) and Biotechnology. Materials projects, particularly nanotechnology projects, get funded under ICT.
While different criteria apply for each programme, and the grants are for work to be done in the Republic of Ireland, Calls for Proposals are generally open to researchers from any country. Applicants, however, should be independent investigators, which SFI defines as follows: A researcher at least three years beyond the Ph.D. who has a record of internationally competitive research accomplishment (as measured by publications in international journals, invited talks at international conferences, or other academic metrics appropriate to the applicant's field), and who will have an independent office and research space at the host research body for which he/she is fully responsible for at least the duration of the SFI funding. These qualifications must be documented and confirmed in writing by the host research body at the time of the application. SFI's technical (Ph.D.) staff, according to the following process:
Where the application process of an award programme specifies it, SFI asks applicants to nominate at least seven individuals who should review the application and will consider including them in the review process. In these applications, SFI also permits applicants to specify up to three individuals who should not review the application. SFI will not share such proposals with the three individuals that the applicant specifies should not review it. Otherwise, SFI holds the final decision on who reviews proposals. While the criteria vary for each award programme, generally SFI asks the peer reviewers to assess the quality of the ideas proposed, the quality of the applicant's background, and the potential of the research to make a major contribution in its area to Ireland's research development.
SFI's new funding programmes are as follows:
SFI Fellow Awards
Normally ranging up to 1 million euros per year for up to five years
- Funding such items as researcher salaries and the necessary research equipment
- Helping Irish research bodies and industry recruit and retain outstanding researchers
SFI Centres for Science, Engineering, and Technology Grants
- Normally ranging from 1 to 5 million euros per year for programme support as well as matching funds for related new buildings
- Supporting research partnerships that link scientists and engineers with their industrial counterparts
E.T.S. Walton Visitor Awards
- Named after Ireland's 1951 Nobel laureate in physics
- Normally ranging up to 200,000 euros per year, including salary, laboratory and moving expenses
- Bringing international researchers to Ireland for periods normally ranging up to one year
SFI Investigator Programme Grants
- Normally ranging up to 250,000 euros per year, with higher awards to exceptional recipients
- Funding such items as salaries for research equipment and salaries for support staff
- Focusing on rewarding great researchers in Ireland's Workshop and Conference Grants
Facilitating internationally focused workshops and conferences in Ireland
SFI-funded research scientists and engineers are investigating the fields underpinning biotechnology and information and communications technology. Their objective is to contribute towards advancing human understanding of science and engineering problems and issues, and generate results that foster Ireland's industrial development.
Information Communications Technologies (ICT) and Biotechnology. Materials projects, particularly nanotechnology projects, get funded under ICT.
While different criteria apply for each programme, and the grants are for work to be done in the Republic of Ireland, Calls for Proposals are generally open to researchers from any country. Applicants, however, should be independent investigators, which SFI defines as follows: A researcher at least three years beyond the Ph.D. who has a record of internationally competitive research accomplishment (as measured by publications in international journals, invited talks at international conferences, or other academic metrics appropriate to the applicant's field), and who will have an independent office and research space at the host research body for which he/she is fully responsible for at least the duration of the SFI funding. These qualifications must be documented and confirmed in writing by the host research body at the time of the application. SFI's technical (Ph.D.) staff, according to the following process:
Where the application process of an award programme specifies it, SFI asks applicants to nominate at least seven individuals who should review the application and will consider including them in the review process. In these applications, SFI also permits applicants to specify up to three individuals who should not review the application. SFI will not share such proposals with the three individuals that the applicant specifies should not review it. Otherwise, SFI holds the final decision on who reviews proposals. While the criteria vary for each award programme, generally SFI asks the peer reviewers to assess the quality of the ideas proposed, the quality of the applicant's background, and the potential of the research to make a major contribution in its area to Ireland's research development.