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YEAR BOOK |
Science Foundation Ireland - Fond�ireacht Eola�ochta �ireann
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Science Foundation Ireland
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Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has been at the forefront of internationalising Irish research over the past number of years. The Irish Government commitment to transforming Ireland into a knowledge based economy has brought about considerable change in the Irish research community and SFI has assumed a significant leadership role in this transformation. SFI has been investing in scientific and engineering research on behalf of the Irish Government under the National Development Plan, 2000-2006.
SFI Achievements
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In the Biotechnology sector, SFI now funds 107 Research Investigators, involving total commitments of over �229 million and indirectly engages 686 life-science researchers.
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�In the Information & Communications Technology sector SFI now funds 94 Research Investigators, involving financial commitments of over �284 million; and indirectly engages 664 researchers.
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�158 research proposals from academic scientists and engineers in the fields embracing the Earth Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Biosciences and Computer Science were approved under the Research Frontiers Programme 2006.
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�In 2005, SFI launched two new Centres for Science, Engineering & Technology (CSETs) i.e. the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI) at Dublin City University and Lero, the Irish Software Engineering Research Centre, based at University of Limerick.
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During Summer 2006, over 200 undergraduates from Ireland and abroad undertook 8-12 week scientific research internship working with world class researchers in Irish third level institutions through the UREKA programme.
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Industry was proactively encouraged to locate their research laboratories in Ireland in partnership with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland.
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�SFI has facilitated Irish research institutions to recruit and retain research leaders from around the world to Ireland. Over 50 Principal Investigators have been recruited to Ireland in the BioT and ICT sectors.
Research Frontiers Programme
Under the Research Frontiers Programme 2006, SFI awarded funding to 158 researchers in 11 research institutions. The Programme supports high-quality, novel exploratory research in the third-level sector in fields embracing the Bio Sciences, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, Physics and Engineering. The 158 projects have been awarded almost �24 million over three years.
Women in Science & Engineering Research Initiative
SFI has provided a major boost for female science and engineering researchers with the award of a �4.8 million research investment under the Women in Science & Engineering Research Initiative. The bulk of the investment goes to the SFI Principal Investigator Career Advancement Award (PICA), which provides assistance to academics undertaking research following maternity, adoptive, carers or parental leave. SFI selected the 10 successful applicants following a rigorous international peer review process. The 10 female researchers were awarded a total of �4.3 million in funding over a three-year period. A total of 46 applications were received in response to the PICA call in 2005.
The balance of the investment, �503,000, is awarded to University College Cork (UCC), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University of Limerick (UL) under the separate SFI Institute Development Award . This funding will enable the universities enhance the participation of women in science and engineering research activities through the establishment of long-term sustainable initiatives.
SFI will announce details of the Women into Engineering � Undergraduate Scholarship in Autumn 2006.
Secondary Teachers Assistant Researchers (STARs)
In 2006, 48 second-level teachers participated in the Secondary Teacher Assistant Researchers (STARs) programme, which provides support for second-level teachers to conduct research alongside an SFI-funded researcher or research team during school holiday periods for up to eight weeks. The goal is to help teachers renew their interest in science as researchers, connect them with the science faculty in universities and institutes of technology, and enhance the teaching of science across the educational system.
Summer Research Jobs for Science Undergraduates
During the Summer of 2006 over 200 science undergraduates took part in the UREKA ( Undergraduate Research Experience & Knowledge Award ) programme. UREKA provides paid summer research jobs in third level institutions for undergraduate students, giving them the opportunity to participate in active research in any of the areas of research funded by SFI. Projects feature high quality interaction of students with faculty and/or other research mentors and access to appropriate facilities and professional development opportunities.
President of Ireland Young Research Awards
SFI awarded over �4 million to five leading young ICT and Biotechnology researchers under its President of Ireland Young Researcher Award (PIYRA) scheme in 2005. The award recipients were:
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Dr David P Finn, NUI Galway
Control of endogenous analgesia by the brain endocannabinoid system: sites and mechanisms of action.
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Dr Aoife McLysaght, TCD
Gene gains, losses and relocations during vertebrate evolution.
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Dr Jarlath E Nally, From UCLA to UCD
Characterization of the proteome and transcriptome of Leptospira during acute and chronic infection.
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Dr. Scott Rickard, UCD
Time-frequency/time-scale analysis, sparse signal representation theory, and finite field theory for signal processing applications.
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Dr Jiri Vala, from UC Berkeley to NUI Maynooth
Topological Phases and Topological Quantum Computation Institute
About SFI Awards Programme
SFI has established a flexible grants and awards portfolio for investing in research that occurs within Ireland. SFI chooses recipients through peer/merit review by distinguished scientists. SFI grants portfolio includes:
SFI Principal Investigator Programme
� Grants for outstanding researchers, normally ranging between �50,000-�250,000 per year for a three to four year period*.
Centres for Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET): Campus-Industry Partnership
� Linking academic and industrial researchers together on high-end research programmes, grants ranging up to �25 million (including industry cost share) over five years.
Strategic Research Clusters (SRC)
� SRCs will create clusters of internationally competitive researchers from academia and industry, particularly Irish-based industry. SRC grants will be awarded for periods of three years. Grants will normally range from �500,000 to �1,500,000 per year.
SFI Research Professor Awards
�� For outstanding researchers, with particularly distinguished international reputations, awards normally ranging up to �2.5 million over a five year period.
Research Frontiers Programme (RFP)
�� Supporting all areas of high-quality, novel exploratory research in the third-level sector, normally ranging up to �200,000 over three years
E.T.S. Walton Visitor Awards
��Supporting leading international scientists who visit Ireland to undertake research for up to one year, normally ranging up to �200,000 per year.
President of Ireland Young Research Awards (PIYRA)
��Attracting to Ireland and supporting Irish researchers within five years of completing their Ph.D., normally up to �1 million over five years.
Industry Supplements Programme
��Collaborative projects with industry that are directly related to and enhance existing SFI peer-reviewed programmes, normally ranging up to �50,000.
SFI Workshop and Conference Grants
��Supporting significant international scientific meetings taking place in Ireland, involving Irish scientists and research bodies, normally ranging up to �50,000 per event.
Women in Science & Engineering Research Initiative
��Three separate programmes designed to support and sustain women in science and engineering research in Ireland.
Undergraduate Research Experience & Knowledge Award (UREKA)
��Supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by SFI.
Secondary Teacher Assistant Researchers (STARs)
��Supplements to support second-level teachers in conducting research in Irish laboratories during summers.
The total figures above refer to direct costs. SFI makes a separate contribution towards overheads through the Annual Overhead Investment Plans (AOIP) to each research body based on the overall level of SFI grants.
*In exceptional cases SFI can award up to �1 million per year over a five year period.
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Contact: Alva O'Cleirigh, Manager,
Communications & Public Relations,
Science Foundation Ireland, Wilton Park House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2.
Tel: 353 1 607 3249.
E-mail: [email protected] ; Website: www.sfi.ie