Website UCI Office of Research
Description
The 2022-23 UCI Research Seed Funding Program is aimed at investing in promising research directions where internal seed level investment can lead to externally funded“center-scale” research programs. The UCI strategic plan identifies convergence research as one of the keys to achieving the vision of research growth that makes a difference. Here convergence refers to deep integration of knowledge bases, tools, techniques, and ways of thinking from physical sciences, life sciences, engineering, computing and social sciences, and reaching out to humanities, arts, business and law to address major societal challenges.
Accordingly, seed funding proposals are invited from multidisciplinary teams that can compete for extramural funding. Please note that the Seed Funding Program is not intended to serve as a funding mechanism for internal UCI-based centers.
Seed funding can be used for planning, capacity building, and research development activities. Examples of extramural opportunities that teams can target include the NIH P30, P50, PPG and SPORE programs, the NSF ERC, STC, MRSEC, CCI, and Expeditions programs, the DOD MURI program, the DOE EFRC program, the DHS S&T COE program and large grants offered by any of the NSF cross-directorate funding initiatives, the NEH, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Ford Foundation. It should be noted that this is not an exhaustive list, but is meant to be illustrative. The targeted funding opportunity(ies) to which proposals will be submitted must be provided at the time of application. Proposals that are vague on this point, or produce a laundry list of sponsors without apparent focus, will be scored lower than those who can identify specific and timely opportunities.
Use of Funds
Funds will be provided for one-time awards that may be used up to two years from the time they are awarded. Funds can be used for meetings, supplies, students or post-doctoral fellows, equipment, travel, or other common research uses. Use of funds for faculty salaries (or course buyouts) is not allowed. As these are internal campus funds, no indirect costs will be charged.
Application Instructions
UC Irvine faculty members who are eligible to serve as Principal Investigators may apply. Only multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary teams and proposals are eligible.
Seed funding may be requested for a period of up to two years, and it is anticipated that 5 – 8 awards of up to $150,000 each will be given.
Applications will be accepted through Friday, January 13, 2023 at 11:59 pm, via the UCI Review application portal.